Shravanabelagola
Topic: Buddhism, Jainism and Heterodox Traditions · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Śhravaṇabeḷagoḷa is a Jaina pilgrimage town in Hassan district of Karnataka. It is one of the most important Jaina holy places in south India. Tradition links it to the spread of Jainism south from Magadha. Its hills have hundreds of old inscriptions, which make it valuable to historians.
Example
Jaina tradition says the monk Bhadrabāhu came here with his followers during a famine in Magadha. Chandragupta Maurya came with him and ended his life by sallekhanā on Chandragiri hill. Sallekhanā is a Jaina vow of slowly giving up food until death. On the other hill, Vindhyagiri, stands the huge stone statue of Gommaṭeśhvara (Bāhubali), made in the late tenth century CE. Every twelve years it is bathed in the Mahāmastakābhiṣheka festival.
Don't confuse with
- Ellora: Ellora (Maharashtra, c. 6th–10th centuries CE) has Hindu, Buddhist and Jaina rock-cut caves side by side. Śhravaṇabeḷagoḷa is a purely Jaina hill-and-statue site.
Related concepts
- Jainism
- Tirthankara
- Rishabhanatha
- Parshvanatha
- Mahavira
- Kevala jnana
- Ahimsa
- Karma
- Five vows of Jainism
- Aparigraha