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The Kothi Mandir situated at the foot-hill
MILIO SODIODOR
SEE OLIO
Sammet Shikhar and Shatrunjay are the most prominent among all the Jain pilgrimages of India. Shatrunjay pilgrimage is on a hill-top in western India and Sammet Shikhar is in eastern India. When just one auspicious event of one Tirthankar, can convert a place into a pilgrimage, it will be quite impossible for human intelligence to assess the holiness and power of that pilgrimage where as many as twenty Tirthankars have litup the inextinguishable light of 'nirvana'. Although the first light of 'nirvana' was lit-up in Ashtapad (in the Himalayas), today that pilgrimage is invisible to us. Under such a circumstance, Sammet Shikhar is that pilgrimage which we can hail as the 'Shikhar' (Summit) of the first light of 'nirvana'. The truth is that Sammet Shikhar is the topmost light of 'nirvana
Of the twenty-four Tirthankars of Jainism, twenty Teerthankars namely, Ajitnath, Sambhavnath, Abhinandanprabhu, Sumatinath, Padmprabhu, Suparshwanath, Chandraprabhu, Suvidhinath, Sheetalnath, Shreyansnath, Vimalnath, Anantnath, Dharmnath, Shantinath, Kunthunath, Arnath, Mallinath, Munisuvrat Swami, Neminath and Parshwanath spent the evening of their lives on this great mountain and attained the supreme status of 'moksha'. Every Tirthankar made efforts to enliven the density of power of this place, and consequently for millenniums this place has been vibrant, awakened and annointed with their halo. Really, Sammet Shikhar is an astonishing. unique and awakened holy pilgrimage.
Even today the atmosphere of Sammet Shikhar contains a sort of holiness. This mountain's own special feature is that it always remains redolent with the fragrant trees of a large Sandal forest situated over it. Several rare herbal medicines are found on this mountain. The melodious sound of the cool water-falls flowing on this mountain gladdens our heart.
The most ancient reference of Sammet Shikhar has been made in the Mallijin chapter of the scripture known as Jnatadharm Katha. Describing the nirvana' of Tirthankar Mallinath two phrases - 'Sammeya pavvaye' and 'Sammeya sel sihare' - have been used for this mountain.
In the 'Parshwanath Charitra' (biography of Parshwanath) of Kalpsutra, describing the nirvana' of Tirthankar 'Parshwa', the phrase 'Sammeya Sel Siharanmi! has been used to denote Sammet Shikhar.
ANUTTAR YOGI (The Incomparable sage) LORD PARSHWANATH: The principal deity of the KOTHI MANDIR
The sacred feet-marks of the Lord inside the PARSHWANATH TOONK
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