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JAINA ART IN KARNATAKA: SOME EXAMPLES
SARYU DOSHI
Among the many Jaina legends prevalent in south India, there is one which claims that Lord Mahāvīra, the twentyfourth Tirthařkara came to the South to preach and propagate his faith. Many persons joined his fold, including Jivandhara, the King of Hemangada desa, ancient Karnataka Jivandhara not only became a devoted follower of the faith but renounced worldly existance by taking diksā from Mahävira and spending the rest of his life as a Jaina ascetic.
Whether or not there be any truth in this legend, there can be little doubt that Jainism spread rapidly from its base in north India to the various provinces in the southerly regions. In the first few hundred years of its existance more than one wave of missionary activity rolled down in different directions and different periods, reaching remote corners in the South.
Though not the earliest, certainly the most significant move of the Jainas southwards appears to have taken place towards the end of the fourth century B. C. during the reign of Candragupta Maurya. According to a tradition widely prevalent among the Jainas this move was headed by the last Srutakevalin Bhadrabāhu who, accompanied by his devoted disciple Candragupta Maurya and a sangha of twelve thousand followers, set out for the land south of the Vindhyas.
The Bhadrabāhu-Candragupta tradition maintains that when they reached the place now known as Sravaņa Be!goļa, Bhadrababu, sensing that death was near, instructed the samgha to proceed to the South while he stayed back, and on the smaller hill of Sravana Belgo!a, with his royal disciple in attendance, died observing sallekhana - death by ritual starvation. Candragupta continued to live on the hill leadiog an ascetic life and performing sallekhana at the end.
It is important to note that the sacred association of Bhadrabahu and Candragupta with the smaller hill at Sravaņabe!go!a, even if legendary, had a
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