Palitana ki importance Jain dharma me isliye hai ki yeh Jainameri ke sabse pavitra tirthon me se ek hai. Shatrunjaya parvat par sadiyon se bahut se mandir bane hain, aur yeh sthaan Jain samuday ke liye ahmiyat rakhta hai: log yahan teerth yatra karte hain, pradakshina (girdhan) karte hain, aur ahimsa-upaashray aur tapas ki jagah ke roop me dekha jata hai.

Adishwar (Rishabhanath) ka is sawal se sambandh samajhne ke liye do baatein dhyan me rakhni chahiye:

• Adishwar, yaani pehle Tirthankara, Jain dharma ki samast bhakti aur shikshan ke kendr hai. Unka mahattva har Jain ke liye mool aadhar hai.
• Palitana ka pavitra sambandh Adishwar ke saath alag alag Jain traditon me alag tarah se dekha jata hai. Bahut Jain mandiron me Adinath ki puja hoti hai ya unke liye aashirwaad ki bhavna hoti hai, lekin Palitana ki pavitrata uske astitva se keval Adishwar ki upasthiti par nirbhar nahi karti.

Iska siddhantik arth yeh hai:

• Palitana ki ahmiyat isliye hai ki yeh Jain dharma ki sabse vishaal aur prabhavit tirthon me se hai, jahan bhakto ki shuddhi, tapas aur ummidon ki purti hoti hai.
• Adishwar ki astitva aur uski shiksha har Jain ke liye mukhya hai, aur Palitana par bhi unki puja ya unke anukaran ki bhavna hoti hai, lekin Palitana ki pavitrata ka mool kendra Adishwar ki upasthiti se sirf sambandhit nahi hota—yeh sthaan kul milakar Tirthankar ki mahimā, ahimsa aur tapas ki parampara ko darshata hai.

Dhyan rahe: Digambar aur Shwetambar dono tradition me is sambandh ki vyakhya thodi alag ho sakti hai, par dono ke liye Palitana ki pavitrata aur tirth yatra ki ahmiyat saaf hai.

Agar aap chahen, to main is visay par adhik saral, seedhe arth ke saath Digambar–Shwetambar ki alag vyakhya bhi succinct roop me samjha sakta/ sakti hoon.