kaccha and mahakaccha who were they?
Kaccha and Mahakaccha are legendary early kings in Jain tradition. They are described as the forefathers of the Vidyadhara lineage and are connected to the birth of later great beings.
- In some Jain texts (notably the Paumacariu, cited by later authors like Hemacandra), Kaccha and Mahakaccha are mentioned as the fathers-in-law of Rsabha (Rishabha), and their sons Nami and Vinami founded the Vidyadhara line. This places Kaccha and Mahakaccha as founding ancestors of that dynasty within Jain historiography. ( wisdomlib.org)
- Hemacandra’s and related traditions also align on their role as early progenitors tied to the Vidyadhara line. ( wisdomlib.org)
Notes:
- There are variations in how different Jain traditions name and describe these figures, but the core point across sources is that Kaccha and Mahakaccha are ancient progenitors linked to the Vidyadhara dynasty and to Rsabha’s kinship network.
- Digambar and Śvetambar traditions generally agree on their place in the broader genealogies, though exact details can differ by text.
If you’d like, I can point to a Jain text passage that mentions this genealogy.