Today with 9th Day of Navpadji Ayambil Oli its CHAITRI POONAM, the day when Pundrik Swami attained liberation on Satrunjay Mahatirth, Palitana with 5 Crore Munis.

"Tirthrajam Namaskritya Shree Siddhachalsamgyakam;
Chaitrishuklapurnimayah, Vyakhyanam kriyate maya"

It means I bow down & salute before the greatest pilgrimage place amongst all the pilgrimage places in the world and describe then, an importance of Chaitri purnima, the fifteenth day of bright half of Gujarati month Chaitra which falls today.

This purnima is most benevolent because it increases good merits and several pious lives attained Moksha on this day and that too on Giriraj Shatrunajaya. Nami and Vinami, two sons of Bhagwan Rishbhdev also achieved Moksha today here with 2,00,00,000 monks. The first Gandhar of Rishabhdev, Pundarikswami also attained Nirvan with 5,00,00,000 monks on this day at Shatrunjaya.

Pundrik's original name was Rishabhasen. He was the son Bharat Chakravarti & grand son of Rishabhadev.

Once upon a time Rishabhadev while moving towns and villages approached at Shuklamikh garden near Purimtal town. Rishabhadev attained Kevalgyan there and the heavenly gods constructed Samvasaran. A servant approached Bharat and informed him about such feat of Rishabhadev. At the same time another servant turned up and told Bharat that miraculous Chakra appeared in the armoury. Bharat was in dilemma. What to do now? He decided ultimately to reach at the spot of Samavasaran and salute Omniscient Rishabhadev. He celebrated gorgeously the function of rare and first achievement of this Chauvishi.

Bharat came to Samvasaran. He gave three Pradakshina to Rishabhadev and sat at appropriate place. He listned to the discourses of Bhagwan Rishabhadev and accepted the "Shravak Dharma." His son Rishabhasen alias Pundarik took initiation along with several others. Bhagwan Rishabhadev established four fold organizations, for the first time in this Chauvishi. There were eighty four Ganadhara and Pundarik named to be the principal Ganadhar.

Bhagwan Rishabhadev kept on moving from one place to another. All the monks including Pundarik moved with him. Once while moving Bhagwan Rishabhadev approached under Rayan Tree at the peak of mount Shatrunajaya. Heavenly gods constructed samosaran there. All seated according to their designated place. He narrated the importance of Shatrunajay before the assembly. He also said that due to the awe of this Shatrunajaya Pundrik Gandhar will achieve Kevalgyan here and also attain emancipation. This tirth will be famous as PUNDARIKGIRI after his name.

Again Bhagwan Rishabhadev moved from Shatrunajaya and Pundrik Gandhara to Saurashtra. Several people came to salute Pundarik in this town. He gave suitable sermons. At that time one worried and unhappy woman with her widow daughter came to this spot. She asked Ganadhar Pundarik that what kind of bad deed she had committed in the earlier births so that her husband to be died at the time of "Hastmelap"? Pundarik Ganadhar who was possessing four types direct Gyan replied, "Oh! Good woman! One gets bad result of bad deeds. One gets fruits of their own Karmas and others are just "NIMITTA." Now he tells her the history of past births of her daughter."

At that time and that place called Chandrakanta in Purvamahavideh of this Jambudwipa, a king named Samarthsinh was living with her queen named Dharini. In the same town a merchant and Shravak named Dhanavah was living alongwith his wives Chandrashri and Mitrashri. Both wives had alternate turn to approach their husband. One day due to generation of cupid feeling and passions Chandrashri went to Dhanavah although it was not her turn. Dhanavah asked her why she turned up as this day it was not her turn. She did not pay attention to the words of husband and asked him what types of restrictions he was talking about. She did not believe in such compulsion. But Dhanavah refused to entertain her. She created spite and had deceit for Mitrashi. After some time she went to her father's home. She did a black magic and through it she allowed witch to penetrate in to the body of Mitrashri. The luster of body of Mitrashri vanished. Dhanavah neglected her and alaways entertained Chandrashri. One day Dhanavah came to know about the story of black magic of Chandrashri and he also neglected her. She died without performing appropriate Prayaschitta.

She had reborn as your daughter and she had turned out to be "NAGIN" means poisonous girl. In the last birth she separated Mitrashri from her husband, in this birth she could not see even the face of her husband. Her mother then asked Gandhar Pundarik what the remedies to free her from this agony were. Pundarik Gandhar replied, "She is unfit to take initiation so that it will be better for her to carry out the worship of Chaitri Purnima and showed her its procedure.

Listening to the details of the procedure and benefits of this Chaitri Purnima celebration that widow girl stood up and told to Gandhar bhagwant that she would go for it. She accepted the vow for it from Guru and at the end of this vow she went to mount Shatrunjaya, worshipped there. She went for Anashan and died. She will reborn as heavenly god in Saudharma Devlok. She will reborn as son to the Sheth Tarachand's wife named Tara in Mahavidehkshetra. There she will marry fifteen beautiful women, will be the master of fifteen crore gold coins and will be the father of fifteen sons. Once again he will opt for the worship of Chaitri purnima in that birth. Later on he will embrace Diksha from Jayasamudra Guru, properly adhere to it and at the end of the life he will achieve kevalgyan, emancipation and Moksha ultimately.

After completing the sermons, advices and describing past and future births to the widow girl of that woman Punadarik Ganadhar, knowing that his Omniscience and emancipation will be on the mount Shatrunjaya, reached there with his five crore disciples. He received Omniscience there and gave sermons. Later on along with his disciples he went for Anashan at the same place and at the end of life he attained emancipation and Moksha ultimately on this Chaitri Purnima.

Chaitri Purnima falls on the last day of the Shashwat Ayambil Oli which is also known as Navpad aradhana days. There are nine auspicious days in this Oli. Bhagwan Mahavir too was born on the thirteenth day of this month Chaitra. The sixth Tirthankar Padmaprabhu too achieved Moksha on the Chaitri Purnima day.