Palitana – Location

Palitana is located in the western Indian state of Gujarat, 51 km south west of Bhavnagar. It is a part of the Saurashtra region famed for its spectacular temple sites, cities, beautiful beaches, and wildlife. The town has a good road and rail network that connects it to the other cities of Gujarat, especially Bhavnagar.

 History

The act of ascending a path to reach a place of pilgrimage is a part of the Hindu and Jain consciousness, which is why many of their holiest temples are located along hills and mountain ranges. The Jains have five separate hill locations for their holiest clusters of temples and Shatrunjaya Hill, Palitana is considered the most important among them. Another group is in Girnar (Junagadh), not too far away, while others are in Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

Palitana houses perhaps the largest cluster of Jain temples anywhere. From the base to the peak of the Shatrunjaya Hill, where the Palitana temples are located, there are in all 863 temples. These temples were built in two phases-the 11th and 12th centuries as a part of the resurgence of temple building all over India, and in the 16th century. Some of the earliest temples built in the 11th century were destroyed by Muslim invaders in the 14th and 15th centuries. The current temples date back to 16th century onwards. Not any one person or group was responsible for the construction of these magnificent temples. It was the effort of the wealthy businessmen who were followers of Jainism that these buildings came into existence.

TRS Iyengar

TRS Iyengar.

We Are One – The Golden Rules

Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.” (From the Udanavarga 5.18)

-Buddhism

“In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.”  (Matthew 7:12 – NRSV)

-Christianity

“Do naught to others which if done to thee would cause thee pain.” (From the Mahabharata 5.1517)

– Hinduism

“No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.” – Sunnab)

-Islam

“In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self.”
(Lord Mahavir 24th Tirthankara)

-Jainism

What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow human beings. That is the law; all the rest is commentary.”
( Talmud, Shabbat 3 l a)

-Judaism

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.” (Chief Seattle)

– Native Spiritual Traditions

“Be Charitable to all beings, love is the representation of god.” (KO-JI-KI Hachiman Kasuga)

– Shintoism

“Don’t create enmity with anyone as God is within everyone.” (Guru Arjan Devji 259. Guru Granth Sahib)

– Sikhism

“Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain; and regard your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.”

– Tai Shang Kan Ying P’ien

Sarve Janaas Sukhino Bhavanthu – Samastha Sanmangalani Santhu, Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Santhi: (let everyone on the earth Be happy and have peace, Let every good thing come in your way, Let peace prevail everywhere, all the time)

Hinduism – Srivaishnavam 

Hinduism – Srivaishnavam Practices – All Faiths, All Religions