Ashokchandra, a kshatriya by caste was a poor man who lived in the small and peaceful town of Champapuri, which was situated in the Bharat Kshetra. He was very unhappy about his impoverished way of life, which was a result of his past lives’ inferior karmas and was frustrated of living in poverty. Thus, he used to go from one town to the other in search of means with which he could become wealthy.

Even a small ray of sunlight illuminates a pitch-dark cloudy sky, similarly Ashokchandra’s suffering, which was an outcome of his bad karmas built in the past, seemed to disappear as he ran into a Jain monk while travelling. Ashokchandra respectfully bowed down to the Jain monk and asked him for a way to overcome the poverty he was currently in. The Jain monk replied, “Oh son! The soul is bound by vicious karmas built in past lives and has to pass through the circle of life and death, as a result of which one experiences sorrow and happiness. As a result of having committed various non-virtuous deeds in your past births, you are currently suffering from poverty and pain. If you want to destroy all the bad karmas that you have built in your past life in a short period of time, bless your soul by engrossing yourself in devotionally worshipping and serving the pious mountain, Girnar!”

Ashokchandra immediately departed for the pious mountain, Girnar on hearing the life-saving words of the Jain monk. His accumulated bad karmas of many lives started shedding with every step he took towards the pious mountain, Girnar. When Ashokchandra heard about the glory of the pious mountain Girnar from the Jain monk, he started fasting and spent most of his time in deep meditation, in silence, on one of the tall peaks of the pious mountain. The presiding Goddess Ambika was pleased with Ashokchandra’s penance and in order to help him get rid of his penurious state she gifted him a parasmani, a legendry gem, which has the ability to turn base metals into gold. With the help of the parasmani, Ashokchandra soon had his own kingdom. As an ill effect of the excessive wealth he accumulated, he succumbed to luxuries, which intoxicated his five senses. He condemned himself for the excessive indulgence in the pleasures of wealth and senses, as a result of which, he had forgotten the huge favors of Goddess Ambika. He repented for the same; and cursed himself by saying, “I have forgotten all the help I received from Goddess Ambika as well the pious mountain Girnar that were the main reasons for my infinite wealth and kingdom. Shame on me for being so ungrateful towards the favors of virtuous Goddess Ambika! I am embarrassed to be so lost in these materialistic pleasures!”

Ashokchandra was so moved by his unconcerned attitude that he tried doing all he could in order to compensate for it. He gathered a congregation of pilgrims and set out for a pilgrimage tour. He along with several of his relatives did charity for the poor & various such virtuous deeds, on the way towards the pilgrimage places. He went for a pilgrimage trip to the holy mountain of Shatrunjay and then proceeded towards the pious mountain, Girnar, the salvation land for infinite Tirthankaras. He ascended the mountain and devotionally worshipped Lord Neminath. He showered Lord Neminath with the pious water of the Gajpad Kund. He devotionally worshipped Goddess Ambika with flowers and gratitude in his heart. After his devotional prayers and rituals ended, he started introspecting deeply and was filled with feelings of asceticism. He said to himself, “Oh! I have been enjoying the fruits that have resulted out of devotion towards this pious mountain, Girnar. I have been enjoying all the success, wealth, fame and kingdom for the past 300 years but now I want to put all my energy and efforts in attaining the non-destroyable, immortal bliss of salvation that will lead me to Moksh.” With these thoughts, Ashokchandra decided to entrust his kingdom and other responsibilities to his son and surrendered himself to the pious feet of Lord Neminath and paid obeisance to Him. He showed his reverence for the pious mountain, Girnar in numerous ways and started adapting changes in his life in order to destroy the past karmas. He ordained monkhood and with the fire of penance, he burnt the impure karmas and with the bright flame of his virtuous thoughts, he attained the absolute supreme knowledge by destroying all the ghati (destructive karmas) and aghati (non-destructive karmas) and ultimately attained Moksh on the enchantingly holy and pious mountain Girnar!

Thus, by devotionally worshipping the eternally pious mountain Girnar, with utmost amount of faith and admiration, one derives all sorts of materialistic and spiritual wealth and ensures he/she gets a good life in future births, eventually leading him/her to salvation! The worst of the worst sinners can be freed of their sins by assiduously worshipping the unconditionally giving, extremely pious and holy mountain, Girnar. The wonders of Girnar are infinite.