Jaina Gazette 1928

SR No.: 034890
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Ajitprasad, C S Mallinath
Publisher: Jaina Gazettee Office
Publication Year: 1928
Total Pages: 502
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 33 MB

Page 134

VAJJABHUMI
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western, is situated in this district. It was the scene of Nirvana of no less than twenty Tirthankaras out of the twenty-four Tirthankaras of the Jainas, including Parsvanatha, the twentythird Tirthankara. It contains their cenotaphs or Samadhimandirs, for which reason the Hill is called by the Jainas Samet-sikhara which is a corruption of Samadhisekhara. Singbhum is a corruption of Simha-bhumi, which means "the country of the Lion It also derived its name from Mahavira
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who was compared to a Lion and whose symbol was the Lion (Kesari-simha). The Kalpa Sutra, which was written by Bhadrabahu, the Jaina patriarch, who flourished during the reign. of Maurya Candragupta and died in 357 B.C., says on the day called Suvrata, in the Muhurtta called Vijaya, outside the town of Jrmbhikagrama on the bank of the river Rjupalika, Mahavira performed asceticism and became a Kevalin." The river Rjupalika, or Rjupaluka as mentioned by Dr. Buhler, was also called Rjuvkula or Rjualika, and it appears to be the ancient name of the river Barakar which rises in the central plateau of Chota Nagpur, and after flowing through the district of Hazaribagh, enters the district of Manbhum, and falls into the Damodar on the boundary of the district near Sankhtoria. From an inscription in a temple, about eight miles away from Giridih, dedicated to Mahavira, it appears that the name of the river, on which the original temple was situated but which is in a different locality, was Rjupalika, the present temple being erected with the materials of the old removed to this place. Hence it is very probable that the river Rjupalika is the modern river Barakar. Jrmbhikagrama means the village of Jrmbhika." All circumstances indicate that the ancient Jrmbhika of the 6th century B.C., is the modern Jharia. Mrs. Sinclair Stevenson in her Heart af Jainism says "Mahavira stayed in a place not very far from the Parasnath hills called Jrmbhakagrama" which was also called Jrmbhila." Jharia is situated at a distance of 25 or 30 miles to the south of the Paresnath Hill in the district of Manbhum. It is celebrated for its coal fields. If the weather be fair, Paresnath Hill can be very clearly and distinctly seen from Jharia. Jharia is most probably the corruption of Jrmbhila. The
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