Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

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STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SOTRA
Ch. IX
Saravaņa
Saravana was a small town where Gośāla Mankhaliputra was born in a cowshed of Gobahula. It is not yet definitely identified. Sävatthi (Śrāvasti)?
Sāvatthì was the capital city of Košala (North) which was celebrated by the association of Pingalaka---a Sramaṇopāsaka, Skandakama Parivräjaka, Jamālī, Lord Mahāvīra and Gośāla Mankha liputra. Outside the city there lay in the north-eastern quarter a Caitya called Kosthaka where a spiritual duel took place bet ween the Ājivika leader and the Master, resulting in the defeat of the former.
Srāvastī also finds mention in other Jaina texts, Buddhist and Brāhmaṇical works, Chinese accounts and epigraphic records? as a capital city with its political, social, economic, religious and cultural history.
It was the birth place of Sambhavanātha and Candraprabhanātha, the two Tirthankaras8 and it was sanctified by the visits of Lord Pārsvanātha and his disciple Kesikumāra".
Šrāvastż stood on the bank of Acirāvati (modern Rāptī) 10 and is identified with the present Sāhet-Māhet on the basis of archaeological evidencesll.
1 Bhs, 15, 1, 340 : Ib, 2, 1, 90; 9, 33, 386; 15, 1, 539-556. 8 Avasy aka Niryukti, 323 ; 382; Nāyādlhammakahão, II, 9. 19.
p. 229; Niraya. 3,1; Raya-Paseniya S. --- 146 ff. 4 Vinaya : Mahåvagga, pp. 190-191, 293, etc. 6 Visnu Pu, Ch. II, Arsa, 4; Matsya Pu. XII, etc. 6 Legge: Travals of Fa-Heien, 55-56; Watters on Yuan Chwang,
1, 377; II. 200. 7 Soghaura copper plate, I.A. XXV, 216 ff. Vide, H.G.A. I. p. 125. 8 Jain Harivamsa Purana, p. 717. Vide, Jainism in North
India, C. J. Shah, p 26. 9 Rayapaseniya Sutta, 146 ff; Uttaradhyayana Tikā, p. 35a ;
Nayadhammakahão, II, 9. 10 p. 229; Nirayāvuliyā, 3. 1. 10 Vinaya : Mahāvagga, pp. 190-191, 293. 11 J. R A. S. 1903 1098 ff. A. S. 1, R. 1, 330 ff; XI. 78 ff;
A. R. A. S. 1. 1907-8, 81 ff; 1910-11, pp. 1'ff; C. A. G. I. p. 469; H, G. A. I. p. 125.