Ashtapadji Mahatirth Kya - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Ashtapadji Mahatirth Kya" by Ramanbhai B Shah:

The book "Ashtapadji Mahatirth Kya" (What is Ashtapadji Mahatirth?) by Ramanbhai B Shah addresses the fundamental question of the location of the sacred Jain pilgrimage site, Ashtapadji. The author begins by acknowledging that, like the concept of the "Yugpradhana" (preeminent figures of an era), Ashtapadji itself is largely unknown to many. Despite various research efforts and estimations, including the popular theory placing it on Kailash Peak in the Himalayas, the author states that thorough research has confirmed Ashtapadji is not located on Kailash or Everest. This necessitates a deeper examination to understand its true whereabouts.

The central argument of the book revolves around distinguishing between Jain cosmology and geography and the physical world as we know it today. The author emphasizes that a critical misunderstanding stems from the similar names used for geographical features in Jain scriptures and our current world.

The book elaborates on these crucial distinctions:

Bharatvarsha vs. Bharatkshetra:
- Bharatvarsha: This refers to the landmass we inhabit today, roughly 1,900 miles north-south and 1,800 miles east-west.
- Bharatkshetra: This is a vastly larger continent described in Jain cosmology, measuring approximately 52 million miles north-south and 52 million miles east-west. It is comprised of 32,000 countries, with 16,000 in the northern half (Uttar Bharat) and 16,000 in the southern half (Dakshin Bharat). The author asserts that for a long time, people have wrongly assumed that all 25 Aryadeshas (holy lands) of Bharatkshetra are located within our present-day Bharatvarsha. This has led to confusion and disbelief in scriptural accounts.
Himalaya vs. Himavant Parvat:
- Himalaya: The physical mountain range we know, stretching about 2,000 miles, less than 500 miles wide, and reaching a maximum height of about 6 miles (Everest).
- Himavant Parvat: A colossal mountain described in Jain texts, approximately 50 million miles long, 3.6 million miles wide, and 3.5 million miles high. The lands north of the physical Himalaya are earthly (kabhumi), while the lands north of Himavant Parvat are described as un-earthly (akabhumi).
Vindhyachal vs. Vaitadhya Parvat:
- The author points out significant differences in the measurements and locations of the Vindhyachal mountain range and the Vaitadhya Parvat. Crucially, all 25 Aryadeshas are situated south of the Vaitadhya Parvat. In contrast, many countries in our current world, often mistakenly identified as these Aryadeshas, are located north of the Vindhyachal.
- Furthermore, rivers like the Ganga and Sindhu, described in Jain texts as flowing south through the Vaitadhya Parvat into the Lavan Samudra (Salt Ocean), do not originate from or flow south of the present-day Vindhyachal. The scriptural Ganga and Sindhu are significantly larger than their current counterparts.

To resolve these discrepancies, the text delves into the measurement system used in Jain scriptures, particularly the "Praman Angul" (standard finger-breadth).

One "Praman Angul" is equivalent to 400 "Utseedh Angul" (raised finger-breadth) * 4 = 1600 "Utseedh Angul" * 2.25 = 3600 miles.
The author uses the example of Lord Rishabhdev's height (500 Dhanush, a unit of measurement) to illustrate how these Angul measures and scaling factors create enormous distances and sizes compared to our everyday understanding.

The book then meticulously breaks down the geography of Bharatkshetra:

Bharatkshetra is divided into two major sections: Uttar Bharat and Dakshin Bharat, separated by the Ganga-Sindhu rivers.
Each section is further divided into East, West, and Central (between the rivers) lands, totaling six sections.
There are 16,000 countries in Uttar Bharat and 16,000 in Dakshin Bharat. Specific numbers are given for the sub-divisions within Dakshin Bharat.
Out of the 5,320 countries in the central part of Dakshin Bharat, only 25 are Aryadeshas. The rest are Anaryadeshas.
The total area of Bharatkshetra is vast, with Dakshin Bharat being considerably larger, and the central part of Dakshin Bharat alone covering a substantial area. Each Aryadesha, on average, spans about 125 "Yojan" (another unit of measurement).

The author contrasts this with the size of our present-day visible world:

Our accessible landmass (continents, oceans, etc.) is estimated to be around 20,000 miles long and 20,000 miles wide.
In terms of "Praman Yojan," this translates to a much smaller area, approximately 6 Yojan by 6 Yojan, or about 36 square Yojan.
This means our entire visible world is smaller than even a single Aryadesha, and about one-third the size of an average Aryadesha. Therefore, it's more fitting to call our world a "region" or "division" rather than a single country.

The book then attempts to locate our present world within this Jain cosmological framework:

Our planet is surrounded by saltwater, which the author suggests is the Lavan Samudra water brought by King Sagar for the protection of Siddhachala.
The presence of 24-hour sunlight is noted, suggesting it might be located at the southern extremity of the central part of Dakshin Bharat.
The Earth's shape is described as a sloping mound, evidenced by the differing lengths of day and night and the distribution of accessible land.
Our current landmass is divided into islands, with past divisions (Europe, Siberia, Gondwanaland) and current continents (North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, Antarctica). This makes our Earth a "group of islands," also referred to as an "Arya Pradesh" because it lies within the broader Arya region.

The author posits that this island-like Arya Pradesh is likely located at the southernmost tip of the 25 Aryadeshas in the central part of Dakshin Bharat, near the Jagati (boundary) of Jambudweep. It is separated from the rest of the Aryadesha by the Lavan Samudra. The remaining 25 Aryadeshas are referred to as "Brihad Aryavarta" (Greater Aryavarta).

Location of Ashtapadji: Based on scriptural references, Ashtapadji is located 12 Yojan northeast of Adhya (Vinita) nagari. Adhya nagari is 114 Yojan north of the Jambudweep Jagati. Our Arya Pradesh is about 20-25 Yojan north of the Jambudweep Jagati. Therefore, Ashtapadji is estimated to be approximately 106 Yojan (114 + 12 - 20) from our present landmass, which translates to about 400,000 miles.

The immense distance (around 400,000 miles) and the impassable salt oceans explain why Ashtapadji remains inaccessible to us, and why direct contact with Yugpradhan figures is also not possible. Supporting quotes from Jain monks are cited to corroborate these distances.

In conclusion, the book asserts that Ashtapadji Mahatirth, along with other major pilgrimage sites like Sametshikharji, Pawapuri, and Champagiri, are not located in our present-day world but in the Brihad Aryavarta, millions of miles away. Our current world, which is a collection of islands, is only one small portion of the Bharatkshetra, possibly a region that was once part of Saurashtra.

The text also touches upon the spread of Jainism in our current world:

The lineage of Jainism in our world began with Shri Swayamprabh Suri, a disciple of Shri Keshi Ganadhar, who converted Gujarati merchants, establishing the Shri Mali clan. Later, disciples like Shri Ratnaprabh Suri established the Eshwal and Parvad clans.
Most of the current Jain communities in India and abroad are descendants of these early converts. The original communities from Magadh, Kashi, Koshal, etc., are largely not present here.
Similarly, the majority of Jain monks and Acharyas associated with Lord Mahavir's lineage also reside and practice in the Brihad Aryavarta. Only Shri Vajrasen Surishwarji is mentioned as having visited this land, converting people like Ishwar Shresthi of Sopara Pattana.
This establishes two lineages of Jainism in our world: one from Lord Parshvanath's tradition (Shri Swayamprabh Suri) and another from Lord Mahavir's tradition (Shri Vajrasen Suri).

The author concludes by stating that only Girnar Tirth is relatively closer (50,000 to 100,000 miles away), while Siddhachala Tirth is the only truly proximate pilgrimage site. The landmass of our island-based Arya Pradesh appears to be a portion of the original 50 Yojan area of Shri Shatrunjaya Tirth, with the remaining 38 Yojan being separated by the saltwater. Human settlement on this land began during the time of Lord Neminath, with initial inhabitants being Dravidian and Yadava people. The book traces the ancestry of present-day populations and historical migrations to provide context.