Lord Mahavira and His Times

Author(s): Kailashchandra Jain
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas

Page 89

Life of Lord Mahāvira
69
this area is clear even from the Jaina traditions which aver that Vajrasvāmī and other Jain pontiffs obtained liberation in the hills, Kuñjarävarta and Rathavarta, in the neighbourhood of Vidiśā.1
Karakandu, king of Kalinga, is known to have adopted the faith of the Jinas, and, after placing his son on the throne, exerted himself as 'Śramana'. This proves the existence of Jainism in this Province from very early times, but it is very difficult to say when Karakaṇḍdu lived in Kalinga. It was a Jaina stronghold, at least from the time of Lord Mahavira. The Jaina Harivamia Purana informs us that Lord Mahavira had preached his faith in Kalinga. The Haribhadriya Vṛitti on Avasyaka confirms Mahāvīra's visit to the country of Kalinga and adds that the king of that country was a friend (or relation) of his father's. The reference to Nandar ja as having taken away the image of Jina from Kalinga in the inscription of Kharavela is very interesting as it proves the existence of image-worship among the Jainas even in the fifth century B.C.
There are traditions even of Mahavira's visit to South India. From the Jivandhara Charita of Bhaskara, it is known that Jivandhara, who was the ruling chief of this region at this time, was a Jaina. He cordially received Mahavira and became an ascetic after obtaining diksha from him. Jivandhara seems to be an imaginary name. Actually speaking, there was no such ruler whose kingdom extended to and comprised Southern India during this period.
Mahavira is known to have converted to Jainism a prince named Ardraka who became a monk. He was so much influenced by the teachings of Mahavira that he always supported Jainism in his disputations with the teachers of different religions. This Ardraka is identified with the prince of the Persian emperor Kurusha (558-530 B.C.). Both the emperor and the prince are believed to have sent presents to the king
1. KMA, p. 121.
2. Uttara, XVIII, 45, 47.
3. A.C. MITTAL: Early History of Orissa, p. 136.
4. Karnatak through the Ages.
5. Sutra, II, 6.