[PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE]

– Dr. Kumarpal Desai

History and researchers are baffled – where is the mountain Ashtapada in the Himalayayan range ? The Hindu scriptures, Jain literature and Buddha scriptures all have references about Ashtapad but still its search has remained inconclusive and its location not found. The Jain centre of America [New York] under the able guidance of Dr. Rajanikant Shah had undertaken extensive research and has launched a campaign to discover its exact location. The first Trithankar Bhagwan Rishbhadev, who was the first to establish social code of governance and who symbolised this importance of renunciation and penance, attained Nirvan (final emancipation) at the Ashtapad Mountain.

There are numerous places of jaina pilgrimage but five of them are the most important ones and hence is known as Mahatirth and on of them is Ashtapada.

The places where other Tirthankaras attained Nirvan are extant today - Sametshikhar, Girnar, Pavapuri and Champapuri are visited by a large number of pilgrims. The second Tirthankar Shri Ajitnath was born in Ayodhya (North India) and attained Nirvana at Sametshikhar and the pilgrims flock this sacred place. What baffles people is the fact that first tirthankar Bhagwan Rishbhadev was also born in Ayodhya but his place of Nirvan is not to be found. The four other mahatirths exist, but the fifths Ashtapada is still undiscovered. It is believed that Ashtapada is somewhere among the snow-clad Himalayan peaks, about 168 mikles North from Badrinath on way to mount Kailash. It is about seven mile from Mansarovar.
Thousands of years ago the first Tirthankara Bhagwan Rishabhdev attained nirvan here After his nirvan, his son Bharat Chakravarti constructed a diamond-studded palace in his memory on Ashtapad mountains. 24 idols of Jain Tirthankar were installed in it. It is believed that since there are eight steps to be climbed to reach the mountain it is known as Ashtapad. The tirth is also referred to by such names as Ratnamay, Rajatadri, Sfatikachal in some scriptures.

Description of Ashtapad is found in ancient volumes. The first reference is in Acharang Niryukti and it is referred to as Mahatirth in a very ancient text Ekadashangadi Agam. The final sermon of Bhagwan Mahavir is found in Shri Uttaradhyayan Sutra. According to it anyone charamsariri who undertakes pilgrimage to Ashtapada will attain salvation. There are references and discussion about the Tirtha in Avashyak Niryukti, Nishithchurni, Vividh Tirthkalpa, Shri Ashtapad Mahatirth kalp Gyan Prakash Diparnave and other volumes, while details about Shri Rishabhdev Bhagwan are found in Uttarpurana. The discription in uttarpurana refers to Shri Rishabhdev’s son having built a diamond studded shrine in which were installed 72 idols of three chovisi - The past, present and future. Shri Gautamswami had undertaken pilgrimages to Ashtapad through his special powers. Siddhastavan Sutra has the description of the order in which the idols are found on the Ashtapad mountains. They were installed in four rows of four, eight, ten and two.

A detailed description of Ashtapad Tirth is given in Trishashti-shalakapurushchartra of Hemchandracharya. In the beginning of its tenth canto, it is said that anyone who would spend a night here and worship the idols, he would be a liberated soul. According to Pujya Sahajanandghanji, three chovisis of 72 idols are covered in snow. A mangol mendicant has said that Shri Rishabhdev Bhagwan practised penance on the Ashtapad mountain. This reference is found in Kanjud and Tanjud texts. The description of Tirthankar's Nirvan is also found in ancient texts housed in Potala Palace which was the earlier abode of Dalai Lama. These description show that, unlike other pilgrim places, it was not easy for ordinary people of visit this Tirtha. Even today the mountain is covered in snow and going near is next to impossible. Most of the people have its glimpse about 4 miles away from the mountains. Well-known scholar Shri Hiralalji Duggad has noted, after observing the mountain, in his book that “this mountain appears like the construction of samavasaran (holy assembly).”

Swami Pranavanandji stayed on mount Kailash for two years and undertook researches from Hindu and Tibetian angles. In his volume ‘Kailash and Mansarovar’ in english, he has observed that “it is assumed that the first Jaini tirthankar attained nirvan on mount Kailash and Kailash is known as Ashtapadji.” At the foot of Kailash, there is a mountains called Nandi in the south. Nandi means a bull. It is well-known that Tirthankar Rishbhdev’s lanchchan (symbol) is bull. Just as bull is always seated in front of Lord Shiva, Similarly it is natural that Nandi is situated in front of Rishabhdev.

20 Km. from mount Kailash is a snowclad majestic mountain known as Gurulamandhata. Madhanta is the name of the ancestor of Sagar Chakravarti. Between mount Kailash and Gurulamandhata mountains is a large and beautiful lake known as Ravan Taal. References of Ravan and to music and dancing near Ashtapad mountain by Ravan-Mandodari are found in Jain texts. In some Tibetian scriptures there is a reference to Shri Munisuvratswami, the 20th tirthankar, having visited the place.

Some poets have described the snow-covered peaks of Ashtapad visible in a clear sky from top of the tree on the outskirts of Ayodhya. Ayodhya is well-known as the birthplace of Bhagwan Rishabhdev. Is there link between the places of birth and Nirvan. According to Jain folklore, about 160 people including Bhagwan Rishabhdev and his ninetynine sons attained Nirvan on this mountain. Three stupa (pillars) were erected to commemorate this event. Bharat Chakravarti constructed a temple sinhanishdya at this place which was huge and elegant. In one of his letters, Sahajanandghanji has noted that mount Kailash is known as Ashtapada. 72 Jinalayas Shrines - covered with snow exist in Tibetain territory. The Jain idols around the place are under the supervision of Buddhists. Today, the territory is under the control of China. It is rare for a human to set foot on this mountains. Anyone getting its glimpse from a distance is bound to experience unearthly joy and will be filled with spiritual feavour. Words are inadequeate to describe the spiritual and celestial pleasure one experiences sky, mountains and clouds are in ccomplete harmony and the sight is other worldly.

Mount Kailash is the abode of Shiva and the thirteenth day of (vad) the month Maha [Hindu Celendar] is known as Shivratri, which the day of Nirvan of Tirthankara Rishabhdev is the thirteenth day [vad] of the month of Posha of the Hindu Celendar.

A number of letters here been received regading the series of articles writeen Ashtapada Trith. According to Shri Pramesh Gandhi, the latest research by MIT of America says the human civilisation must have originated in Tibet. It is possible that it was the beginning of development of asi (weapons), masi (writing) and krishi (agriculture) of Rishbhadev ? Swami Pranavanand, who has undertaken pilgrimage to Kailash thirty-five times, has authored a book on Kailas-Mansarovar and the preface is by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. He has also affirmed that Kailash is Meru and Ashtapada.

Shri Pramesh Gandhi narrates his extraordinary experience and writes that nonagenarian Rambaba was with him during the pilgrimage. This sadhu had performed the last rites of Indira Gandi, Sanjay Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. He also pointed to a peak near Kailash and said that it was Ashtapad. It had the same shape as Pramesh Gandhi had seen in the pictures of Ashtapad in the shrines. He saw the peak from a distance surrounded by a deep valley. Today it is difficult to climbe the peak.

Shri Bharat Hansraj Shah of Delhi deserves to be complimented for the research about Ashtapad done by him. He seems to have taken it up as a mission. During his pilgrimage to Kailash in 1993, he took a number of photographs when he enlarged them, he discovered that the description of Kalikalsarvagna Hemchandracharya in Trishasthishalaka purushcharit matches with what was seen in the photographs. The large steps seen in them suggest that they must have been carved out by human beings and cannot be natural. Also remnants of ancient shrines diches, etc are seen in the photographs. Some researchers believe that Kailash is not Ashtapada for Kailash is such a mountain on which one cannot do penance. Shri Jaswantrai Busa had done considerable research and has presented some of his observations very logically. According to him Mount Kailash is such a mountain which can neither be scaled nor anyone can stay over there. The journey is very halardous and the pilgrims can reach Dolmala at the height of 19,800 foot. It is at this place that pilgrims perform all the rituals and prayers or pay homage to Lord Shiva. The air at this height is rarefied and there is freering cold. This makes it difficult for pilgrims to camp herd. Besides, there are certain Shrubs which can render people unconscious. Some of them, if consumed, can satiated hunger and thirst and people will feel reinvigorated.

Scriptures say the Tirthankar Shri Rishabhdev, accompanied by ten thousand sadhus journeyed to Ashtapada mountain, when he foresaw his nirvan, he fasted for six days and attained Nirvan. Since it was difficult for one stay onto mount Kailas, how could one practise penance ?Therefore mount Kailash is mountain Meru and not Ashtapad. This is what Jasvantrai Busa's researches corroborate. Ashtapad, it is believed, is situated between Padmahad [Mansarovar] and Kagnimpo (Kailash) and at its foot is plane land where staying and performing penance are possible.

From here it is possible to get a glimpse of Shri Kailash and Mansarovar early in the morning. Near Ashtapada were two hotwater springs and the climate was congenial. One could undertake farming here and dry twigs were in plenty for lighting fire to look. Therefore, this Ashtapad is the mountain on which Tirthankar Rishabhdev and his 108 disciples must have performed penance and then attained Nirvan. The atmosphere here seems to be calm and the dividing line between atma (soul) Abd paramatma (supreme soul) gets obliteroted and one feels charged in the holy surroundings sanctified by Shri Rushbdev's penance.

In New York, the Jain centre of America - New York, is reconstructing Aradhana Bhavan and on the top floor diamond studded chovisi of Ashtapad mountains is being installed. The idols made in Jaipur, were kept in Mumbai, Surat and Ahmedabad before being sent, to the USA for darshan. A large number of Sadus, Sadhvis, Shravaks, Shravikas, Scholars, Researches and other had a darshan of these idols. There were serpentine queues stretching upto three miles. A seminar was organised in Ahmedabad Management Association in which scholars of scriptures and Himalayan researches participated. A public meeting was also held in the Town Hall, Ahmedabad and informative talks were given by scholars throwing light on the new researches being done on the ancient tirth.
The following facts stand out about Ashtapada.

It is 168 miles north to Badrinath and 25 miles south to Kailash or Kagringo Mansarovar. Between Mansarovar (Padmagrid) and Kailash is a mountain and it is Ashtapad and which is about five miles from Mansarovar. It is 8 miles fall and covered with white rocks. Hence it is known as Dhavalgiri. From Dorechin one can reach there on foot in about four hours by crossing over mountains ranges. At the foot of the mountain is a plane ground where one can stay and meditate. In the morning, one can get a glimpse of Kailash and Mansarovar. There are two hot-water springs and fact is also available for looking. It is possible that Tirthankar Rishabhdev stayed here with his disciples and meditated. There are references that the 20th Tirthankar Muni Suvratswami meditated here. It is planned to have Shri Ashtapad Research Society to undertake researches and a pilgrimage to Ashtapad is under consideration.