Shatrunjaya or Shetrunjaya (“place of
victory against inner enemies”) originally Pundarikgiri),
are hills located
by the city of Palitana, in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. They are
situated on the banks of the Shetrunji
River at an elevation 164 feet (50 m) above sea level. These
hills have similarities to other hills where Jain temples
have been built in Bihar, Gwalior, Mount Abu and Girnar.
Lord Neminath, also called Arishtanemi, the 22nd Tirthankara, became an ascetic after he saw that animals tied up to be slaughtered for the feast on his wedding were crying and screaming to be released. Seeing this he realised that due to his wedding thousands of animals were to be killed. He renounced all worldly pleasures and went to Mount Girnar to attain salvation. He attained omniscience and Moksha (Nirvana) from the highest peak of Mount Girnar. His bride-to-be Rajulmati also renounced the world and became a nun, and followed him to the sacred mountain.
This extraordinary idol has defied time, suspended in mid-air, and is a focal point of devotion, with devotees invoking its blessings through the daily recitation of the “Tirthvandana Stotra” during morning Pratikraman. The origin of this idol traces back to a vow made by King Khardushan, brother-in-law to King Ravana, who crafted a sand idol during his travels. Placed in a well, the idol underwent a miraculous transformation initiated by a celestial being. The saga continued when Chandravanshi King Shripal, cured of leprosy by the well water, discovered the divine idol of Bhagwan Parshwanath. His subsequent acts of devotion led to the establishment of the renowned Shirpur city.