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SHRI ASHTÄPAD MAHÄ-TIRTH
3.0 History & References from Scriptures 1. The Ekadash Angädi Ägam, oldest text, mentions Ashtapad as
Mahä-Tirth. 2. Ächäränga Niryukti, verse 332 was the first to mention Ashtapad
Tirth. 3. Sutra Krutängasutra mentions that Rishabhadev gave discourse to
his son, King Bharat, on Ashtäpad. 4. Uttaradhyayan Sutra Niryukti says that anyone (Charam Shariri) who
can scale Ashtäpad Tirth will attain nirväna or Moksha (Chapter 10)
and describes the Kailäsa as a Mountain of Gold and Silver. 5. Ävashyak Sutra Niryukti has the description of Ashtapad. 6. Kalpasutra mentions Nirvana Bhoomi of Rishabhadev at Ashtapad. 7. Nishith Churni Divine has a description about Nirväna of
Rishabhadev Bhagawan on Ashtapad Mountain. Vividh Tirth Kalpa - Jinaprabha Suri wrote in Ashtapad Giri Kalpa, that Gautam Swami entered Sinha Nishadhya Prasäd from the
South. 9. Acharya Dharma Ghosh Suriji's "Shri Ashtapad Mahä Tirth Kalp"
describes this Tirth as Sinha Nishadhya Prasad which has four
sides. 10. Gyan Prakash Deeparnave discusses the construction of Ashtapad
in detail 11. Uttar Purän has the description of Jain Tirthankar Rishabhadev and
that, his son, King Bharat, constructed a golden temple with 72 idols of all the three Chovisis (24 Tirthankars of Past, Present, and
Future). 12. Bhagawan Mahävir once said during his sermon that any human
being, who can scale this mountain and stay overnight there, will attain liberation in his life time. Shri Gautam Swami, 2600 years ago, scaled this Tirth with his special powers, stayed over night and
worshiped there. 13. Gautam Swami wrote the first two verses of Jag Chintamani Sutra
there (Probodh Tika Part 1). Shadävashyak Bälävabodha mentions that he performed Chaitya Vandan with the first two verses of Jag
Chintamani Sutra. 14. Vasudevhindi in the 21st chapter says this mountain is related to
Vaitadhya Mountain, it is 8 miles in height and Niyadi River is flowing at the foothills.
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