Girnar


Girnar is an ancient hill in Junagadh, Gujarat, India. It is one of the holiest pilgrimages of Jains, a Mahatirth, where the 22nd Tirthaṅkar, Lord Neminath attained omniscience, and later nirvana at its highest peak, along with other five hundred and thirty three enlightened sages. This is well described in ancient texts such as Kalpa Sūtra written by acharya Bhadrabāhu and Shri Uttaradhyayana Sutra by Arya Sudharmaswami. It is administered by the Junagadh Municipal Corporation.

Geology

Mount Girnar is a major igneous plutonic complex which intruded into the basalts towards the close of the Deccan Trap period. The rock types identified in this complex are gabbros, diorites, lamprophyres, alkali-syenites and rhyolites. The parent gabbroic magma is shown to have given rise in sequence to diorites, lamprophyres and alkali-syenites. The rhyolite, though previously considered as a product of differentiation, is now believed to be an independent magma without any genetic link with the gabbro and its variants.

History

Girnar was an important mountain that has been a sacred place for Jains since centuries.
In the 7th century, the Chinese traveler Hsuan-tsang mentioned Girnar as a place of "supernatural monks". On the southern side of the mountain, there are Jain temples that were built in the 13th century.

Ashoka edicts

Fourteen of Ashoka's Major Rock Edicts, dating to circa 250 BCE, are inscribed on a large boulder that is housed in a small building located outside the town of Junagadh on Saurashtra peninsula in the state of Gujarat, India. It is located on Girnar Taleti road, at about far from Uperkot Fort easterly, some 2 km before Girnar Taleti. An uneven rock, with a circumference of seven meters and a height of ten meters, bears inscriptions etched with an iron pen in Brahmi script in a language similar to Pali and date back to 250 BCE, thus marking the beginning of written history of Junagadh.
On the same rock there are inscriptions in Sanskrit added around 150 CE by Mahakshatrap Rudradaman I, the Saka ruler of Malwa, a member of the Western Satraps dynasty. The edict also narrates the story of Sudarshan Lake which was built or renovated by Rudradaman I, and the heavy rain and storm due to which it had broken.
Another inscription dates from about 450 CE and refers to Skandagupta, one of the last Gupta emperors.
The protective building around the edicts was built in 1900 by Nawab Rasool Khan of Junagadh State at a cost of Rs 8,662. It was repaired and restored in 1939 and 1941 by the rulers of Junagadh. The wall of the structure had collapsed in 2014.
A much smaller replica of these Girnar edicts has been positioned outside the entrance of the National Museum in Delhi.
Similarly, inside the Parliament Museum at New Delhi, an exhibit replicates the act of artists sculpting inscriptions of Girnar edict on a rock.
A little further from Ashoka's inscription, on the right side of the road, there is a large stone standing which looks like exact replica of Ashoka's inscription.

Jain sources

Jain texts record Girnar mountain as an ancient pilgrimage site from where crores of monks have attained liberation. Neminath, the 22nd Tirthankara attained Moksha from this hill. Śvetāmbara tradition also considers Girnar to be an eternally Jain pilgrimage. 3rd century BCE text Kalpa Sūtra by Acharya Bhadrabāhusuri mentions Girnar hill to be the place of initiation, Kevala jnana, and Moksha of the 22nd Tirthankara, Neminatha.
Sixth century BCE Jain text Uttaradhyayana Sutra which is believed to be the direct words of Mahavira, mentions that Neminatha ascended Mount Raivataka to become an ascetic in the 22nd chapter. Acharya Dharasena, who was a resident of Girnar, practiced penance and meditation in Candragumpha cave of the mountain. He gave the spiritual knowledge to Pushpadanta and Bhutabali, who wrote the Shatkhandagama in between 86 CE and 156 CE.

Jaina Inscriptions

Of the several Jaina inscriptions found at Girnar, most are at the Girnar Jain temples.
  1. An inscription is present on a slab over the West entrance of the Vastupāla-Tejaḥpāla Jaina temple. As per the dates in the inscription, it was written in 1230 CE. It extols Neminātha, Vastupāla, Ācārya Haribhadrasūri, Ācārya Vijayasenasūri, and some other Śvetāmbara Jaina monks.
  2. On the West door of Vastupāla's temple, another inscription, similar to the one on the slab over the gate, exists. According to the inscription, the Vastupāla-Tejaḥpāla temple was consecrated by Śvetāmbara Jaina monks Ācārya Vijayasenasūri and Ācārya Ānandasūri. It was also written in 1230 CE.
  3. On the North door of the Vastupāla-Tejaḥpāla temple, an inscription, similar to the one on the West door of the temple, exists. It begins with extolling the qualities of Neminātha. It goes on to praise Śvetāmbara Jaina monks and Vastupāla. Ṭhākura Someśvaradeva, the author of this inscription, extols Vastupāla in a series of Sanskrit ślokas.
  4. An inscription on the East door of the Vastupāla-Tejaḥpāla temple begins by extolling the qualities of Neminātha. Similar to the inscriptions on the other walls and doors of the temple, it also praises Śvetāmbara Jaina monks and Vastupāla. It also states a series of Sanskrit ślokas written by Ācārya Narendrasūri Maladhārī about Vastupāla.
  5. An inscription was also found on another East door of the Vastupāla-Tejaḥpāla temple. It is said that the inscription was on a state that was deteriorating from effects of climate. Therefore, some characters were obscure and obliterated. It mentions several popular Jaina images installed by Vastupāla. It also mentions a Jaina image of Saraswati installed by him in Kaśmīra. Several Sanskrit ślokas praising both Vastupāla and Tejaḥpāla are found in this inscription. Additionally, it also mentions the ancestors of Vastupāla and Tejaḥpāla. The name of the author of these verses is mentioned to be Ācārya Saracandrasūri Maladhārī. The name of the copyist is mentioned to be Jaitrasiṃha and the name of the engraver is mentioned to be Kumārasiṃha.
  6. The South gate of the temple built by Vastupāla and Tejaḥpāla features an inscription, also written on the same day as the inscriptions on the other walls of the temple. It starts with praises of all the Tirthankaras. Later, it mentions the family of Vastupāla and Tejaḥpāla and their works of philanthropy and religious activities and construction of various Jaina temples. It also mentions Ācārya Vijayasenasūri and Ācārya Ānandasūri as the monks who consecrated the temple. A series of Sanskrit ślokas praising Vastupāla and Tejaḥpāla were written by Ācārya Udayaprabhasūri of the Nāgendra Gaccha. The name of the copyist is mentioned to be Jaitrasiṃha and the name of the engraver is mentioned to be Kumārasiṃha.
  7. An incomplete inscription on a wall near the first entrance to the Neminātha Jaina Temple exists. While the first few lines are broken away, it begins by extolling Neminātha, the principal deity of the shrine. Then, it praises demi-goddess Ambika and describes her appearance and iconography as per Jaina traditions. It further describes Yādava kings who maintained this temple. It lists several prominent kings of the region who belonged to the same family.
  8. A partially obliterated inscription was found on a wall of a temple facing South on the way that leads to Haṭhīpagalā. It describes the family of Kumārasiṃha and other ministers in the court of the king of the region. It further mentions a pilgrimage to Pālītāṇā temples. The name of the author of this inscription is mentioned to be Ācārya Jayasiṃhasūri. Ṭhākura Haripāla is mentioned to be the engraver of the inscription.
  9. The North entrance to the Neminātha Jaina Temple has two pillars, both with different inscriptions. The one on the East side contains an inscription that dates to 1288 CE and mentions the use of 3,050 flowers for the daily worship of Neminātha, the principal deity of the shrine, by Punasiṃha, a Porwāla Jaina and his wife Gunasiri. It further mentions the pilgrimage of Girnar by Vilhaṇata, a Śrīmālī Jaina, in 1277 CE.
  10. The inscription on the adjoining pillar at the North entrance to Neminātha Jaina Temple mentions the 1275 CE and is instructional in nature. It mentions the donation of 200 gold coins by merchant Haripāla. It further mentions the instruction to use 2,000 flowers obtained from a dedicated garden for the daily worship of Neminātha. The flowers may not be used for any other purpose than worship. This instruction was given out by Ācārya Jinaprabodhasūri.
  11. On the wall of a small shrine towards West of the South entrance to Neminātha Jaina Temple exists a short inscription that begins by paying obeisance to Neminātha and proceeds to appreciate king Mahīpāla and several other people who enabled the construction of a temple of Neminātha.
  12. On a broken pillar at the same place, and inscription mentioning a family paying obeisance at the feet of Neminātha in 1428 CE.
  13. On a wall to the East of the South entrance to the Neminātha Jaina Temple, an inscription mentioning a pilgrimage to Girnar performed by some wealthy merchants following Kharatara Gaccha in 1488 CE, exists.
  14. On the Eastern wall near the North entrance to the Neminātha Jaina Temple, exists an inscription that praises Ācārya Dhaneśvarasūri and his pupils as well as mentions that they performed several religious activities atop the mountain including consecration of idols and temples. It also praises Ācārya Candrasūri for answering questions asked to him by a minister.
  15. On the North entrance of the temple, an inscription stating the date of construction of the passage in front of the shrines as 1159 CE, exists.
  16. As per the inscription on the wall of a small shrine of Rishabhanatha, it was built by Jagamāl Gordhan, a Porwāla Jaina, in 1792 CE and the idol was consecrated by Ācārya Jinendrasūri.
  17. An inscription on the Western wall near the North entrance to the Neminātha Jaina Temple mentions the installation of several Jaina images with a permission from Saṅghavī Ṭhākura Śālivāhana. It also mentions the erection of an idol of Ambika, the attendant deity to Neminātha.
  18. Another inscription to the North of the previous inscription mentions the installation of the feet of Neminātha by Jayasiṃhadeva Vijaya. The name of the mason is mentioned to be Vikrama Māruti.
  19. An inscription under the image of Pārśvanātha in the temple built by Vastupāla and Tejaḥpāla states that it was installed in 1247 CE and mentions the names of the monks who consecrated it and the lay followers who inspired the installation of the idol.
  20. A short inscription was also found in a sacred place known as Hāthipagalā. The inscription states that the old road to the top of the mountain was repaired by Mānsiṃhaji Meghāji, a Śrīmālī Jaina by, in the year 1626 CE.
  21. A sculpture of the 24 Tirthankaras in a dilapidated temple contains an inscription which states the names of some members of the Pallivāla community and that the sculpture was installed in the year 1292 CE.
  22. An inscription written in 1232 CE on the East wall of the path from Rājula's cave to Gaumukha states that Vastupāla built four temples, one each dedicated to himself at Palitana temples, his wife Lalitādevi at Girnar Jain temples, and his wife Sokhukādevi at Aṣṭāpada. The fourth temple he built was of the Kapardīyakśa at Girnar. The inscription further states that he built all these temples with his own money.
  23. An inscription that states that Thathīrapāla dedicated an idol of Ṛṣabhanātha to Līlādevi in 1313 CE.
  24. Another inscription found states that Tejalā, the wife of Padama, a famous member of the Pallivāla community, caused an idol of Munisuvrata among a group of several idols to be installed in 1299 CE, dedicating it to her grandfather.