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PART V STORIES AFTER BHAGAWÄN MAHÄVIR
Then Vimalshä selected a site for the temple on top of a mountain and bought the land for 45,360,000 gold coins. The foundation stone was laid with deep faith. However, it was not easy to construct the temple. It was a Herculean task. Artisans were not locally available, there was no road leading from the foot of the mountain to the top, and marble had to be brought from a great distance. Vimalshä was determined to complete the project at any cost. He made all the necessary arrangements for transporting the materials to the top and hired the best sculptors in the country for carrying out the work. All possible care was taken to see that the artisans did not face any difficulty, and the project did not encounter any problems. It took 14 years to finish the project, and the temple was constructed at a cost of 185,300,000 gold coins. The opening ceremony was performed with great fanfare and enthusiasm under the guidance of Dharmaghoshsuri, Vardhamän-suri, and other Acharyas. It is a spacious, marble temple. There are highly artistic figures in its domes, arcs, and panels. The sculptures are exquisite. It would be nearly impossible to bring out that sort of accuracy even in wax. The fact that the artists have done it in marble is marvelous, and draws the instantaneous admiration of every visitor. These types of sculptures are not found anywhere else in the world. It is said that Vimalshä paid the artists in gold. The artisans collected
A LAVA vs
Intricate carving in the ceiling of Delwädä temple
the marble dust that they had carved for the day and brought it in and had it weighed. The person in charge would give them gold equal to the weight of stone powder! His generosity and the beauty of the temple have immortalized his name. It is virtually a wonder of the world. Later on, Vimalshä led a Jain sangh to the Shatrunjay Mountain
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JAIN STORY BOOK
