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Shri Ashtapad Maha Tirth
Development of Ashtapad Design
The original design of Ashtapad was four sided as per the picture given, also called Sarvatomukhi - Omni-directional. (Gyan Prakash Deeparnave).
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ASHTAPAD DARSHAN
The sitting arrangement of idols in multiple rows as shown in the photos was done as per the following verse (Shloka) from scripture;
मा
चत्तारी अट्ठदसदोयवंदिया जिणवराचउव्वीसं; परमट्ठ-निट्ठअट्ठा सिद्धा मम दिसंतु
-सिद्धाणं बुद्धाणं सूत्र चत्तारि अट्ठ दश गाथाना जुदा जुदा अर्थोचार दक्षिण दिशामां, आठ पश्चिम दिशामां, दश उत्तर दिशामां, अने बे पूर्व दिशामां, एम अष्टापद उपर वंदन करायेला अने जेमणे परमार्थने (मोक्ष) संपूर्ण सिद्ध कर्यो छे तेवा चोवीस तीर्थंकरो मने सिद्धि आपो. अथवा चार उपरनी मेखलामां, आठ वच्चेनी मेखलामां, दश नीचेनी मेखलामां, अने बे सौथी नीचेनी मेखलामां, ए प्रमाणे पण अष्टापद उपर वंदन थाय छे.
This verse indicates that the four Tirthankars are sitting at upper level (numbers 3 to 6), eight at the middle level (numbers 7 to 14), ten at the lower level (numbers 15 to 24), and two at the lowest level (number 1 and 2). This way the idol positions were determined for a unidirectional unit in four horizontal rows, one above the other. Dimensions of the idols will vary as per available space in each row.
Space constraint forced us to make a unidirectional unit viewable only from the front. Now an architectural blueprint was developed to a scale based on the available space accordingly. Height and width of the mountain (Ht 13.1" x W 14'.7" D 5'.1") were determined. We also installed a sky light at the top to give an effect of the Ashtapad Mountain being open to the sky. We added Kailash and Mansarovar photos in the background and the ceiling was painted in blue with clouds to give a special effect of Ashtapad in Kailash area open to the sky.
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Ratna Mandir
