________________
56.
very severe famine lasting about 12 years, visited Magadha, the stronghold of the Jains. At this time that is about 310 B. c. Bhadrababu who was the head of the then yet individed Jains, emigrated with a portion of his people to Southern India. Towards the end of the famine, Sithulibhadra who had become the head of the remaining portion of the Jains, during the absence of Bhadrabahu, called a meeting of the Sangha at Pâtaliputra, the modern Patna. It was this council which collected the Jain sacred books, consisting of 11 Angas and 14 Purvas, the latter collectively put into the additional Angu, thus making up altogether 12 Angas. The Jain monks who had remained in Magadha during the famine had been compelled by the exigencies of the time, to give up the habit which they had of going about in entire nudity, and to adopt the white dress. But the monks, who had voluntarily exiled themselves, were ex. tremely dissatisfied, on their return to Ma Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat www.umaragyanbhandar.com