Other stories of Bhildi
Here “Bhildi / Bhiladiya” usually refers to Bhiladiya Parshvanath / Shri Bhiladiyaji Tirth in North Gujarat (near Palanpur–Radhanpur highway). Along with the main miracle‑story, our Jain tradition mentions a few other linked kathas:
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1. Who installed the original idol? (Two traditional views)
About the ancient idol of Parshvanath Bhagwan at Bhiladiya, two main traditions are narrated:
- Kapil Shrut‑kevali tradition
- Some Jain accounts say the Shrut‑kevali Shri Kapil Muni himself performed the pratishtha of this Parshvanath idol in very ancient times. - Because a Shrut‑kevali is a perfectly learned omniscient saint (after the Tirthankars), this makes the idol and place especially prabhavshali (powerful) in devotees’ faith.
- Raja Samprati tradition
- Another story says the idol was installed by Emperor Samprati, the famous Jain king (grandson of Ashok). - Samprati is known in Jain history for building and restoring many Jin temples and establishing Jina‑idols in many regions. - According to this view, Bhiladiya Parshvanath is one of those ancient Samprati‑era pratishthas.
Both versions are told with respect within Jain sampradayas. The common point is: the idol is extremely old and highly venerated. (Details: see Shri Bhiladiaji Tirth article )
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2. Story of “Bhildi” girl and Shrenik Kumar
Another popular kathā connects Bhimapalli / Trambavati (old name of Bhildi) with a girl from the Bhildi community:
- In ancient times, Shrenik Kumar (associated in tradition with King Shrenik of Rajgriha)
- Out of affection and respect for her, he is said to have founded a city and named it after her community, so the place became known as “Bhildi”.
- Over time, the city grew and also became famous under the name Trambavati, known for:
- The small palace area on the west of the present temple site is still locally called “Gadhi Sthal”, remembering that old royal connection.
This story mainly explains how the name “Bhildi” arose and why the place became a rich Jain center in earlier times. (Details in the Bhiladiaji Tirth write‑up )
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3. Story of the hidden idol and the jungle
There is also a history‑type kathā about how the idol remained protected:
- In the Vikram 13th century, the area declined;
- The Parshvanath idol and other murtis were carefully hidden underground inside the ruined temple to protect them from attacks and theft.
- The whole region became lonely and wild, but devotees who knew the glory of the place still used to come with great difficulty into the forest for darshan.
- Centuries later, when the area was resettled as Bhiladi / Bhildi,
- Major renovation and new consecration (pratishtha) took place again in Vikram Samvat 2027, and later a big temple with 52 small temples around it was created.
This story shows how the idol was preserved with shraddhā even when the city disappeared, and how Bhildi revived as a tirtha‑kshetra.
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4. Miracle of the growing idol and the bees
Another well‑known miracle‑story connected with Bhiladiya Parshvanath:
- People from a nearby village once tried to take the Parshvanath idol away from Bhildi to their own place.
- When they attempted to lift and move it:
- This was understood as a divine sign that the dev (yaksha‑yakshini) were not pleased with the attempt to move the idol.
- Frightened and repentant, they returned the idol to its original place in Bhildi.
- Since then, local devotees strongly believe:
You can find this miracle narrated in the Bhiladiya Parshvanath story section on JainKnowledge .
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These are some of the other main stories linked with Bhildi / Bhiladiya Parshvanath:
- different pratishtha traditions (Kapil Kevali / Samprati),
- the Bhildi girl and Shrenik,
- the hidden idol in the forest, and
- the miracle of the growing idol and bees.
All of them increase devotees’ shraddhā, but the Jain principle remains: the highest refuge is always in Tirthankar, Dharma, Guru, and one’s own right conduct; miracle‑kathās are remembered mainly to inspire faith, non‑violence, vows, and inner purity.