JAIN PILGRIMAGE SHIKHAR JI TOUR

This tirth belongs to the times of Bhagawan Munisuvrat Swami, the twentieth Tirthakara. This is the Holy Land of four Kalyanakas (events of a Tirthankara’s life which are beneficent to the world) of Munisuvrat Swami namely, chyavan, birth, diksa and attainment of omniscience. This is the place of the first breakfast (parna) following the severe penance of Vasupujyaswami, the twelfth Tirthankara. Mahavir Swami, the last Tirthankara, wandered about on the hills of this ancient tirth during his fourteen monsoon sojourns. The eleven gandharas, Laddhinidhan, Gautam Swami, and others attained here the final liberation. This was the capital of Maharaja Shrenik; the Shravak most devoted to Mahavir. In ancient times, the city was known by the names-charankapur, Rusabhpur, Girivraj, Kushagrapur, Vasumati, Panchashail etc. Bhagawan Mahavir wandered about on this hill many times during the times of King Shrenik and King Ajatashatr. The grandeur of this tirth is sung with praise in many tirthmalas. In svetambar and Digambar literature, there are many references to this great tirth. This was the special place of Bhagawan Buddha. The first conference of Buddhist sadhus met here. After attaining omniscience, Bhagawan Mahavir gave his first sermons here

This tirth belongs to a period earlier than the times of the last Tirthankara Bhagawan Mahavir. It was the capital of King Siddhartha, the father of Bhagawan Mahavir, King Siddhartha’s wife Trishala was the daughter of King Chetak. Bhagawan was born of her. When Bhagawan was in her womb, Trishalamata saw fourteen great dreams. Money and corn increased. Everywhere in the kingdom peace and happiness increased. Therefore, on the twelfth day of his birth, Bhagawan was given the name, ‘Vardhman’. Bhaagwan was married to Yashodadevi, daughter of King Samarvir. Bhagawan had no love for worldly pleasures. With permission of his elder, brother Nandivardhan, he took diksa on the auspicious tenth day of the dark half of the month of Kartak in the year 513 of the vikram era. Bhagawan was then 30 years old. Bhagawan thus passed 30 years of his life on this holy land. Three Kalyanaks of Bhagawan happened here. Every particle of this land is, therefore, sacred and this tirth has a great significance. Even today the calm and serene atmosphere of this place sets the stream of devotion to God, flowing in the human heart and forgetting worldly affairs, man gets engrossed in worship of god. Even today, a touch of this sacred tirth thrills men. Other Temples: On the Kshatriyakund hill, this is the only temple but at the foot of the hill, there are two small temples. There is an idol of Bhagawan Ma

The present day Barker River was the Rujuvalika River of the ancient times. On the bank of this river under a Shali tree on the tenth day of the bright half of the Vaishakh month, Bhagwan Mahavir attained Kevalgyan. It is said that Bhagwan Mahavir had attained Kevalgyan when he was sitting in "cow-milking" posture, as shown in the illustration. Jain sadhus of the sixteenth, the seventeenth, and the eighteenth centuries described this tirth in their tirthmalas. Every particle of this place is purified and sanctified by twelve years long severe penance and attainment of omniscience of Bhagwan Mahavir Swami, the twenty- fourth Tirthankara. The grandeur of this place is matchless and beyond description. In temple they have explained various Upsargas of Bhagwan Mahavir’s life in detail.