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Shri Ashtapad Maha Tirth
History - References from Scripture
1. Ekadash Angadi Agam, oldest text, mentions Ashtapad as Tirth.
a. Acharanga Niryukti, verse 332 -the first to mention Ashtapad Tirth. b. Sutra Krutangasutra mentions that Rishabhdev gave discourse to his son, King Bharat,
on Ashtapad. c. Uttaradhyayan Sutra Niryukti says that anyone (Charam Shariri) who can scale Ashtapad
Tirth will attain nirvana or Moksha (Chapter 10) and describes Kailash as a Mountain of
Gold and Silver. d. Avashyak Sutra Niryukti has the description of Ashtapad. e. Kalpasutra mentions Nirvana Bhoomi of Rishabhdev at Ashtapad. f. Nishith Churni Divine has a description about Nirvana of Rishabhdev Bhagwan on Ashtapad
Mountain. g. Vividh Tirth Kalpa - Jinaprabh Suri wrote in Ashtapad Giri Kalpa, that Gautam Swami entered
Sinha Nishadhya Prasad from South. 2. Acharya Dharma Ghosh Suriji's "Shri Ashtapad Maha Tirth Kalp" describes this Tirth as Sinha
Nishadhya Prasad which has 4 sides. 3. Gyan Prakash Deeparnave discusses construction of Tirth in detail. 4. Uttar Puran has the description of Jain Tirthankar Rishabhdev and that, his son, King Bharat,
constructed a golden temple with 72 idols of all the three Chovisis (24 Tirthankars of Past,
Present, & Future). 5. Bhagwan Mahavir during his sermon said that any human being, who can scale this mountain
& stay overnight, will attain liberation in his life time. Gautam Swami, 2600 years ago, scaled
this Tirth with his special powers, stayed overnight & worshiped there. 6. Gautam Swami wrote 1st verse of Jag Chintamani Sutra there (Probodh Tika Part 1).
Shadavashyak Balavabodha mentions that he performed Chaitya Vandan with Jag-Chintamani
Sutra. 7. Vasudev Hindi - 21st chapter says this mountain is related to Vaitadhya Mountain, it is 8 miles
in ht & Niyadi River is flowing at the foothills. 8. Jambu Dweep Pragnapti says Ashtapad Mountain is north of Koshal Desh. At the place of
Adinath or Rishabhdev Nirvana, the heavenly god Indra erected 3 Stups. (Sutra 33) 9. As per scriptures, Ashtapad is situated 12.5 yojan north of Ayodhya & on a clear morning, one
can see & have Darshan from a tree top. 10. Siddhanam Buddhanam Siddhastav Sutra describes the sitting arrangement of idols as
"Chattari Aattha Das Doy (Four, Eight, Ten, and Two) Vandiya Jeenvara Chovisam". 11. "Ashtapad Kalpa (old)", written by Purvacharya (Ancient Acharyas) describes in detail the
importance of this place & all the events that took place. 12. Hemchandracharya in "Trishashti Shalaka 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. 13. Dhaneshwar Suri writes in Shatrunjay Mahatmya, that King Bharat constructed a palace with
the help of Varddhaki Ratna near the Nirvana Bhoomi of Bhagwan Rishabhdev. 14. According to Abhidhan Chintamani, Mount Kailash has many names: Rajatadri, Ashtapad,
Sfatikachal, Haradri, and Dhawalgiri. (ref 4-94).
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Ratna Mandir
