Shri
Mahavirji Tirth
Mulnayak: Nearly 78 cms.
high, copper - colored idol of Bhagawan Mahavir Swami in the Padmasana posture.
How to reach: It
is in the Chandanpur village on the bank of the Gambhir river. The nearest railway station
of Mahavirji (Chandanpur) is 7 kilometers away. It is at a distance of 175 kilometers from
JaIpur. All the major trains on Delhi-Mumbai line stops here. All around the temple, there
are board and lodging provisions.
Art and architecture: TEMPLE AND TIRTHANAKAR
Historicity: The life of Bhagwan Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankar, is not merely an
apotheosis or a deified ideal; his teachings epitomise quintessence of the culture of
compassion, non-violence, equanimity and understanding the viewpoint of others. The theory
of Anekant and Syadvad, on which he laid great stress, reinforced the intellectual and
philosophical foundation of relativism, mutual understanding and tolerance.
Born in a Kshatriya
family on March 30, B.C. 599 (Chaitra Shukla 13) at Kundagram (Kundapur) in the republic
of Vaishali (present Basadh in Muzzafarpur District of Bihar), he received all care.
training and affection which the son of a chief could have. His father Siddhartha, a
Kashyap Gotri, was a Kshatriya chief. The mother Trishla Devi was the daughter of Chetak.
the emperor of the republic of Vaishali. Trishala’s five other sisters were married
to powerful rulers of the time, the other two sisters Jyestha and Chandana did not marry
and became the Aryka (Nun) under the organisation of Bhagwan Mahavir. Siddhartha and
Trishala were the followers of 23rd Tirthankar Parshvanath.
Birth name of Mahavir
was Vardhman. The different names Ativir, Sanmati, Mahavir were the epithets conferred
upon him for his acts of boldness and bravery at different occasions. The universality of
the application of the name Mahavir has rendered it functionally equivalent to a personal
name.
Born in a princely
family all the comforts of life were available to him but child Mahavir did not evince
interest in worldly pleasures. Having strong spiritual inclination and desire to do good
Found from a hollow on the hillock near the temple, this very ancient idol of the is
serene, and beautiful. The appearing of this idol of Mahavir is related to a miracle. A
milkman cow did not give milk. On looking for the reason, it was found that the cow used
to go and stand on a hill and all her milk oozed out on the sand hillock. The milk man had
various doubts but the could not know the reason. At last when digging was done on the
hill, an idol appeared. Hearing that an idol had appeared, worshippers enthusiastically
came rushing from far and wide. By merely bowing their head to the idol, people had their
wishes fulfilled. This splendid temple was, therefore, built and the idol was installed.
Even today, worshippers who bow their head to the idol, feel boundless peace and their
wishes are fulfilled. Impressed extremely by the idol, the kings of Jaipur donate the
expenses of the lamp, incense and other material for worshipping. The annual fair is held
here from the thirteenth day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra to the first day
of the dark half of the month of Vaishakh.
Trust: Shri Digambar Jain Atishaya Kshetra, Post : Shri Mahavirji
(Chandanpur), Swaminadhopur, State : Rajasthan, India.