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JAINISM IN SOUTH INDIA the northern extremity and the other in the southernmost corner of the land, is striking—not only in respect of their names and traditional associations, but also on account of the attractive excavations in one case and the characteristio soulptures in the other. The Chāraņas figure in the Kannada Jaina literature also.
DAĀRĀGIVA Caves: These caves are situated in a ravine near Dhārāśiva, also known as Osmanabad. Of the total number of cares which are seven, four have been identified as Jaina. Judging from their structural features and similarity with the Buddhist caves elsewhere, the Dbārāśiva caves have been approximately assigned to the middle of the 7th century A. D. by the archaeological experts. But taking the clue from a Jaina literary work, Professor Hiralal Jain has suggested a date as old as the fifth century B. c. for these Jaina caves. The arguments set forth in favour of this early age are briefly as follows:
According to the story narrated in an Apabhraíśa Vigok called Karakaņdachariu by Kanakāmara Muni, Karakanda, the ruler of we Anga country, came to Törūpura and excavated two caves on the adjoining hill. There already existed on the hill an old cave containing the images of Pārsvanātha. This cave was the performance of two Vidyadhara princes who originally hailed from the Himālayas and had adopted the Jaina faith after their founding of a kingdom at Tērāpura. This Tērāpura or modern Tēr is the ancient Tagarapura of the Silāhāra family and the caves under reference in the story are to be identified with the Dhārāśiva caves. Now Karakanda was an eminent sage who is believed to have lived prior to the times of Lord Buddha and Muhāvira and is claimed by the followers of both. The name of Karakanda still associated with these caves as their author, their ancient mode and the absence therein of Mahāvīra's image, are in favour of assigning a very early date to these excavations."
If it is proved beyond doubt that these caves belong to such an early age as the 5th century B. O., then, herein we shall be in possession of another piece of evidence which determines the early advent of Jainism in South India through the Dekkan Plateau prior to the migration of Bhadrabāhu and lends welcome support to our findings of a like nature in other parts of the territory. But the following considerations seem to pull their weight against subscribing to this view.
Firstly, in the history of cave monuments in India the occupation of natural caves in the hills for the performance of religious austerities
1 Aroh. Surv, of West. India, Vol. III, p. 11. 2 Annals of Bh. Or. Res, Inst., Vol. XVI, p. 7. 3 Ibid., pp. 2–7.
