- Surajmandan Parshwanath
Mulnayak: Mulnayak is Shri Dharmanath Bhagwan. Nearly 153 cms. in height (including the hoods), white – coloured idol of Shri Suraj Mandan Parshvanath in the Padmasana Posture. There is an umbrella of 9 hoods over the head of the idol. This idol is in the basement of Shri Dharmanath temple known as “Hathiwala Mandir”.
Tirth: It is in Gopipura in Surat.
Historicity: Surat is a very famous city of Gujarat. Surat is well known for its Diamond industry and Surat sarees are famous all over the world. A very big population of Jains reside in Surat. There are many Jain temples here and most of them are ancient. This idol of Shri Suraj Mandan Parshvanath was installed in V.S.1679 by the revered hands of Shri Shanthi Chandra Upadhyay’s disciple Shri Ratnachandra Gani on the 5th day of the dark half of the month of Karthik in Punarvasu Nakshatra. Gopidas Shresthi had this beautiful idol of Bhagwan Parshvanath installed. Hence, this important area where the temple is located came to be known as “Gopipura” after Gopidas Shresthi. The idol of Shri Dharmanath Bhagwan was installed by the revered hands of Acharya Shri Hirvijaysurishvarji on the 5th day of the dark half of the month of Jeth in V.S.1664. This temple is also known as “Hathiwala Mandir”. Shri Vastupal Omji built a Guru Mandir here named “Hir Vihar” and installed the footprints of Shri Hirvijaysurishvarji and Shri Sensuriji. This idol of Suraj Mandan Parshvanath is miraculous, influential, alluring, magnificent and is always smiling. The wishes of a devotee are fulfilled if worshipped with great faith and devotion. Knowing this, Shri Shantidas Sheth had done Aradhana of “Shri Chintamani Mantra” in front of this idol of Shri Suraj Mandan Parshvanath.
Other Temples: There are many temples in Surat. There is a temple of Shri Vasupujya Swami, Agam Mandir, Ashtapadji temple, Shri Umarvadi Parshvanath temple, Shri Sahastrafana Parshvanath temple in Gopipura in Surat.
Guidelines: The railway station of Surat comes on the Ahmedabad – Mumbai railway line. Bus and private vehicles are available here. There are many Upashrayas, Pathshalas, Gyan Bhandaars, Ayambilshalas etc. here. Dharamshala and Bhojanshala facilities are available here.
Scripture: A mention of Suraj Mandan Parshvanath is made in “Shri Parshvanath Naammala”, in “Tirthmala”, in “Shri Parshvanath Chaitya Paripati”, in “Shri Vinayratna SuriRaas”, in “Chauvisi”, in “Surat ki Gazal”, in “Chaitya Paripati”, in “Shri Parshva Prabhu ke 108 Naam ka Chaand” etc. In “Shri Jin Sahastra Naam Stotra”, Upadhyay Shri Vinayvijayji has called Suraj Mandan Parshvanath as “Diggaj Parshvanath”. There is an idol of Suraj Mandan Parshvanath in Jiravala Tirth, in Shirshala in Maharashtra and in Kalikund Parshvanath temple in Santacruz, Mumbai.
Trust: Shri Suraj Mandan Parshvanath Jain Temple, Haathi Wali Gali, Gopipura, Surat – 395 001. Gujarat, India. Phone: 0 – 98795 – 16442.
