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TAB JAIN TIRTHAS
291
35. Bhařkal :- This place in North Kanara district of Karņāțaka, was founded in the 15th century and was associated with the Digambara Jains, from the very beginn. ing of its existence. We find references to several temples of this place in the epigraphs, discovered from this town. The shrines, dedicated to Pārsva, Mahāvira are quite famous. Another temple, called the Ratnatraya basadi, dedicated to Aranātha, Mallinātha and Suvrata, was built in the 16th century ; see Desai, op.cit., p. 395. We further learn from an epigraph, discovered at Biligi in the same district, that this town owed its existence to the saint Vijayakirti II of the Mūlasangha, Pustaka gaccha (see J.S.L.S, IV, No. 490).
36. Bhimapalli :-It is a village, 10 miles South-west of Patan in Gujarat and was a well-known Jain centre from the last quarter of the 12th century. The temple of Mahāvīra, of this place, was celebrated throughout Gujarat and this tirtha was closely associated with the activities of the monks of the Kharatara gaccha. See K.B, pp. 44, 50, 51, 56, 59-60, 62-64, 69-71, 73, 77-79, 87.
37. Bhinmäl :-This ancient place, situated in the present Jalore district of Rajasthan, was known by several names like Bhinnamāla, śrimāla etc. Its association with Jainism, goes back, according to a later day epigraph, dated 1276 A.D., to the days of Mahāvira himself. It is, however, difficult to accept this statement of that epigraph. But, as noted by us, in the earlier volume of the present work (p. 153), as early as the days of the composition of the Kuvalayamala (778 A.D.), it was considered a Jain centre of pilgrimage, Siddhasena mentions this place as a tirtha in his Sakalatirthastotra (see G.O.S, 76, p. 156). The Jain temple of this place is referred to by both Dhanapāla and Jinaprabha. Siddharshi's guru was associated with this tirtha, apparently in the last quarter of the 9th century. Some of the other temples, dedicated to śānti and Pārsva, also existed at this town. Its connexion with Jainism is also told in the
