Jain Digest 2006 04

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 12

SHRI ASHTAPAD MAHA TIRTH
Condensed from article by Shri Kumarpal Desai
LILLE 101010
There are
Recent research by MIT scientists predicts that numerous places of Jain the human civilization must have originated in Tibet. Is it pilgrimage but five of possible that it was the beginning of development of Asi, them are the most Masi and Krishi by Rishabhdev? important ones and
Jasvantrai Busa's research corroborates that hence are known as Mount Kailash is mountain Meru and not Ashtapad. Astapad Maha Tirth and one of is believed to be situated between Padmahad (Mansarovar) them is Ashtapad.
and Kagnimpo (Kailash) and at its foot is the plain land The place where staying and performing penance is possible. where 23 Tirthankars
Shri Bharat Hansraj Shah of Delhi deserves the na do exist compliment for his research on Astapad. He seems to have today - Sametshikhar,
taken it up as a mission. During his pilgrimage to Kailash in Girnar, Pavapuri and
1993, he took a number of photographs. On enlarged them Champapuri but the fifth one Ashtapad is still undiscovered.
he discovered that the description in Trishasthishalaka It is believed that Ashtapad is somewhere among the snow
Purushcharitra matches with what was seen in the clad Himalayan peaks, about 168 miles north from Badrinath
photographs. The large steps seen in them suggest that on the way to Mount Kailash. It is about seven miles from
must have been carved out by human beings and not by Mansarovar.
forces of nature. Thousands of years ago the first Tirthankar
In New York, the Jain Center of America has Bhagwan Rishabhdev attained Nirvana here. After his
constructed new Aradhana Bhavan and on the top floor, Nirvana, his son Bharat Chikravarti constructed a crystal
gemstone-studded Chovisi of Ashtapad Mountain will be palace in his memory on the Ashtapad Mountain. 24 idols
installed. The idols are being made in Jaipur. They were of Jain Tirthankars carved out of gemstones were installed
exhibited in Mumbai, Surat, Ahmedabad and Delhi before in it. Since there are eight steps to be climbed to reach the
being sent to the USA for darshan. A large number of Sadus, palace, it is called as Astapad.
Sadhvis, Shravaks, Sravikas, Scholars, Researchers and Description of Astapad is found in ancient others had Darshan of theses idols. A seminar was organized scripture. The first reference is in Acharang Niryukti and it in Ahmedabad in which scholars of scriptures and is referred as Maha Tirth in a very ancient text Himalayan researches participated. Ekadashangadi Agam. In one of his sermon Bhagwan
The following facts stand out about Ashtapad. Mahavir said, (Uttraradhyayan sutra) anyone who It is 168 miles north of Badrinath and south of Kailash. undertakes pilgrimage to Ashtapad will attain salvation. Shri
Located between Mansarovar (Padmahad) and Kailash, Gautamswami then undertook pilgrimage to Ashtapad with Ashtapad is, about five to seven miles from Mansarovar. It his special powers. Detailed description of Ashtapad Tirth is 8 miles tall and covered with white rocks. Hence it is is given in Trishasthishalaka Purushcharitra by Acharya knows as Dhavalgiri. From Darechin one can reach there Hemchandracharya. Twenty Kilometers from Mount
on foot in about four hours by crossing over mountain Kailash is a snow-clad majestic mountain known as ranges. As the foot of the mountain is a ground where one Gurulamandhata. Between Mount Kailash and
can stay and meditate. In morning, one can get glimpses Gurulamandhata Mountains is a large and beautiful Ravan
of Kailash and Mansarovar. There are two hot-water Taal (lake). References of Ravan and to music and dancing
ng springs. It is possible that Tirthankar Rishabhdev stayed near Ashtapad Mountain by Ravan-Mandodari are found in here with his disciples and meditated. Jain texts.
A 24 days pilgrimage cum research tour to Swami Pranavanand stayed on Mt.Kailash for Ashtapad is planned by end of May 2006. Those who are years. In his volume "Kailash and Mansarovar" in English,
interested please call Jain Center of America, New York he has observed that the first Jain Tirthankar attained
718 478 9141. Nirvana on Mount Kailash and Kailash is known as Ashtapad.
10/JAIN DIGEST. Summer 2006
Jain Education Intemational