Nav Smarana

Author(s): Vinod Kapashi
Publisher: Vinod Kapashi

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Now this name is quite important. Bhadragupta lived during the period when the Christian calendar had just begun, which is the time of Varähmihir (who allegedly caused the plague) as per the history books. Bhadragupta and Varähmihir were both in Ujjaini. This was a period of rivalry between Jains and Hindus, and Jains and Buddhists. As per the same SBC, the thirteenth ächärya Vajraswami had performed few miracles for the promotion of the Jain faith. This lead to a possibility that neither of the Bhadrabähu may have composed this stotra but that it was composed by Bhadragupta.
5.2.2 Digambara opinions considered:
Two Bhadrabähu's, are also mentioned in the Digambara Book of Chronology. The first died in 365 BC and the second in 12 BC
As per Digambara beliefs, if we continue from Jambu Swami mentioned above
Jambu Swami (died 465 BC)
Vishnu (died 451 BC)
Nandi Mitra (died 435 BC)
Apräjit (died 413 BC)
Govardhan (died 494 BC)
Bhadrabähu (died 365 BC)'
According to the Digambara version, Bhadrabähu was a staunch believer in Digambara ideology. Digambara monks are not allowed to wear any clothing and go sky-clad. It is said that around 300 BC, a brave soldier of the Magadha kingdom, in the name of Chandragupta Maurya, established his own dynasty in Magadha and extended his empire up to the present Mysore district in south India, Chandragupta came into contact with Acharya Bhadrabähu and became a follower of the Jain faith. Chandragupta and Achärya Bhadrabahu went to south India and spent the remaining days of their lives there. They both spent their time meditating on the Chandragiri hill near the town of Shravan Belagola. It is a fact that Jainism and especially the Digambara ideology spread to south India after the arrival of these two personalities.
If you see the dates of Bhadrabahu in the above lists and then try to associate him with the king Chandragupta Maurya (300 B.C.), then again there is a discrepancy. Bhadrabahu had died before Chandragupta came on the throne of the Magadha empire therefore they could not have gone to South India together.
Jainendra Siddhảnta Kosha - Vol 1 page 328 Published by- Bhartiya Gyanpeeth, Delhi, 1993.
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