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Shatrunjaya Temples

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Shatrunjaya Temples (Jain Temple)
See   Jain History

Jain believe in the concept of Karm and reincarnation. That one's actions have a direct impact on the Kaarmik balance. All living beings from the smallest creatures to humans, have a soul whose ultimate destiny is to obtain enlightenment and liberation from the cycle of birth and rebirth. It is believed by Jains that innumerable souls have become liberated. However, 24 of these have escalated positions and are revered as teachers of the religion. They are known as Teerthankar or Jin and it is these Jin that created the religion. Those who aspire to be like the Jin are called Jains.

Throughout India temples were built by wealthy Jains dedicated to acknowledging the life of these Jin and also to allow other Jain to celebrate and contemplate on their own actions. Most of great pilgrimages are sited away from masses and almost always on top of a mountain amidst natural beauty that is suitable for devotion and meditation. The hardship of the journey disciplines the body. The company of fellow pilgrims strengthens the faith. It is considered an honor, in fact a blessing, to pray at a site that is made holy by the tradition of worship of the Jin and to stand at a place where the great religious leaders once stood. Souls receive spiritual merit and the mind is at peace.

There are some Jain temples in Palitaanaa, based on the Shatrunjaya Hills in Gujaraat, Western India. Shatrunjaya means conqueror of the enemies and this refers to the inner enemies - anger, ego, greed and deceit - which all Jain try to refrain from as much as possible through their thoughts, words and actions. Palitana is known as the city of temples, referring to its 900 temples and almost 15,000 idols of these 24 Jin. Indeed, 23 out of the 24 Jin actually visited this holy place, blessing it with their touch. In addition, more souls are believed to have obtained liberation here. These are the two reasons combined which explain why Palitana is considered the most auspicious place in Jainism.

It is not just only the actual temples that are considered sanctified there, even the mountain itself, from the foothills to the peak, is treated as a holy place. Out of respect, pilgrims refrain from wearing any leather products, such as shoes, or any other thing; speaking inappropriately or even eating during their journey. Along one side of the mountain range is the Shatrunjaya River. This is almost as sacred as the pilgrimage itself. Many people bathe in this river before climbing the 4,000-odd steps to the summit. During the journey many pilgrims recite the names of the 24 Jin repeatedly in prayer. This helps to keep the mind focused. On route to the summit smaller temples are dotted along the path which are visited by pilgrims who bow their head down to the Jin and then continue forward to the summit.

Mount Shatrunjaya's summit has 9 main clusters of temples known as Tuk. After about 3,000 steps and two hours of climbing, the path diverges into two, the path to the left leads towards the main Tuk of Lord Aadinaath, whilst the path to the right leads to the remaining eight Tuk. At the main Tuk there are three round passages symbolically representing the three laws of Jainism - right knowledge, right faith and right conduct. It is believed that by following the path established by the Jin and basing it on three laws one can obtain liberation. Of particular interest at the end of the first passage is the Rion tree, said to be the very tree that Lord Aadinath, the first Jin, practiced long penance innumerable years ago. Today this fact is commemorated by large footprints representing his feet as he stood under the tree. Walking through the third passage one sees the shrine of Ashtpaad. Ashtpaad is the historic temple which is now lost, in the Himaalaya. This shrine attracts much attention as the faithful remember the sacred temple which has now become unreachable.

However, the central attraction of this Tuk and the pilgrimage of Palitana itself is the main temple of Aadinaath. The white marble image of the Jin within the temple reaches 2.6 meters high and is decorated with gold and silver donated by wealthy Jain to express their devotion to this Teerthankar. The atmosphere within the temple is full of energy and devotion. Seeing such artistic beauty and the devotion on the faces of the pilgrims, the nuns and the monks is an experience which lasts with you for eternity. The artistry and sculpture of these temples aptly illustrates the glorious, unique culture of art within the Jain tradition. One cannot help but wonder how such large marble pieces were carried to the tops of these mountains tens and thousands of years ago. One marvels at the artistic creativity that occurred in creating these masterpieces.

Palitana is a remarkable place, with true beauty that surpasses all expectations.

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 3/15/05
Updated on 09/30/13