4-Stambhan Parshwanath
Mulnayak: 23 cms. high, blue – coloured idol of Bhagwan Sthamban Parshvanath in the Padmasana posture. There is an umbrella of five hoods over the head of the idol. In the Parrikar, there is an umbrella of seven hoods. This is one of the oldest idol of any Thirthankara.

Tirth: It is in the Kharvada Mohalla in the city of Khambhat.

Historicity: The ancient name of Khambhat was Trambavatinagar. According to Jain scriptures, this idol has a very old history. During the period of the past Tirthankara Shri Neminath Bhagwan of the Utsarpinikala, (the ascending half of the wheel of time) Ashadi Shravak made a beautiful idol of Sapphire of Shri Parshvanath Bhagwan. He worshipped this idol for many years. Then this idol was taken to devaloka and worshipped for lakhs of years and thereafter this idol came in the hands of Nagaraj. He built a beautiful temple near the sea-shore and installed this Glorious idol in the temple. Along with the other devas he worshipped this idol for a long period. During the period of 20th Tirthankara Shri Munisuvratswami, Rama and Lakshmana were in search of Sita after her abduction by Ravana. With a huge army they halted near this sea-shore not knowing how to cross the ocean and go to Lanka. They saw this beautiful temple of Parshvanath and went inside. They prayed to the Lord with great faith and concentration. Nagraj became pleased with their prayers and appeared before them and told them the history of the idol. Coming out of the temple they were informed that the water of the ocean was frozen and now they could easily cross the ocean. Seeing this miracle, Rama named the idol as Shri Sthamban Parshvanath. Krishna also visited this temple. He was very much impressed by this idol and wanted to take this idol to Dwaraka. Nagraj permitted him to take the idol with him. He built a beautiful temple embedded with rubies and installed the idol in the temple. When Dwaraka was burning, a Shravak,to save the idol from being destroyed sunk the idol in the ocean. Nagraj Takshashila found and worshipped this idol for 80,000 years and Varundev worshipped this idol for 4,000 years. One day a miraculous event happened. When a businessman Dhan of Kantipur was going by sea, his ships stopped moving and became still. Any effort to make them move was futile and he thought of jumping in the sea. A divine voice asked him not to jump and told him to take the miraculousl idol from the depths of the ocean and all his problems will be solved and also told him the history of the idol.He installed the Sapphire idol in a grand temple in Kantipur. He also found two other idols along with this idol. The idol of Parshvanath was installed in Charup and Neminath in Sripattan and even today they are there. After 2,000 years a yogi Nagarjun, a disciple of Shri Padaliptsuri,abducted this idol for his yogsadhana. After his sadhana he buried this idol on the banks of Shedi river under the Palash tree. Acharya Abhaydevsuri at a very young age became seriously ill and thought of doing Anshan (a fast unto death). A divine voice told him about this idol near the shedi river and to sprinkle the bath water of this idol on himself. With many devotees the Acharya went to the banks of the river and in intense devotion he composed and recited the “Jayatihuana stotra”. On reciting of the 17th verse, the idol of the Lord emerged from the ground. The bath water was sprinkled on the acharya and he was cured. A temple was built on the banks of the Shedi river and this idol was installed by the acharya there. In Vikram Samvat 1368 this idol was brought to Khambat and installed in a temple there. In course of time, many renovations have been done.The last renovation was accomplished in the year 1984 of the Vikram era under the auspices of His Holiness Acharyashri Nemisurisvarji.

Other Temples: Besides this temple, there are 16 other temples. The Hemachandracharya Smrutimandir is also here.

Works of art and Sculpture:.This sacred place, therefore, has a glorious and ancient history. Kalikal Sarvagya Shri Hemchandracharya got initiated into Jain order here. A large number of Jains lived here and many of them were multimillionaires. They built many temples. Udayan, the advisor of King Kumarpal, belonged to this place and he built a temple called “Udayan Vasahi”. Shri Vastupal had commandeered many Jain holy volumes to be transcribed on palm leaves here.Many Acharyas formally installed many temples and wrote many scriptures. All this speaks highly of this sacred place. The annual function of installation of idol is celebrated here on the third day of the bright half of the month of Falgun. Artistic idols found from the hollow of the ground are there in the temple of Bhagawan Chintamani Parshvanath. Such artistic idols are rare. Relics are also found here and there. They present the ancient art.

Guidelines: The Khambhat railway station is at a distance of nearly 1 km.from the temple. There is a good road leading to the temple. Khambhat is at a distance of 80 kilometers from Vadodara. Buses and taxis are easily available here. There is a dharmashala in Dantarvada at a short distance from the temple.
1. Shri Jain Dharamshala and Bhojanshala, Dantarvada, Khambhat, Phone: 02698-20477.
2. Shri Bansilal Ambalal Jain Yatrik Bhavan, Manek Chowk, Khambhat, phone: 02698-20117.

Scripture: A mention of this temple has been made in “Shri Parshvanath Charitra”, in “Prabhavak Charitra”, in “Praband Chintamani”, in “Vividh Tirth Kalp”, in “Nagarjun kalp”, n “Updesh Prasad” and in ” Navaangvriti” written by Shri Abhaydevsuri. An idol of Shri Sthamban Parshvanath is there in Kotavala in Patan,Chandanbala Aparment in Mumbai, Shri Adinath temple in Walkeshwar, Shri Kalikund Parshvanath temple in Santacruz and in Shri Shantinath temple in Nadiad

Trust: Shri Sthambhan Parshvanath Jain Derasar Pedhi, Kharwada, Post: Khambhat – 388 620
District: Anand, Gujarat State, India. Phone: 02698 – 21816, 02698 – 20221, 02698 – 25616

Translate By : Sheela Bafna, Chennai

श्री स्थंभण पार्श्वनाथ भगवान

मूलनायक श्री स्थंभण पार्श्वनाथ भगवान
आराधना मंत्र : ॐ ह्रीँ श्री स्थंभणपार्श्वनाथाय नम:
तीर्थाधिराज :-श्री स्थम्भन पार्श्वनाथ भगवान, पद्मासनस्थ,
नील वर्ण, लगभग २३ सें.मी.
(श्वेताम्बर मन्दिर)
तीर्थ स्थल :-खम्भात के खारवाडा मुहल्ले में ।
तीर्थ विशिष्टता :-इसका प्राचीन नाम त्रंबावती नगरी था । इस प्रभाविक प्रभु प्रतिमा का इतिहास पुराना है । बीसवें तीर्थंकर के काल से लेकर अंतिम तीर्थकर के काल तक यहाँ अनेकों चमत्कारिक घटनाएँ घटी हैं । तत्पश्चात वर्षों तक प्रतिमा लुप्त रही । विक्रम सं. ११११ में नवांगी टीकाकार श्री अभयदेव सूरिजी ने दैविक चेतना पाकर सेडी नदी के तट पर भक्ति भाव पूर्वक जयतिहुअण स्तोत्र की रचना की, जिससे अधिष्ठायक देव प्रसन्न हुए व यह अलौकिक चमत्कारी प्रतिमा वही पर भूगर्भ से अनेकों भक्तगणों के सम्मुख पुनः प्रकट हुई । इसी प्रतिमाजी के न्हवण जल से श्री अभयदेवसूरिजी का देह निरोग हुआ था । कलिकाल सर्वञ श्री हेमचन्द्राचार्य ने विक्रम सं. ११५० में यहीं पर दीक्षा ग्रहण कर शिक्षा प्रारम्भ की थी