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Shri Ashtapad Maha Tirth - II
For this purpose a team consisting of doctors, engineers, Jain scholars, Sanskrit scholars, persons who visited Kailash thrice earlier and space scientists, along with translators, climbers and professional photographer, was put together. I had the privilege of exploring Kailash area during both the trips. According to Jain belief, Lord Rushabhdev was the first Tirthankar of present age (Avsarpini) hence the name is Aadinath. He was an Arhat- a liberated soul. In Jain tradition Aadinath is more than a Tirthankar. As a King he taught Asi, Masi and Krishi. Aadinath / Rushabhdev, the first Tirthankar of Jainism was said to have attained Nirvana at Ashtapad near Mount Kailash in Tibet. In his memory King Bharat Chakravarti, son of Rushabhdev, constructed a temple/ Sinha Nishadhya Prasad on Ashtapad. An attempt was made to collect information regarding Ashtapad from scriptures, Acharyas, scholars and local inhabitants which was put together in XX volumes. There are different opinions regarding the location of Ashtapad Mountain and Ashtapad Maha Tirth. Present status of Ashtapad Maha Tirth is invisible and unknown. The type of temple was Sarvatobhadra, Chaturmukhi. Nobody has seen the temple in this shape. Only literary evidences are available. At present the location of Ashtapad Mountain is also debatable. One school of thought is that the Kailash and Ashtapad mountains are same. While other school believes they are different mountains. Since the exact location of Ashtapad is unknown at present one cannot decide which is which. Shri Bharat Hansraj Shah visited Kailash Mansarovar thrice during earlier years and took photos of the structures which looked like man-made structures. These structures were looking like Nandi i.e. Bull, Lion- Sinha, Siddha or Yogi Purushas, etc. which according to him was Sinha Nishadhya Prasad. Some of these photographs were published and presented at Indira Gandhi National Center for Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi, in Jan 1999. The various features in the photos are given below. His report appears in this chapter.
Lion?
Siddha Yogi Purusha?
Siddha Yogi Purushas?
Nandi? Fig. 1: Shows structures which look like man-made in the region near Mount Kailash viz. Siddha Purusha, Purushas, Nandi, Lion etc.
Researchers and pilgrims visit Kailash Mansarovar region in a hope to find out something more and get some new information about Ashtapad. It is believed that it is buried somewhere in this region. It has not yet been located precisely. An attempt has been made by the author under the Field Trip I & II to locate site for...
