Vallabhipur Tirth
Vallabhipur (बल्ल्भीपुर) is old and historic town in Bhavnagar district in Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Vallabhi is as old as Girinagar, Dwarka and Prabhasa in Saurashtra.
Location
It is situated at a distance of some 21 kms from Dhola Junction and about 50 kms from Palitana. Nearest places: Bhavnagar- 37 km. Ahmedabad- 160 km. Palitana- 45 km.
Jaina temple
A Jina temple of exquisite appearance is there on the main road of the town. In this temple is installed the idol of the MULANAYAKA Shri Adishvar Bhagavan; the idol is white in complexion, with a height of 91 cms and it is in PADMASANA posture. It is said that once upon a time this and this tirtha constituted the valley of Shatrunjaya tirth. Its ancient name was Vallabhipur.
King Shiladitya of this region had got initiated of Jaina dharma and he had renovated Shri Shatrunjaya tirtha. At that time flags of victory fluttered over 84 Jina temples as some evidences record. In V.S. 510 (= 453 AD), a golden event took place here. At the instance and request of the Sangha, Shri Devardhigani Kshamashramana and 500 other Acharyas came together at this place and put to script the Jain Agamas for the first time. The crown-prince of King Dharuvasena of the Maitreya family died at Anandapura in V.S. 584 (=527 AD). At this time the fourth Kalakacharya was present in Vallabhi for Chaturmasa. He delivered consoling sermons to the King and got him free from the sorrow of the loss of his son; he got several Jaina temples repaired and renovated by him.
We get historical and other references which prove that between V.S. 610 and 625, during the time of the rule of a very powerful king, Guhsena by name, there were several Jain temples and a vast temple of Adishvara Bhagavan in this town. Kshamashramana Shri Jinabhadragani wrote “Visheshavashyaka Bhashya” here. The last repairs and renovation of his glorious historical tirtha was undertaken under the noble and sacred inspiration of renovator of tirthas (tirthoddharaka), the emperor of the Jain order (Shasana-samrat) Acharya Shri Nemisurishvaraji. In the inner downward part of the temple are found the charming idols of Devardhigani Kshamashramana and other five hundred Acharyas. We also find the temple of the revered preceptor Shri Vijayanemisurishvaraji here; so do we have an ancient temple of Shri Parshvanathji.
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