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10: śramaņa, Vol 64, No. III, July-Sept. 2013 little weak, the sage Säntisēna renovated it.”62 Rather than a discussion of the migration south, this inscription seems reminiscent of the Digambara Bhāvasamgraha, discussed above, which described the migration of Jains to Gujarat under the ācārya sānti. The next inscriptions that mention the two sages date to c. 900 CE, roughly contemporary with Harişeņa's Bịhatkathākāśa. However, these inscriptions63 are located near Srirangapattna, approximately 65 km south of Śravaņa Belgoļa, on the northern bank of the Kaveri River. The pair of inscriptions describes the summit of Chandragiri as marked by the footprints of Bhadrabāhu and Chandragupta. While no migration is mentioned, these inscriptions correspond with the description in the Bhadrabāhucarita, which describes the creation of a shrine to Bhadrabāhu's footprints by Chandragupta. The other inscriptions located at Chandragiri are dated to the 12th century and later.
What we may conclude from the epigraphic record is that Śravana Belgo!a did not become associated with the figure of Bhadrabāhu until 7h century CE. In addition, according to Tabard, the local traditions associated with Bhadrabāhu and Chandragupta do not date much earlier than the 9th century CE. 64 The numerous Jain bastis on Chikka-bemma hill were constructed between the 9th and 12th centuries CE and the famous colossal statue of Bahubali on Doa-bemma hill was constructed during the late 10h century CE. In the medieval period, Śravaņa Belgola "became a hub of all religious activity of the Jainas not only in Karnataka, but also the whole of South India, venerated by both Digambaras and Svetāmbaras."65 The epigraphic and archaeological/ architectural evidence from Śravana Belgoļa, therefore, attest to the increasing religious and political importance during this time. The elaborate legends regarding Bhadrabāhu, dating from the 10th century onwards, may have had as their primary aim to situate Śravaņa Belgola within Jaina historical geography and to highlight its importance as a center of pilgrimage. Tabard seems to come to a similar conclusion, when he notes, “Mysore is rich enough in historical associations and needs no legend unsupported by facts to make it one of the most interesting provinces of India." Jain and Surana also note, "after thorough research, many other scholars of Digambara sect have also made it apparent that it was the second Bhadrabāhu and not the first one, who went down South.”67 Therefore, the tell-tale stories like making Candragupta the contemporary disciple (monk or layman) of Srutakevali Bhadrabāhu, has [sic] no significance and are considered as baseless."68 IV. Reconstructing the Migration Routes to South India Despite the fact that numerous scholars have already highlighted the late date of the BhadrabāhuChandragupta tradition, this story is still cited by historians as evidence of the migration to South India in the early centuries CE. Even if not cited directly, its influence is apparent in the notion that the migration to South India (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala) was through Karnataka. For example, Champakalakshmi claims, "The Jaina migration seems to have avoided the areas of intensive Buddhist concentration (the coasts Jēand opted to make a beeline for south Karnataka and then for Tamilakam, particularly Madurai.”69 She estimates that this migration took place sometime between the end of the 4th and the beginning of the 3rd century BCE.70
