MUDSTHAL TIRTH

Categories : All Jain Tirth

MUDSTHAL TIRTH

SHRI MUDSTHAL TIRTH

PRESIDING DEITY AND LOCATION :

Sri Mahavir Bhagwan in white color, in a standing posture, of height 1.07 mts in a shrine outside Mungtahla village.

ANTIQUITY AND SALIENT FEATURES :

This shrine is believed to be of a period comtemporaneous to Sri Mahavir Bhagwan. It is said that when Sri Mahavir Bhagwan during his “Shhadmavastha” (life period before attaining Keval Gnan) came on his walking rounds to the land of Arbudgiri, he practiced meditation in a standing postue under a Nandi tree in Mundsthal. In “Ashottari Tirthmala”, a composition by Acharya Sri Mahendrasuriji in Vikram 13th century, this place has been described. In this “Tirthmala” it is also stated that a king named Purnaraj owing t his intense devotion to Sri Mahavir Bhagwan had made an idol of the latter when he was at his 37th year of life. There is one rock inscription which mentions about Sri Mahavir Bhagwan having practiced meditation in a standing posture during his life period before attaining Keval Gnan and king Purnaraj having made an idol of him and also further about the ceremonial installation and consecration of this idol at hands of Sri Keshiswami.

A deep and scholarly research in these statements is called for so that fuller and better information may be available throwing significant light on the history of the life of Sri Mahavir.

There is a reference available to the effect that the construction work of the pillars here was completed on Vaishakh Krishna 5 in Vikram year 1216. Also it is stated that in Vikram year 1389 Minister Sri Dhandhal made two idols for the temple of Sri Mahavir Bhagwan and then got them ceremonially installed and consecrated at the hands of Acharya Sri Kakkasuriji. This shrine has been referred to in the composition entitled “Vividh Tirthkalp” made by Sri Jinprabhsuriji in 14th Vikram century.

In Vikram year 1442, Sri Vishaldev, son of Raja Kanhaddev, it is stated, made a gift of a garden with a well to this shrine. In Vikram year 1501, Sri Laxmisagarji Maharah of Tapa Gachchha was honored with the title of Upadhayaya at Mundsthal. In “Tirthmala” composed in Vikram year 1722, a statement is made about the existence of 145 idols in Mundsthal. Thereafter the temples remained in worn out condition for a long time until finally, ceremonies of consecration were performed on Vaishakh Sukla 10 in Vikram year 2015 at the hands of Acharya Sri Vijayharasasuriji when its proper renovations were completed.

When Ministers Vimalshah and Vastupal and Tejpal made committee for the management of their famous and world renowed temples of “Vimal – vasahi” and “Lavanyavasahi”, the Jain householder families of Mundsthal were also included. Today no ancient relics are available here. According to some references the ancient idols have been sent to temples elsewhere.

There is no other temple in the Vicinity here.