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Two Unpiblished Chaitya Pariptis on Citod-tīrtha
417
Vaibhāra Kanakācalo-rbudgiri śrī Citrakūtādaya | Tatra śrī Rishabhādayo jinavara kurvantu vo mangalam
Inc. A.D. 1110, at the instance of Jinavallabha sūri, two Jaina temples belonging to the Vidhipaksa were founded. These likewise were consecrated by him. Here Viśāla Śrāvaka had performed the setting up ceremonies for the holy images in Samvat 1439/A. D. 1383. Then, in Samvat 1444/A. D. 1388, for the Ādinātha image of the local temple, consecration rites were performed by Jinarāja sūri and in Samvat 1489/A. D. 1433, the Pañcatīrtha rites were performed in Citod by Somsundara sūri. Saranavāljā, the Prime Minister of Mahārānā Mokala, also had several jinālayas constructed. About three centuries before all of these happenings, in the medieval times proper (c. first decade of the 12th cent. A. D.), Ācārya Jinvallabha sūri had got constructed two Vidhicaityas at Citod. The famous Mānastambha and the Jinamandira beside it are of the late last quarter of 13th century A. D. Both of these belong to the Digambara sect. All other extant Jaina temples are of the Svetāmbara sect. Karmā Sāh Osvāla (early 16th cent.), who reëstablished the prestige of Satruñjaya-tīrtha, was also a resident of Citod. Thus, Citod at one time was one of the main Jaina religious centres as also a Jaina place of pilgrimage.
Several Jaina Sanghas had visited this place from western Indian cities and towns. From the two paripātis annexed here, we get descriptions of two such congregations. In the first paripātī, as earlier noted, the disciple of Bhāvasāgara has given a brief but fine description of the journey from Pātan to Citod. The paripātī thus begins :
Pranamasiuṁ pahiluń Päsa Jinanda, caitya-pravādī karis ānandi | Śrī Citod tani Jinayātrā, kariya karuniya nirmala gātra ||1||
Meaning : At the outset, I offer obeisance to Pārsva Jineśvara (and next) I shall, with delight, undertake the pilgrimage to Citod and shall cleanse my body (by this pilgrimage). Thus, we find, in this poem, the description of the pilgrimage from Pāțan to Citod.
The Second paripāți describes the pilgrimage to Citod from Urandi. The villages on the route from Urandi to Citrakūta are mentioned in it. Thus, the theme of both the works is the description of pilgrimage of a large congregation of devotees—Sangha-to Citrakūta. In this paripātī, too, we get the description about the route to Citod and the villages, towns, as well as the prosperity of some of these as the pilgrims saw while they passed through these on the way to their destination.
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