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Jain Society of Greater Detroit PRATISHTHA MAHOTSAV JUNE 27-JULY 6 1998
PADLIPTASURI
Stories Of The Sadhu
Nagendra, the son of Kullashrushti and Pratima of Ayodhaya, was begot with the help of angels. When he was still a child, he was given up to the shelter of Nagahastasuriji. At the age of was eight years old, Nagendra took diksha. One day the child muni brought kaanji (a rice dish) for the suriji as bhiksha and described in exquisite detail the woman who had given it to him. The guru said
to him "pallithosa (you are an observer)" and the child then tried to live up to the name of "Pallitho". From then on he was called "Padlipta". Because of his superior intelligence he became an acharya at 10 years of age. With the help of his ability to transport himself through air by applying a substance to his feet, he did darshan every morning at the holy places of Shatrunjay, Girnar, Ashtapad, Sammet Shikhar, and only after doing so would he eat.
Impressed with his brilliance, the warrior Nagarjun adopted Jainism. In the memory of Suriji he established Padliptur, now known as Palitana. Murandraj, Krishnaraj, Bhimraj were devotees of Suriji. Suriji made peace between Jains and Brahmins and wrote the granths of ‘Nirvankulika”, “Kalgyan”, “Prasnnaprakash”. He wrote the everlasting "Tarang Lola" story which established the style of metaphorical storywriting in Jainism.
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