Shri
Samet Shikar Tirth
Mulnayak
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Mulnayak: Nearly 92 cms high, black-colored idol of Bhagawan
Parshvanath (Bhagawan Shamaliya Parshvanath) in the Padmasana posture.
Tirth: It
is on the Samet Shikhar Hill near Madhuvan at a height of 4450 feet from the sea-surface.
Historicity: The history of this tirth is very ancient. This paramount tirth was known
by the names - Samet Shail, Sametachal, Samet Giri, Samet Shikhari, Samadhi Giri, Samidi
Giri etc. At present, it is known as Samet Shikhar or Parshvanath Pahad. Twenty
Tirthankaras of the preset group of twenty- four tirthnkaras and a number of Tirthankaras
of the past groups of twenty- four Tirthankaras, attained salvation on this holy land.
There is a reference that in the second century Acharya Padliptasuriji came on a
pilgrimage to this place by akashgamini vidya. Palganj was the original foot of Samet
Shikhar and the present-day Madhuvan is at a distance of 20 kilometers from Palganj.
Madhuvan is the present-day foot of the hill. Since it was the land of penance and of
nirvana of many Tirthankaras and Sadhus, every particle of this land is great, holy, and
adorable. A touch of this land purifies the human birth. A pilgrimage to this sacred place
removes trouble adds to religious merits (punya) and destroys bad karma of devotees. This
tirth was renovated many times and its last renovation was accomplished sometime between
the years 1803 and 1841 of the Vikram era. Sheth Khushaldas often came on a pilgrimage to
this place and the idols had become very old. It was difficult to identify the places of
nirvana of different Tirthankaras. Therefore, according to instructions of Devavijayagani,
he practiced the penance of a three-day fast (attham) and muttered prayers (jaap) to
Padmavatidevi. He saw a dream. Accordingly, he saw on the hill an auspicious figure of
Swastika with particular numbers. The places of nirvana of tirthnkaras were fixed
according to the numbers. With blessings of the goddess, Khushaldas built small temples of
foot idols of these twenty Tirthankaras, a large temple named jalmandir, the Kothi
dharmashala at the Madhuvan foot of the hill, the temple of Bhomiyadev and the seven
temples of shamaliyaji Parshvanath and others. He thus performed immortal acts of
religious worship.
When His Holiness Acharyadev
Sagaranandasurishvarji came on a pilgrimage to this place in the year 1980-81 of the
Vikram era, the twenty-second renovation of this great sacred place was begun according to
his wish in the year 23012 of the Vikram era. Under the auspices of Maneksagarsurishvarji
Maharaja, disciple of His Holiness Sagarandasurishvarji, the jalmandir and the twenty-nine
Devkulikas were installed.
AS the name suggests, Madhuvan, the foot of
the hill is really a beautiful forest. At this foot of the hill surrounded by hills,
trees, gardens and natural beauty, there is temple of Bhomiyadev. There is a splendid
hill-shaped idol. It is very impressive. By merely seeing him, one makes one’s
journey comfortable. This actually wakeful idol protects the denoted pilgrims who pray to
it and removes their obstacles. There are also a dharmashal, a bhojanashal, a beautiful
garden and a group of eleven temples. They remind one of the chief tunk of Palitana. The
ascent on the hill begins from a little distance beyond the Bhomiyadev temple. The ascent
of six miles, six miles of round journey for seeing the tunk and descent of six miles make
a journey of 18 miles. If the journey is begun at about 5 o’clock in the morning, it
is completed at about 4 O’clock in the evening. For a pilgrim, it is desirable to
keep a torch and a stick with him. For using on the journey, food is given to the
pilgrims, when they return. It is convenient to ascent by the way of the Jalmandir and
descends by the way of the tunk of Bhagawan Parshvanath. When the pilgrims climb half the
distance, the tunks of nirvana places of Bhagawan are seen.
(1) The first tunk of Gautam
Swami: The first tunk is of Gautam Swami, the treasure of many achievements.
In the temples, there are foot-idols of twenty- four Tirthankaras and Gautam Swami
attained salvation on the fifth hill in the city of Rajagrahi. But the tunk is made for
pilgrims to see. All the tunks on Samet Shikhargiri are seen from this tunk.
(2) The Tunk of Bhagawan
Kunthunath: In this tunk of Bhagawan Kunthnath, the seventeenth
Tirthankara,there are black-colored foot-idols of Bhagawan. It is also known as
sandhargiri tunk.
(3) The third tunk of the
Eternal Jina, Rusabhanan: In this tunk there are black-colored foot-idols of
the Eternal Jina, Rishjabhanan.
(4) The fourth tunk of the
eternal Jina Bhagawan Chandranan: In thus tunk, there are white foot-idols
of Bhagawan Eterna Jina Chandranan.
(5) The fifth tunk of Bhagawan
Neminath: In this small temple, there is black foot-idolsof Bhagwan
Neminath. For Bhagawan Neminath a four-mouthed Jain Temple is built. This tunk of Bhagaan
Neminath the twenty-first Tirthankara, is also known as Mitradhar tunk.
(6) The sixth tunk of Bhagawan
Arnath: In this tunk of Bhagawan Arnath, the eighteenth Tirthankara, there
are black foot-idols of Bhagawan Arnath. There is a new four-mouthed temple of Bhagawan
Arnath. It is known as the Natakgiri tunk.
(7) The seventh tunk of
Bhagawan Mallinath: In this tunk of Bhagawan Mallinath, the nineteenth
Tirthankara is also known as Sabalgiri. In it there are black foot-idols of Bhagawan
Mallinath.
(8) The eighth tunk of Bhagawan
Shreyansanath: In this tunk of Bhagawan Shroyansanath there are black
foot-idols of Bhagawan Shrenshanath. The tunk is also known as Sankulgiri.
(9) The ninth tunk of Bhagawan
Suvidhinath: In the ninth tunk of Bhagawan Suvidhinath, there are at present
white foot-idols of Bhagawan Suvidhinath. It is known as the suprabhgiri tunk.
(10) The tenth tunk of Bhagawan
Padmaprabh Swami: In this tunk of Bhagawan Padmaprabh Swami, the sixth
Tirthankara, there are at present black foot-idols of Padmaprabha Swami. It is also known
as the Mohangiri tunk.
(11) The eleventh tunk of
Munisurvat Swami: In this tunk of Bhagawan Munisuvrat Swami, the twentieth
Tirthankra, there are at present black foot-idols of Bhagawan Munisurvat Swami. It is also
known as the Nirjargiri tunk.
(12) The twelfth tunk of
Chandra prabha Swami: In this tunk of Chnadraprabha Swami, the eighth
Tirthankara, there are at present black foot-idols of Bhagawan. It is known as the
Lalitghat tunk. It is on a high hill and the ascent on the hill is difficult. It is at a
distance of two miles from the Jalmandir. Of all the caves on the high hills, here is the
biggest excellent cave. It is good for meditation and sadhana.
(13) The thirteenth tunk of
Bhagawan Risabhadev: In this tunk of Bhagawan Risabhdev, the first
Tirthankara, there are white foot-idols of Bhagawan.
(14) The fourteenth tunk of
Bhagawan Anantanath: In this tunk of Bhagawan Anantanath, the fourteenth
Tirthankara, there are at present black foot-idols of Bhagawan Anantanath. It is also
known as the Svayambhugiri tunk.
(15) The fifteenth tunk of
Bhagawan Shitalnath: In this tunk of Bhagawan Shitalnath, the tenth
Tirthankara, there are foot-idols of Bhagawan Shitalnath. It is also known as the
Vidyutgiri tunk. Its ascent is difficult.
(16) The sixteenth tunk of
Bhagawan Sambhavnath: In this tunk of Bhagawan Sambhavnath, the third
Tirthankera, there are at present white foot-idols of Bhagawan, It is also known as the
Datt Dhaval tunk.
(17) The seventeenth tunk of
Bhagawan Vasupujya Swami: In this tunk of Savupujyaswami, the twelfth
Tirthakara, there are at present his foot-idols.
(18) The eighteenth tunk of
Bhagawan Abhinandan Swami: In this tunk of Abhinandan Swami, the fourth
Tirthankara, there are his foot-idols. It is also known as the Anadagiri tunk.
(19) The nineteenth tunk, the
Jalmandir : This tunk of Jalmandir is the splendid temple of shamaliya
Parshvanath. There are trees on three sides of it. Shamaliya Parshvanath is Mulnayak in
this temple, which is among the spectacular places on the hills. In thirty tunks on the
hills, there are foot-idols. The Tirthankara Bhagawan is seen only in this Jalmadir. The
open ground of the temple is beautiful. There is vast open space, which can accommodate
five hundred people. There are two dharmashalas. There are facilities for taking meals. In
the chief sanctuary of the temple, there are idols of Shamaliya Parshvanath, Bhagawan
Sambhavnath, and Bhagawan Abhinandan Swami. In the sanctuaries and on the open grounds to
the right and to the left, there are idols of 28 Tirthnkaras, gods, goddesses, and Parshva
Yaksha. The great rich merchant Khusaldas built this splendid temple in the year 1825 of
the Vikram era.
(20) The twentieth tunk of
Ganadhar Subh Swami: This is the tunk of Ganadhar Subh Swami. At present,
there are in it black foot-idols of Ganadhar Bhagawan.
(21) The twenty first tunk of
Bhagawan Dharmanath: In this tunk of Bhagawan Dharmanath the fifteenth
Tirthankara, there are at present the foot-idols of Bhagawan. This tunk is also known by
the name Dattvargiri.
(22) The twenty-second tunk of
Varisen, the eternal Jina: In this tunk, there are at present the foot-idols
of Varisen.
(23) The twenty-third tunk of
Vardhaman, the eternal Jina: In this tunk, there are at present foot-idols
of Vardhaman, the eternal Jina.
(24) The twenty-fourth tunk of
Bhagawan Sumatinath: In this tunk of Bhagawan Sumatinath, the fith
Tirthankara, there are at present black foot-idols of Bhagawan. This tunk is also known as
the Achalgiri tunk.
(25) The twenty-fifth tunk of
Bhagawan Shantinath: In this tunk of Bhagawan Shantinath, the sixteenth
Tirthankara, there are at present black foot-idols of Bhagawan. This tunk is also known as
Prabhasgiri tunk.
(26) The twenty-sixth tunk of
Bhagawan Mahavir Swami: In this tunk of Bhagawan Mahavir Swami, the
twenty-fourth Tirthankara, there are his foot-idols.
(27) The twenty-seventh tunk of
Bhagawan Suparshvanath: In this tunk, there is black foot -idols of Bhagawan
Suparshvanath,the seventh Tirthankara in this tunk. This tunk is also known as Prabhas
tunk.
(28) The twenty eighth tunk of
Bhagawan Vimalnath: In the tunk of Bhagawan Vimalnath, the thirteenth
Tirthankara, there are at present the black foot-idols of Bhagawan.
(29) The twenty-ninth tunk of
Bhagawan Ajitnath: In this tunk of Bhagawan Ajitnath, the second
Tirthankara, there are at present white foot-idols of Bhagawan.
(30) The thirteenth tunk of
Bhagawan Neminath: In this tunk of Bhagawan Neminath, the twenty-second
Tirthankara, there are at present white foot-idols of Bhagawan.
(31) The thirty-first tunk of
Bhagawan Parshvanath: This tunk of Bhagawan Parshvanath, the twenty-third
Tirthankara is the Mokashanagari of Samet Shikharji Giriraj. After seeing the thirty
tunks, when one reaches this Mokshanagari, one gets lost in the real joy and delight of
having directly seen paramatmas. This is the highest tunk on the highest hill. There are
80 upward steps leading to the Jain temple, ‘Meghadambar’ is another name of
this tunk. There are foot-idols of Bhagawan on the stone-slab where Bhagawan attained the
final liberation. He who comes here with a solemn religious vow of going on pilgrimage to
Samet Shikhar offers a coconut God. This stone slab is adorable. On this peak, there is a
pinnacled temple. In it there are foot-idols of Bhagawan Purusadaniya Parshvanath.
After devotedly and respectfully bowing to
Tirthankaras and Sadhus from this highest tunk and strongly wishing to make all souls
interested in religion, one returns to Madhuvan. On the way downward, there is a Dak
bungalow. There is also the Gadharvanal where food is given for using on the journey. From
the hill, the group of peaks of temples below, looks like a divine city. The building
style and artistry of all temples of Madhuvan are beautiful and spectacular. With full
devotion, pilgrims come to an end of the great pilgrimage to Samet Shikhar, the land of
nirvana of Bhagawan Parshvanath who is free from attachment and aversion.
Other Temples: All the tunks and temples on the hill are described in history. Besides,
the Madhuvan at the foot of the hill, there are eight temples, two Dadawadis and the
temple of Bhomiyaji Maharaja. Besides, there are eight temples of Digamber Vispantthis and
nine temples of Digambar Terapanthis.
Works of art and Sculpture: The scene on the hill is serene, beautiful,
delightful, and suitable for sadhana. From the hill, the scene of the temples of Madhuvan
below, looks like a divine city. Every temple has a distinct and handsome building style.
The natural beauty of the hill is delightful beyond description.
Guidelines: The nearest railway station of Girdih is at a
distance of nearly 25 kilometers from the tirth of Madhuvan at the foot of the hill. Bus
service and private vehicles are available. One can climb the hill on foot or in a
swinging cot. There are Svetamber and Digambar dharmashalas. There are good bhojanashalas,
too. On the hill, there is an arrangement for supplying bathing water.
Trust: Shri Jain Svetamber Sangha Kothi Madhuvan, Dist:
Girdih, State: Bihar, India.
Bhagawan Shamaliya Parshvanath
