Ashtapad Maha Tirth 02

SR No.: 009860
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Rajnikant Shah, Others
Publisher: USA Jain Center America NY
Publication Year: 2012
Total Pages: 532
Language: Hindi, Sanskrit, Gujarati
Classification: Book_Devnagari
File Size: 26 MB

Page 114

Shri Ashtapad Maha Tirth - II
at Girnar. The other 20 Tirthankars attained Nirvana at Sammet Shikar. It is believed in general that Ashtapad is out of reach. All other places of worships are visited by devotees. After my return from first yatra of Mount Kailash and holy Lake Mansarovar, I started collecting details about Ashtapad. I took guidance from saints and scholars of Jainism. So far I have refered: 1. Kalikal Sarvagna Acharya Shree Hemchandracharyasuriji's Tri Shashthi Shalaka Purush Charitra. In
its, pratham Tirthankar Shree Aadinath Rushabhdev's Nirvana chapter, Mount Kailash is believed as Ashtapad (parva-1, sarga-6, page-242, Gujarati). Shree Dipvijayji's Vividh Pooja Sangrah (Gujarati), Mount Kailash is mentioned in Shree Ashtapad Pooja, page 514 to 536. In Vividhtirthakalpa by Acharya Dharmaghoshsuriji, Mount Kailash and Mansarovar are mentioned in Ashtapad Maha Tirthkalpa (18) and Ashtapadgirikalpa' (49). The description of Mount Kailash believed as Ashtapad, is also found in Muni Shree Jayantvijayji's Poorva Bharat Ni Jain Tirth Bhumio (Gujarati). In Shri Hiralalji Duggad's book Madhya Asia Aur Punjab Mein Jain Dharma Ki Prachinta Aur Lokmat Mount Kailash is mentioned as Ashtapad. Page 46. Same opinion can be seen in Pratikramansutra - Prabodhtika's Jagchintamani Chaityavandan - Sutra 11-4. Page 282 to 287. (Gujarati). In Kailas-Mansarovar by Swami Pranavanandji, it is believed that Lord Aadinath Rushabhdev attained Nirvana here (Appendix iii, page 219.) I have read an article by Shri Kami Desai in Mumbai Samachar a Gujarati daily newspaper of Mumbai, paper dtd. 22-9-96. In this article the author has written that Jainism experimented on alchemy and it is related with the Agni-Tatva in the body. So their temples are mostly on dry places or where there is poor greenery. (Geographically Mount Kailash is in barren land). Mr. John Snelling in his book The Sacred Mountain compared Mount Kailash as a very huge temple. He has compared the photograph of Mount Kailash from a particular angle with
the outline of a Hindu temple. 10. In the government guide book given to the Kailas-Mansarovar yatris, Ashtapad is mentioned
on page 13. 11. In Kalyan Magazine by Geeta Press-Gorakhpur, Mt Kailash is mentioned as Ashtapad. In this
book it is also mentioned that, there were Jain temples. 12. Jain Puranoka Sanskritik Adhyayan by Dr. Devi Prasad Mishra, In this book's chapter Bhaugolik
Dasha on page 440, Mt Kailash is mentioned as Ashtapad. It is situated in the southern part of Himalaya, as per 'WAHI' by Dr. S.M. Ali (page 56). The geographic situation of Mt.
Kailash Ashtapad fits here. 13. In The Peaceful Liberators - Jain Art from India by Shri Pratapaditya Pal of Los Angeles County
Museum of Arts - Los Angeles (USA), the author has written about the holy places of pilgrimage in Jainism. He has mentioned that Mt Kailash is Ashtapad, situated in the himalaya is one of the sacred most mountain and place of pilgrimage in Jainism. The other sacred mountains are Sammet Shikharji, Shetrunjay Siddhachalji and Girnarji. (pg.65).
Shree Ashtapad - a possibility