It was only with Bhadrabāhu that the Digambaras separated from the Svetāmbaras. The Jain community was undivided for long. This story of the famine in Magadha is the initial fact of Digambara tradition. Moreover, the facade of this basti or temple which is in the form of perforated screen, contains 90 sculptured scenes depicting the lives of Bhadrabāhu & Chandragupta. To add to the above epigraphic evidence, a smaller hill at Sravana Belgola is called ‘Chandragiri’, because Chandragupta lived & performed his penance there. Two inscriptions of about 900 AD near Srirangapatnam describe the summit of a hill called Chandragiri as marked by the footprints of Bhadrabāhu & Chandragupta munipati.Ī Sravana Belgola inscription of 1129 AD mentions Bhadrabāhu ‘ Srutakevali’, and Chandragupta who acquired such merits that he was worshipped by forest deities.Īnother inscription of year 1432 AD speaks of Bhadrabāhu & Chandragupta, the fame of whose penance spread into other words The oldest inscription of 600 AD associated “the pair ( yugma), Bhadrabāhu along with Chandragupta muni.” 7th century Kannada inscription at Sravana Belgola This tradition has been recorded in local inscriptions & monuments. Chandragupta BasadiĬhandragupta, became the chief disciple of Bhadrabāhu, attended him at his death at Sravana ( Sramana) Belgola, where he lived on for some years till he died of ‘Sallekhana’ according to Jain practice. A Kannada work named Munivamsā bhudaya of 1650 AD andĪll these above works agree to the main point that as a results of a severe famine in Magadha, Chandragupta ” the king of Pataliputra” (Rājāvali Kathe), abdicated the throne in favour of his son & followed Bhadrabāhu as his disciple.Bhadrabāhu Charita by Ratnanandi in 1450 AD.Brithakathā Kosa by Harisena in 931 AD.These traditions are recorded at least 1,000 years after Chandragupta’s death and are : A Medieval relief at Sravana Belgola, depicting Chandragupta Sravana Belgola TraditionsĪccording to this theory, Chandragupta abdicated and followed the Jain monk a named Bhadrabahu towards South & settled at a place called Sravana Belgola. This theory is the only working theory which explains the disappearance of Chandragupta, when he was at the height of power. The theories of Chandragupta’s abdication, and becoming a Jain monk is there. Possibly, the greatest king of India abdicated after a reign of 24 years, in 298 BCE, when he was under 50 years old.