gurubasadi moodbidri

1.   Guru Basadi

In the olden times this Basadi was called Parshwanatha Basadi. As the PATTABHISHEKA ‘coronation’ of the JAIN DIGAMBER Bhattarakas takes place here, it is called Guru Basadi. Once upon a time a Digambar Muni VISHNU NANDI  went to the forest for ablution. There were thorns of bamboo and bamboo bushes all over the area. Returning after ablution he saw a wonderful sight. Side by side, a cow and a tigress were drinking water from a stone receptacle. The calf of the cow was sucking from the tigress’ udder, and the young of the tigress was sucking from the cow’s udder, oblivious of their natural animosity. The Muni, guessing that there is some virtue about these environs, set to look for its origin. He was wonderstruck to see a statue of Bhagavan Parshwanatha lying in the bamboo bushes. He got the bamboos cut down and installed the statue in the renovated Basadi. The Panchakalyana was solemnized in 714 A. D. That is the present day Parshwanatha Swamy Basadi. As this Basadi was rediscovered by the ‘Guru’, it came to be known as Guru Basadi.

There is another reason why it is called Guru Basadi. It is customary for His Holiness Swastishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Panditacharyavarya Swamiji to be coroneted here in the Chandana Throne when he ascends the holy religious seat. Further, it is known from an edict here that many yatis have taken deeksha here under the Swamiji and he used to send them out to spread the Jain religion of Ahimsa. This Basadi has thus contributed many Gurus who propagated Jainism far and wide, and so it came to be known as Guru Basadi. The scriptures of Jainism, namely Dhavala, Jayadhavala and Mahadhavala, are enshrined in this Basadi. Therefore this Basadi is also called Siddhanta Basadi. It goes to the credit of this Basadi that these ancient books, the Scriptural Trinity of Jainism, written in palm leaves are preserved safely here. This is the only available copy of the texts in India. The Shravakas here tells legends and believe  that the  Devatas themselves brought these palm leaf books from Bankapura near Shirsi in the Uttara Kannada District there after shivamogga uttunga jina chaityalaya Acharya shubhachandra ceremoniously and installed them here( SCRIPT WRITEN UDAYADITYA 1110-1119 QUEEN RAVI DEVIYAKKA )1120  in this Basadi. The edict on the Simhapeetha says that the installation of the Moolnayak was solemnized in A. D. 714. Vishnunandi muni period There are 25 unique, unparalleled idols made of diamond and gold, silver, cat’s eye, emerald, sapphire, coral, crystal, ruby, agate and such precious jewels. Thousands of devotees throng to this Basadi daily to have a glimpse of the Holy Siddhanta Books and the precious stone idols.

The magnificent black stone idol of Bhagavan Parshwanatha stands in the pose of Khadgasan. This 9-feet idol(total hight bottom to snake hood 13^th feet) is very antique. On the back of the idol two serpents intertwine themselves and spread their hoods like an umbrella in semi-circle over the head of the idol. The year in which this idol was installed on the Simha Peetha is recorded as Shalivahana Shaka 636 which works out at 714 AD. The edict reveals that the Gadduge Mantap outside was built by Shravakas like Chola Shetty in A. D. 1538. There is the Ammanavara Basadi to the left of the Basadi. The beautiful 3-feet idols of 24 Teerthankaras stand splendidly on the jina Peetha. On the left and right shine the gorgeous idols of Saraswati and Padmavati. On the second floor of the Basadi there are hundreds of Jain statues.

The Guru Basadi is built to Vastu structure. There were only chaturasra Garbhagriha, Pradakshina patha and Ardha Mantap to start with. Then in 1538, the artistically exquisite Navarang, Sabha Mantap and Mukhamantapas were built. The open Ardha Mantap was closed and the Pradakshina Patha was rebuilt as to start from the Sabha Mantap itself. This is a three-storey building. There are independent sanctum sanctorum in the upper stories also and idols are installed there also. The roofing of the building is done with copper sheets. The pillars in the Sabha Mantap and Mukha Mantap exhibit beautiful Vastu carvings. The pillars here resemble the pillars in the Thousand Pillar Basadi. On the upper parts of the four pillars of the Sabha Mantap have the carvings of Bhuvaneshwari YAKSHI with thousand-petal lotus, the Jain eight dikpalakas, measuring scales, and intricate carvings. It is noteworthy that the embosomed figures show episodes from the Jain Puranas, scenes depicting the then life styles, and also Ganapati, Garuda and Anjaneya of the Vedic tradition. The pillars of some other Basadis have also such carvings and pictures and this gives testimony to the religious harmony of Moodbidri. This is the distinctive signature of Moodbidri.

The edict on the pillar to the left of the Gadduge Mantap reads:

shreemat paramagambheera | syaadvaadaamogha laanchanam ||

jeeyaat trailokyanaathasya | shaasanam jinashaasanam ||

swasti shri vijayaabhyudaya shaalivaahana shakavarsha 1460neya bahudhaanya samvatsarada chaitrashuddha 10ralli shri Charukeerthi panditadevarugala niroopadinda halavu settee shraavakara sammatadinda gurugala basadiya paarshwanatha swaamiya mundane mantapakke poorvadalli 22 bhaageyam, 22 bhaageyadalli bhaagyanasetti baliya kaajava cholasettiyarige bhage 6 ee mantapavannu yatiniroopadinda...

Of all the Basadis here, Guru Basadi and the Jain Mutt are more important. The edict stipulates that the right to receive the gandha-prasada and other honors following the nompi, pooja and abhisheka conducted in all the Basadis here must be given, after Royal spirituval pattavali (mandalacharya lord mahaveer thirthnkar nirvana onwards mula sangh desiya gana traditional skyclad successor orange robe teacher Swastishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Panditacharyavarya Mahaswamiji,  to the Chowtas, Bangas, Ajilas, Tholas, Moolas, Konnas, Bhinnalas, Semitas, Ballals and Hegdes in that order.