Shri Aadinath Bhagwan

Address

Sushil Vihar, Varkana Road, Post : Rani, District : Pali 306115, Rajasthan

Nearest Railway Station

Rani

How To Reach

Nearest Railway Station is Rani ,19 KM away from Nandol,56 KM away from Pali.Buses,Taxi And private vehicles are available.

• Trust Name

Shree Ashtapad Jain Teerth

	Each religion has its own places of pilgrimage, similarly there are numerous places of Jainpilgrimage but five of them are the most important ones and hence are known as Maha Tirth
	and one of them is Ashtapad.
	Out of these five Tirth, Sametshikhar is in Bihar in North India (presently in Jharkhand state).
	This is not the Nirvana bhoomi of one or two but twenty Tirthankar so it has its specific
	importance among the Jains. The other three i.e. Abu, Girnar and Shetrunjay are in Gujarat.
	The Delvada temples at Mt. Abu are famous all over world as a marvelous piece of art and
	architecture since the 11th century. Girnar is famous since the time of Mahabharat. It is the
	Nirvanbhumi of Bhagwan Neminath. Among these four mountains, Abu is on the highest
	peak. And lastly Shetrunjay- which is the greatest of all Tirth. Out of these five Maha Tirth
	only Ashtapad, presently does not exist which we are trying to locate.

Nirvan Kalyanak
	The Jain scripture has singled out five central events (known as Pancha Kalyanak) that occur in
	a Tirthankar’s life time as the most auspicious moments. First is Chayavan Kalyanak, second is
	Janma Kalyanak and third is Diksha Kalyanak. After very deep contemplation and meditation,
	the Tirthankar attains omniscience, Kevalgyan Kalyanak, -the fourth life- changing event. The
	last event is Nirvana Kalyanak, where the soul gets free from all karmic bonds and is liberated
	Foreword – Shri Ashtapad – Past, Present and FutureXXXIX
	to attain Siddha status. So this place is considered to be the most pious among all. There are
	five main Tirth where all twenty-four Tirthankars attained salvation as per following verse
	from scripture given below.

Aadinath Bhagwan attained Nirvana at Ashtapad, Mahavir Swami at Pavapuri, Vasupujya Swami
	at Champapuri and Neminath Bhagwan attained Nirvana at Girnar. The other twenty Tirthankars
	attained Nirvana at Sametshikhar. I always bow with reverence to all the twenty four Tirthankars,
	which brings eternal happiness to all.
	Thousands of years ago the first Tirthankar Bhagwan Rushabhdev attained Nirvana at Ashtapad.
	It is believed that it is somewhere among the snow-clad Himalayan peaks. Tirthankar Bhagwan
	Rushabhdev was the first to establish social code of governance and symbolized the importance
	of renunciation and penance, and attained Nirvana (final emancipation) at Ashtapad Mountain.
	Once after attaining absolute knowledge, Shri Rushabhdev Bhagwan was delivering a sermon
	while seated in Samavasaran. Out of curiosity, King Bharat asked if any human being present
	here would become a Tirthankar in future. He replied affirmatively and said that his son
	Marichi will become the 24th Tirthankar after many life cycles and will be known as Mahavir.
	He subsequently explained the upcoming Chovisi (24 Tirthankars). This is how King Bharat
	came to know the details about the present Chovisi.
	After his Nirvan, his son Bharat Chakravarti constructed a gemstone- studded palace in his
	memory on the Ashtapad Mountain. Twenty four idols of Jain Tirthankars were installed in it.
	It is believed that there are eight steps in the mountain to climb to reach the temple, hence
	it is known as Ashtapad. The Tirth is also referred to by such names as Ratnamay, Rajatadri,
	Sfatikachal in the scriptures.
	The question arises- Where is Shri Ashtapad Maha Tirth today? Let us examine what scripture
	says and modern scholars and researchers think.