Jain Journal 1969 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 48

OCTOBER, 1969
India and settled down at Sravanabelgola nearly 50 miles from Mysore City. In order to propagate Jaina Dharma the disciples went to Tamilnad, Karnataka, Kerala and Ceylon. Visakha Muni is said to have preached Jaina doctrines in Cera, Cola and Pandya Kingdoms in Tamilnad. From the Brahmi inscriptions found in Madurai, Cittanavasal and Palghat we can presume that Jainism prevailed in Tamilnad during the period prior to the birth of Jesus Christ (3rd century B.C.).
From Mahāvamsa it is learnt that Jainism was a prominent religion in Ceylon before the 3rd century B.C. It also adds that Pandukabayan who ruled over Ceylon from 377 to 307 B.C. arranged for the construction of monasteries for Jaina monks at Anuradhapuram. History tells us that Candragupta Maurya and Pandukabayan were contemporaries. Presumably the Jaina monks who were in Ceylon migrated from India through Kanyakumari to the south where there perhaps was a large mass of land, subsequently swallowed by the sea. The fact that the Jaina doctrines do not allow their monks to cross the sea must be remembered here.
Historians and oceanographers say that there was a vast land called Lemuria to the south of Kanyakumari which was submerged under the sea. There is also literary evidence in Silapathikaram (an epic in Tamil) to show that there were a mountain range in the name of Kumari Kodu and one river named Pahruli in the lost Lemuria.
Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari, otherwise known as Cape Comorin, is one of the most sacred centres of pilgrimage to the Hindus. But it is interesting
note that this sacred place was once a centre of Jaina pilgrimage. One of the twin rocks now named after Swami Vivekananda has been held in veneration by the Jainas from very ancient times and was traditionally known as 'Sripadaparai'. Sripada means the sacred feet and parai is the rock. In all probability we can say that the Jaina monks on the way to Ceylon consecrated a shrine of Sripada on the rock which was then a part of the mainland.
There is on the rock a projection, similar to a human foot in form, and a little brownish in colour, which has traditionally been revered as a foot-print of one of the Tirthankaras. The worship of foot-prints is a common feature in Jainism. After his visit to Mount Abu, Sir Monier Williams wrote in his book Buddhism : “Jainas are quite ardent