Acharya Arya Suhastisuri with his disciples came to Ujjain and stayed in Bhadra Sethani’s vahanshala. Avanti Sukumal, the son of Bhadra sethani, residing on the seventh floor of his house, heard the monks reciting some stotras and he was stunned. He got Jatismaran gyan (knowledge about previous birth). He saw that he was a dev of “Nalini Gulm Viman” in his previous birth. He took Diksha immediately with his parents’ permission at midnight and got his gurus permission to take Santhara. He went near the Kantharika kund and stood in deep meditation. A fox saw Muni Avanti Sukumal and due to previous enmity killed him. His son Mahakal, under instructions of Arya Suhastisurishvarji, built this splendid Avanti Parshwanath temple in memory of his father 250 years after the nirvana of Bhagwan Mahavir. The idol of Bhagwan Parshvanath was installed and was called Avanti Parshvanath in his father’s honour. As this temple was built by Mahakal, it came to be known as Mahakal Chaitya. During King Pushyamitra’s (a devotee of Shiva) reign, this tirth became a Mahakal Mahadev (Shiva) temple.
During the reign of King Vikramaditya of Ujjain, Shri Vriddhivadisuri was displeased with his disciple Kumudchandra and asked him to repent for his sins by travelling incognito. Hearing his preachings, 18 kings became his followers by becoming Jains. Kumudchandra came to Ujjain and slept in the Mahakal temple by keeping his legs towards the Shivaling. He was beaten for his behaviour by the king’s order but nothing happened to him.
Instead, the queen was beaten. King Vikramaditya was amazed by this incident. He asked for forgiveness and the reason for this miracle. Kumudchandra started chanting the very impressive Kalyan Mandir Stotra. As he was chanting the 11th verse, a beautiful idol of Bhagwan Parshvanath appeared from the Shivalinga. King Vikramaditya was very impressed by seeing this and he became a follower of Jainism. He gave the name ”Shri Siddhasen Divakar” to Kumudchandra who became a great Acharya. This Tirth became famous and Jain religion gained prominence in Ujjain. At present, there are 32 temples. Of these 5 temples are big. The temple of Adinath in the city is the oldest temple in Ujjain and has a great history. It was here that Shripal and Mainasundari worshipped Bhagwan Adinath and did Navapad Oli and Shripal was cured of his disease. There is a newly constructed temple of Manibhadra Veer also here. There is a Dadawadi opposite the Avanti Parshvanath temple.
This is the temple where Kalyan Mandir Stotra was created during the time of King Vikramaditya. Kalyan Stotra consists of 44 slokas specifiying the name of Kumudchandra in the 44th sloka, identified with Siddhasena Divakar. Sanskrit and English translations of Kalyan Mandir Stotra is included for our readers:
KALYAN MANDIR STOTRA
कल्याण-मन्दिरमुदारमवद्य-भेदि
भीताभय-प्रदमनिन्दितमंग्-घ्रि-पद्मम्|
संसार-सागर-निमज्जदशेष-जन्तु-
पोतायमानभभिनम्य जिनेश्वरस्य|1|
Meaning: Having bowed to the lotus feet of that Jinesvara (Tirthankara, Lord Parsvanatha), the Feet which are the temple of bliss, which are sublime, which can destroy sius and give safety to the terrified, which are faultless and are a life-boat for all beings sinking in the ocean of existence.
यस्य स्वयं सुरगुरुर्गरिमाम्बुराशेः
स्तोत्रं सुविस्त्रत-मतिर्न विभुर्विधातुम्|
तीर्थेश्वरस्य कमठ-स्मय-धूमकेतो-
स्तस्याहमेष किल संस्तवनं करिष्ये|2|
Meaning: (Lord Parsvanatha) Who is the ocean of greatness, Whom (even) the perceptor of gods (Brhaspati) himself in spite of his supremely wide knowledge is unable to praise and Who is a comet (or fire) in destroying the arrogance of Kamatha, I will indeed compose a hymn (in honour) for Him.
सामान्यतोऽपि तव वर्णयितुं स्वरुप-
मस्मादृशः कथमधीश भवन्त्यधीशाः|
धृष्टोऽपि कौशिक-शिशुर्यदि वा दिवान्धो
रुपं प्ररुपयति किं किल धर्मरश्मेः |3|
Meaning: Oh Lord! how can persons like us succeed in giving even a general outline of Thy nature? Is indeed a young-one of an owl blind by day capable of describing the orb of the hot-rayed one (sun), however presumptuous it may be?
मोह-क्षयादनुभवन्नपि नाथ मत्य्रो
नूनं गुणान्गणयितुं न तव क्षमेत|
कल्पान्त-वान्त-पयसः प्रकटोऽपि यस्मा-
न्मीयेत केन जलधेर्ननु रत्नराशिः |4|
Meaning: Oh Lord! a mortal is surely incapable of counting Thy merits, in spite of his realizing them, owing to the annihilation of his infatuation; (for), who can measure a heap of the jewels, though obvious, in the ocean emptied of waters at the time of the destruction of the universe?
अभ्युद्यतोऽस्मि तव नाथ जडाशयोऽपि
कर्तुं स्तवं लसदसंख्य-गुणाकरस्य |
बालोऽपि किं न निज-बाहु-युगं वितत्य
विस्तीर्णतां कथयति स्वधियाम्बुराशेः|5|
Meaning: Oh Lord! I, though dull-witted, have started to sing a song of Thine, the mine of innumerable resplendent virtues. (For) does not even a child describe according to its own intellect the vastness of the ocean by stretching its arms?
ये योगनामपि न यान्ति गुणास्तवेश
वक्तुं कथं भवति तेषु ममावकाशः |
जाता तदेवमसमीक्षित-कारितेयं
जल्पन्ति वा निज-गिरा ननु पक्षिणोऽपि|6|
Meaning : Oh Lord! whence can it be within my scope to describe Thy merits, when even the masterly saints fail to do so? Therefore, this attempt of mine is a thoughtless act; or why, even birds do speak in their own tongue.
आस्तामचिन्त्य-महिमा जिन संस्तवस्ते
नामापि पाति भवतो भवतो जगन्ति |
तीव्रातपोपहत-पान्थ-जनान्निदाघे
प्रीणाति पद्म-सरसः सरसोऽनिलोऽपि|7|
Meaning: Oh Jina! Let Thy hymn whose sublimity is inconceivable be out of consideration; (for), even Thy name saves the (living beings of the) three worlds from (this) worldly existence. Even the cool breeze of a lotus-lake gives delight in summer to the travelers tormented by the immense heat (of the sun).
ह्रद्वर्तिनि त्वयि विभो शिथिलीभवन्ति
जन्तोः क्षणेन निबिडा अपि कर्म-बन्धाः|
सद्यो भुजंगममया इव मध्य-भाग-
मभ्यागते वन-शिखण्डिनि चन्द्रनस्य|8|
Meaning: Oh Lord! when Thou art enshrined in the heart by a living being, his firm fetters of Karmans, howsoever tight they may be, become certainly loose within a moment like the serpentbands of a sandal tree, immediately when a wild peacock arrives at its center.
मुच्यन्त एव मनुजाः स हसा जिनेन्द्र
रौद्रैरुपद्रव-शतैस्त्वयि वीक्षितेऽपि |
गो-स्वामिनि स्फुरित-तेजसि दृष्टमात्रे
चौरैरिवाशु पशवः प्रपलायमानैः |9|
Meaning: Oh Lord of the Jinas! No sooner art Thou merely seen by persons, than they are indeed spontaneously released from hundreds of horrible adversities like the beasts from the thieves that are fleeing away at the mere sight of (1) the sun resplendent with Iustre, (2) the king or (3) the cowherd shining with valour.
त्वं तारको जिन कथं भविनां त एव
त्वामुद्वहन्ति ह्रदयेन यदुत्तरन्तः |
यद्वा दृतिस्तरति यज्जलमेष नून-
मन्तर्गतस्य मरुतः स किलानुभावः|10|
Meaning: Oh Jina! How art Thou the saviour of mundane beings when (on the contrary) they themselves carry Three in their hearts while crossing (the ocean of existence)? Or indeed, that leather bag (for holding water) floats in water, is certainly the effect of the air inside it.
यस्मिन्हर-प्रभृतयोऽपि हत-प्रभावाः
सोऽपि त्वया रति-पतिः क्षपितः क्षणेन|
विध्यापिता हुतभुजः पयसाथ येन
पीतं न किं तदपि दुर्धर-वाडवेन |11|
Meaning: Even that Cupid (the husband of Rati) who baffled even Hara (Siva) and others was destroyed within a moment by Thee. (For), is not even that water which extinguishes (earthly) conflagrations swallowed up by the irresistible submarine fire?