But rishabdev was hindu ? Before keval gyan
Short answer: No. In Jainism, Rishabhanatha (Rishabhdev) is the first Tirthankar, the original founder of the Jain path in this time cycle. He is not considered Hindu, and the idea of “Hindu before keval jnana” does not apply in Jain doctrine.
What Jainism teaches:
- Rishabhanatha is the first spiritual teacher (Tirthankar) who set the example of righteously ruling, renunciation, and the path to liberation.
- He attained kevala jnana (omniscient knowledge) after practicing intense tapasya, long before the present era in Jain cosmology.
- Digambar and Shwetambar traditions both honor him as the first Tirthankar, with some devotional and textual differences in details, but the core view remains the same.
- The term “Hindu” as a religious category was not used in the way it is today during his time in Jain teachings; Jainism regards him as a liberated soul who preached the path to liberation, distinct from later religious identities.
If you’d like, I can share a concise darshan (arth) of a specific sutra or hymn about Rishabhanatha in either Digambar or Shwetambar tradition.