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Jaina Rock-cut Caves in Western India
278 The Jaina Concept of Tirtha:
The development of sacred places in Jainism is in keeping with the trends in Brahmanism. In earlier times, some of the places were recognised as sacred, which later on developed as tirthas or places of pilgrimage. A Jaina sacred place is usually called ‘ksetra', though the term 'tirtha is also used, which carries more or less same meaning as in Brahmanism. In early literature, the cities and places associated with the tirthankaras were considered holy. Later on, tirthas came to be classified in different types. (1) Siddhakşetras were the places from where the tirthankaras or monks attained nirvana. (2) Atiśayakshetras were the places, where the icon, the temple or the place displayed magical or extra-ordinary elements (Premi 1956a: 422). (3) Kalyānakakşetras were places associated with the kalyānakas of tirthankara, other than the nirvana, like conception, birth, renunciation and liberation (Jain 1988: 61-62). The commentators of the Sanskrit text Nirvbhanahakti (before 14th century CE) divide the Siddhakshetra into further two divisions. (a) the nirvaņakşetra of the tirthankaras and (b) the nirvāṇakşetra of others. A Marathi text, 'Jambusvāmi Charitra' (completed in 1688 CE) divides the tirthas into three types: 1. Tirthankarabhūmi 2. Munibhūmi 3. Atiśyabhumi (Akkole 1968). These divisions of tirthas are prevalent only among Digambaras and Svetāmbaras do not make any such distinctions.
Jaina Texts on tirthas:
From around 12th century CE, the texts dealing exclusively with the tirthas came to be composed. Tirthavandanā or texts written for invoking or describing tirthas developed as an important type of religious literature. Sculptural or graphic depiction of important tirthas on temple walls is an integral component of Jaina temples today. Among the Shvetambara texts are Tithamālastrota of Mahendrasuri (1237 CE), Vividhatirthakalpa of Jinaprabhasuri (early 14th century CE), Ksetra-samasa-tikā of Devanand (ca. 1425 CE) and Tirthacanachandrikā of Gunabhadra (ca. 1575 CE). Among the Digambara texts are Nirvanakānda in Prakrit and Nirvanbhakti in Sanskrit. Though the exact date of these two texts is not known, it is tentatively fixed before 14th century CE (Premi 1956a: 423). Some of the works like Revantagiri-rasa of Vijayasenasuri (1230 CE), Abu-rasa of Palhana, Satrunjayakalpa-vritti of Shubhasheel (1433-1449 CE), Saumedśikhara pujā of Gangadas Pandit (1693 CE), Satrunjayamahatmya of Maheshvara (ca. 1700 CE), Sammedśikhara Pujā of Surendrakirti Bhattaraka (1765-1802 CE), Girnar-Satrunjaya Mahātmyavarnam of Bhanga Sayantra, Samedśikhara Mahātmya by Chandrakirti (1816 CE) are glorification of single site. There are a number of modern works dealing either with the tirthas all over the country or a particular tirtha.
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Texts referring to tirthas in Maharashtra
There are a few texts in Gujarati and Marathi, which refer to tirthas in Maharashtra along with the tirthas in other parts of the country. A Gujarati text called, "Tirthavandana' written by Pandit Megharaja in early 16th century CE lists Jaina tirthas of earlier period on the basis of 'Nirvāņkānda' and also contemporary tirthas. Another Marathi text is
