________________
UNL
136
SHRI SAMETASHIKHARA TIRTMA
SHRI SHAMALIYA PARSHVANATH BHAGAVAN
12
000
A description of the greatness of this tirtha amongst the tirthas, tirtha the supreme, defies all words; cannot be described in words. This is the tirtha which is the place of the austerities of so many of the tirthankaras and munis, the land of Nirvana of many. The pilgrimage of this tirtha is therefore the endower of merit and destroyer of sins. Twenty of the tirthankaras of the present twenty-four hadtaken to practice of austerities and attained to emancipation here. The mountain known as Sametashikhara is situated at a height of 4479 from mean sea level, is also known as Parshvanatha mountain. According to the traditional belief, Saudharmendrahad installed an idol on each of the spots of the emancipation of the Tirthankaras. It was around the second century that Acharya Padaliptasuri and then Acharya Shri Bappabhattasuri came on a pilgrimage to this tirtha by their Vidya by which they could travel through the sky. In the ninth century of the vikram'a era, Acharya Shri Pradyumnasuriji came on pilgrimage seven times here and got the work of renovation completed. History also states that installations took place here on temples were constructed in V.S. 1345, 1659 and 1670. In V.S. 1649, the mughal emperor Akbar presented the Sametashikhara a spot to Jagadguru Shri Hiravijayasuriji. In V.S. 1805, emperor Ahmedshah presented the title of "Jagatsheth" to Sheth Mahetabrai of Murshidabad, and then had presented the Parasanath mountain to him. In the modern days the firm of Anandaji Kalyanji purchased it and brought it under the control and administration ofShri Jain Shvetambar Sangha. The last renovation of the tirtha took place in V.S. 2012 at the efforts of learned Sadhvi Shri Ranjanashriji and Sadhvi Shri Suryaprabhashriji in the tradition of Acharyashri Sagaranandasuriji. The temple is situated on a mountain in the midst of natural scenery and beauty, and, in addition, there are eight temples of the Shvetambara sect, two Dadawadis and one temple of Bhomiyaji Maharaj.
