________________
16
BIRTHPLACE OF LORD MAHAVIRA RE-CONSIDERED*
-Ram Prakash Podaar
In the Ardhamagadhi Jain Agamas Lord Mahâvîra has been called Videhaputta, Videhasukumara and also Vesaliya (Vaisalika). From this it has been inferred that he was born in the province of Videha at or around the ancient city of Vaisali. His birthplace has been said to be Kundagrama or Ksatriya Kundgrama. Close to this Ksatriya Kundagrama there was a township inhabited by Brahmanas called Brahmana Kundgrama. Acording to the account of the Kalpasutra, the Lord first descended into the womb of Devananda Mahani (Brahmani) of Brahmana Kundagrama. Later, the embryo was transferred to the womb of Tisala Khattiyani (Trisala Ksatriyani) of Ksatriya Kundagrama..
On the strength of the evidence that the Lord has been called Vaisalika, efforts have been made to locate the ancient Ksatriya Kundagrama, in the vicinity of Vaisali.
To the north-east of the present ruins of Vaisali there is a small village called Basokunda. It has been identified as the ancient Ksatriya Kundgrama. The Government of Bihar has approved this site as the birthplace of Lord Mahâvîra and a monument is going to be erected in near future. Arguments on which this identification is based may be summarised as follows
(i) It is in the vicinity of Vaisali.
(ii) 'Kunda' part of this village-name is the survivor of its prototype in 'Ksatriya Kundagrama'.
(iii) It is very close to the present Kolhua village which is indentified with the ancient settlement called Kollaga
* Vaishali Research Bulletin, 1981.
