Story of Rishabha

Nandishvara said

Sanatkumara, omniscient one, Shankara's conduct brings happiness. Out of love and to give Brahma joy, Rudra told him this.

Shiva said

In the seventh kalpa, called Varaha, in the Vaivasvata manvantara, Bhagavan Kalpeshvara, who lights all worlds, will become Brahma's great-grandson, Vaivasvata Manu. From that manvantara the system of four yugas will begin. Shiva said he could see what would happen at the end of the dvapara yuga, for the worlds' benefit and for the brahmanas' welfare. In that first cycle of yugas, in the first dvapara, the Vyasa would be Svayamprabhu. For the brahmanas, at the end of the kali yuga, Shiva would be born as a great sage named Shveta, with Shivaa beside him, on the beautiful, supreme mountain Chagala on the Himalayan summit. He would have four topknotted disciples, Shveta, Shvetashikha, Shvetashva and Shvetalohita, who would absorb themselves in meditation and yoga and go to his city, and, knowing the truth of his undecaying nature, become his devotees. Freed from birth, death and old age, they would fix their minds on the supreme brahman. Apart from meditation, men could not see him, and gifts and other karma-producing means did not suffice.

In the second dvapara the Vyasa would be the Prajapati Satya, and in kali yuga Shiva would become Sutara, with brahmana disciples who knew the Vedas: Dundubhi, Shatarupa, Hrishika and Ketuman, who would reach his city by meditation and yoga and be liberated. In the third dvapara Bhargava would be Vyasa and Shiva would be born as Damana, living on the city's outskirts, with four sons, Vishoka, Vishesha, Vipapa and Papanashana, and in kali yuga would help Vyasa establish the path of withdrawal. In the fourth, Angiras would be Vyasa and Shiva would be born as Suhotra, with four yogi sons, Sumukha, Durmukha, Dudarbha and Duratikrama. In the fifth, Savitar would be Vyasa and Shiva the great yogi and ascetic Kanka, with four great-souled sons, Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana and Sanatkumara, blemishless and without ego, and with them Kanka would help Savitar enhance the path of withdrawal. In the sixth, Mrityu would be Vyasa, who would arrange the Vedas, and Shiva would be born as Lokakshi, with four vow-steady disciples, Sudhama, Viraja, Sanjaya and Vijaya. In the seventh, Shatakaru would be Vyasa and Shiva would be born as the lord Jaigishavya, a discerning great yogi who would steady the path of yoga, seated on a kusha mat in a divine cave in the Kashi region, saving devotees from the fear of samsara. In the eighth, the sage Vasishtha would be Vedavyasa and Shiva would be born as Dadhivahana, with four yogi sons his equals: Kapila, Asura, Panchashikha and Shalvala.

In the ninth dvapara Sarasvata, best of sages, would be Vyasa, meditating to enhance the path of withdrawal, and Shiva would be born as Rishabha, with four disciples, Parashara, Garga, Bhargava and Girisha, excellent yogis, with whom he would make the path of yoga firm and help the virtuous Vedavyasa. Full of compassion, in that form he would save many miserable devotees. In that avatara Prince Bhadrayu would be abandoned by his father because he was poisoned. Though he would die, Rishabha would bring him back to life. When Bhadrayu reached sixteen and was proud as a king, Rishabha would suddenly go to his house, and the prince would worship the sage, an ocean of compassion in form. Rishabha would teach him the dharma proper to ruling a kingdom and, pleased, give him a divine kavacha, a conch and a radiant sword that would destroy enemies. Compassionate to the dejected, he would smear the prince's body with ashes so that he gained the strength of twelve thousand elephants. After being duly worshipped by Bhadrayu and his mother, Rishabha would leave as he pleased. The royal sage Bhadrayu would defeat many enemies in battle, rule in accordance with dharma and marry Kirtimalini. Such would be the powers of Shankara's avatara Rishabha. Shiva called his ninth avatara the refuge of the virtuous and friend of the miserable, whose conduct is great and supremely purifying, and said that a person who makes the effort to hear it will gain heaven, fame and long life.