$JES 981 Ashtapad Tirth Booklet

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 7

SHRI ASHTÄPAD MAHÄ-TIRTH
15. Jambu Dweep Prajnapti says Ashtapad Mountain is north of Koshal
Desh. At the place of Adinath or Rishabhadev Nirvana, the heavenly
god Indra erected 3 Stups. (Sutra 33) 16. As per the scriptures, Ashtapad is situated 12.5 yojan north of
Ayodhya and on a clear morning, one can see and have Darshan
from a tree top. 17. Siddhänam Buddhänam Siddhastav Sutra describes the sitting
arrangement of idols as "Chattari Aattha Das Doy (Four, Eight, Ten,
and Two) Vandiya Jeenvara Chouvisam”. 18. "Ashtapad Kalpa (old)", written by Shri Purvacharya describes in
detail the importance of this place and all the events that took place
there. 19. Hemchandrächärya in "Trishashti Shaläkä Purush Charitra"
describes Ashtapad in detail. Chapter 10 says one who climbs the mountain with his spiritual powers (labhdhi) and stays there
overnight can get liberated in the same life. 20. Dhaneshwar Suri writes in Shatrunjay Mähätmya, that King Bharat
constructed a palace with the help of Värddhaki Ratna near the
Nirvana Bhoomi (place) of Bhagawan Rishabhadev. 21. According to Abhidhän Chintamani, Mount Kailash has many names:
Rajatädri, Ashtäad, Sfatikächal, Harädri, Himavat and Dhawalgiri.
(ref 4-94) 22. Shahajänand Dhanji in his letters says that the 3 Chovisi idols (Total
72 idols of past present and future Tirthankars) are buried under the snow and that some Tirthankar idols are under the control of
Buddhist monks. 23. As per the Jain scriptures, we have Avasarpini and Utsarpini era of
the time cycle. Each era has 24 Tirthankars. Rishabhadev is the first of 24 Tirthankars of this present era. His life is mentioned in various scriptures and in the Vedas and Purän. He was the first king and first reformer who taught Art, Commerce and Agriculture (Ashi,
Masi and Krishi). He was also the first saint. 24. As per the historians, ancient civilization is 10 to 12 thousand years
old. According to M.I.T.- human civilization started at Tibet. The ancient history of western Tibet, Kashmir & Himachal Pradesh
clearly confirms this view. 25. Around 1400 BC, there were semi Tibetan people called Jian mixed
with Shang people. Jian may be a synonym of Jina (Tirthankar),
which means conqueror. 26. Lord Munisuvrat Näth (Swami) did meditation and penance there.