Shatrunjay a Pilgrimage

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Indira Mansukhlal Doshi Memorial Trust

Page 46

99 PILGRIMAGES OF SHATRUNJAY
It has been mentioned earlier that Lord Rushabhdev is believed to have come to Shatrunjay countless number of times. The popular concept is that he came here 99 Purva times. When the people talk about that figure, they are not aware of what it actually means. Since one Purva is equal to 70.56 trillions, it means that the Lord is believed to have come on the hill 6985.44 trillion times. This may surely look fantastic. Rushabhdev is, however, believed to have lived for 8.4 million Purva years. In comparison to that life span, the frequency of his said visits here would pale into insignificance.
Any way, the belief of his coming here 99 Purva times has given rise to the sanctity of undertaking 99 pilgrimages of Shatrunjay. Number of people come to Pälitänä for that purpose even from the far off places. They have hardly enough time to stay long enough. In order to complete 99 pilgrimages, they have therefore to undertake more than one pilgrimage a day. For that purpose, after completing one pilgrimage of the main Tuk, such pilgrims descend from Ghetini Bäri and go to the temple at the end of the steps. After reciting Stavan at the temple, they climb again and go for another pilgrimage of the main Tuk. For their convenience, steps from the Bäri to the temple have now been reconstructed.
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