View source for Bhadrabahu

{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2013}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox religious biography
| honorific-prefix =Aacharya
| honorific-suffix =Swami
| image = Jain Inscription.jpg
| alt = Bhadrabahu
| caption = Late inscription at [[Shravanabelagola]] describing the incoming of Bhadrabahu and Chandragupta Maurya
| religion = [[Jainism]]
| sect = [[Digambara]] and [[Svetambara]]
| birth_date = c. 367 BCE
| death_date = c. 298 BCE
| death_place = [[Shravanbelgola]]
| initiator = Govarddhana Mahamuni
| works = [[Uvasagharam Stotra]]
| initiated_label = Ascetics initiated
| initiated = [[Chandragupta Maurya]]
| successor = Acharya Vishakha
}}
{{Jainism}}
'''Ācārya Bhadrabāhu''' (c. 367 - c. 298 BCE) was, according to the ''[[Digambara]]'' sect of Jainism, the last ''[[Shrutakevalin|Shruta Kevalin]]'' (all knowing by hearsay, that is indirectly) in [[Jainism]] but ''[[Śvētāmbara]]'', believes the last ''Shruta Kevalin'' was [[Sthulabhadra|''Acharya'' Sthulabhadra]], but was forbade by Bhadrabahu from disclosing it.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Fynes|first1=F.C.C.|title=Hemachandra The Lives of Jain Elders|date=1998|publisher=Oxford University Press, Oxford World Classics|location=Oxford|isbn=0-19-283227-1|page=xxi|edition=1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Bhattacharyya|first1=N.N.|title=Jainism, a Concise Encyclopedia|date=2009|publisher=Manohar Publishers and Distributors|location=New Delhi|isbn=81-7304-312-4|page=235}}</ref> He was the last ''acharya'' of the undivided Jain ''[[Sangha (Jainism)|sangha]]''. He was the spiritual teacher of  [[Chandragupta Maurya]], the founder of [[Maurya Empire]].{{sfn|Wiley|2009|p=51}}

According to the ''Digambara'' sect of Jainism, there were five ''Shruta Kevalins'' in Jainism - Govarddhana Mahamuni, Vishnu, Nandimitra, Aparajita and Bhadrabahu.{{sfn|Rice|1889|p=3}}

==Early life==
[[File:MET DP154821.jpg|thumb|Bhadrabahuswami]]
Bhadrabahu was born in [[Pundravardhana]] (The region mainly consisted of parts of the Northern [[West Bengal]] and North-Western [[Bangladesh]], i.e., parts of [[North Bengal]]<ref>{{cite book|last1=Majumdar|first1=R.C.|title=History of Ancient Bengal|date=1971|publisher=G.Bharadwaj & Co.|location=Calcutta|page=12 & 13|edition=1971}}</ref>) to a [[Brahmin]] family<ref name="jaini" /> during which time the secondary capital of the [[Maurya Empire|Mauryas]] was [[Ujjain]]. When he was seven, Govarddhana Mahamuni predicted that he will be the last ''Shruta Kevali'' and took him along for his initial education.{{sfn|Rice|1889|p=3}} According to ''[[Śvētāmbara]]'' tradition, he lived from 433 BCE to 357 BCE.{{sfn|Vidyabhusana|2006|p=164}} ''[[Digambara]]'' tradition dates him to have died in 365 BC.{{sfn|Vidyabhusana|2006|p=164-165}} Natubhai Shah dated him from 322 to 243 BCE.{{sfn|Natubhai Shah|2004|p=42}}

Yasobhadra (351-235 BCE), leader of the religious order reorganised by [[Mahavira]], had two principle disciples, Sambhutavijaya (347-257 BCE) and Bhadrabahu.{{sfn|Natubhai Shah|2004|p=42}} After his death the religious order was divided in two lineages lead by Sambhutivijaya and Bhadrabahu.{{sfn|Natubhai Shah|2004|p=42}}

== Ascetic life & Explanation of Sixteen Dreams of Chandragupta ==
[[File:Bhadrabahu Goopha on Chandragiri.JPG|thumb|Bhadrabahu Gupha on [[Chandragiri]]]]
On the night of full moon in the month of ''Kartik'', [[Chandragupta Maurya]] (founder and ruler of [[Maurya Empire]]) saw sixteen dreams, which were then explained to him by ''Acharya'' Bhadrabahu.{{sfn|Rice|1889|p=4}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! S. No. !! Dream of Chandragupta !! Explanation by Bhadrabahu
|-
| 1 || The sun setting || All the knowledge will be darkened
|-
| 2 || A branch of the [[Kalpavriksha]] break off and fall || Decline of [[Jainism]] and Chandragupta's successors won't be initiated
|-
| 3 || A divine car descending in the sky and returning || The heavenly beings will not visit Bharata Kshetra
|-
| 4 || The disk of the moon sundered || Jainism will be split into two sects
|-
| 5 || Black elephants fighting || Lesser rains and poorer crops
|-
| 6 || Fireflies shining in the twilight || True knowledge will be lost, few sparks will glimmer with feeble light
|-
| 7 || A dried up lake || Aryakhanda will be destitute of Jain doctrines and falsehood will increase
|-
| 8 || Smoke filling all the air || Evil will start to prevail and goodness will be hidden
|-
| 9 || An ape sitting on a throne || Vile, low-born, wicked will acquire power
|-
| 10 || A dog eating the payasa out of a golden bowl || Kings, not content with a sixth share, will introduce land-rent and oppress their subjects by increasing it 
|-
| 11 || Young bulls labouring || Young will form religious purposes, but forsake them when old
|-
| 12 || [[Kshatriya]] boys riding donkeys || Kings of high descent will associate with the base
|-
| 13 || Monkeys scaring away swans || The low will torment the noble and try to reduce them to same level
|-
| 14 || Calves jumping over the sea || King will assist in oppressing the people by levying unlawful taxes
|-
| 15 || Foxes pursuing old oxen || The low, with hollow compliments, will get rid of the noble, the good and the wise
|-
| 16 || A twelve-headed serpent approaching || Twelve year of death and famine will come upon this land{{sfn|Sangave|2001|p=174}}
|}

[[File:Djtradition marhiaji.jpg|thumb|Stella showing the transmission of the oral tradition (Photo: Marhiaji, Jabalpur)]]

Bhadrabahu was in Nepal for a 12-year penitential vow when the Pataliputra conference took place in 300 BCE to put together the Jain canon anew. Bhadrabahu decided the famine would make it harder for monks to survive and migrated with a group of twelve thousand disciples to [[South India]],{{sfn|Dundas|2002|p=47}}{{sfn|Rice|1889|p=5}} bringing with him Chandragupta, turned [[Digambar monk]].{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|p=40}}{{sfn|Sangave|2001|p=174}}

According to the inscriptions at Shravanabelgola, Bhadrabahu died after taking the vow of sallekhana (Fast until death).{{sfn|Sangave|1981|p=32}}

==Works==
According to Svetambaras, Bhadrabahu was the author of ''[[Kalpa Sūtra]]'',{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|p=4}} four Chedda sutras, commentaries on ten scriptures, ''Bhadrabahu Samhita'' and ''Vasudevcharita''.{{sfn|Wiley|2009|p=52}}<ref name="jaini" />

==Legacy==
Bhadrabahu was the last acharya of the undivided Jain sangha. After him, the ''[[Sangha (Jainism)|Sangha]]'' split into two separate teacher-student lineages of monks. ''Digambara'' monks belong to the lineage of ''Acharya'' Vishakha and ''Svetambara'' monks follow the tradition of Acharya [[Sthulabhadra]].{{sfn|Natubhai Shah|2004|p=39}}

Regarding the inscriptions describing the relation of Bhadrabahu and Chandragupta Maurya, [[Radha Kumud Mukherjee|Radha Kumud Mookerji]] writes,{{quote|The oldest inscription of about 600 AD associated "the pair (''yugma''), Bhadrabahu along with Chandragupta ''Muni''." Two inscriptions of about 900 AD on the [[Kaveri]] near [[Srirangapatna|Seringapatam]] describe the summit of a hill called [[Chandragiri hill|Chandragiri]] as marked by the footprints of Bhadrabahu and Chandragupta ''munipati''. A [[Shravanabelagola]] inscription of 1129 mentions Bhadrabahu "''Shrutakevali''", and Chandragupta who acquired such merit that he was worshipped by the forest deities. Another inscription of 1163 similarly couples and describes them. A third inscription of the year 1432 speaks of ''Yatindra'' Bhadrabahu, and his disciple Chandragupta, the fame of whose penance spread into other words.{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|p=40}}|[[Radha Kumud Mukherjee|Radha Kumud Mookerji]]}}

''Bhadrabahu-charitra'' was written by Ratnanandi of about 1450 CE.{{sfn|Mookerji|1988|p=40}}

==Notes==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="jaini">{{cite book|last=Jaini|first=Padmanabh|title=Collected Papers on Jaina Studies|year=2000|publisher=Motilal Banarasidass|page=299}}</ref>
}}

===Sources===
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*{{citation |last=Mookerji |first=Radha Kumud |author-link=Radha Kumud Mukherjee |title=Chandragupta Maurya and his times |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i-y6ZUheQH8C |edition=4th |year=1988 |orig-year=first published in 1966 |publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]] |isbn=81-208-0433-3 }}
*{{citation |last=Sangave |first=Vilas Adinath |author-link=Vilas Adinath Sangave |title=The Sacred Sravana-Belagola: A Socio-religious study |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nZ3S6CW5KKQC |date=1981 |publisher=[[Bharatiya Jnanpith]] |edition=First }}
*{{citation|last=Sangave|first=Vilas Adinath|title=Facets of Jainology: Selected Research Papers on Jain Society, Religion, and Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QzEQJHWUwXQC|year=2001|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7154-839-2}}
* {{citation |last=Shah |first=Natubhai |title=Jainism: The World of Conquerors |url={{Google books|qLNQKGcDIhsC|plainurl=yes}} |volume=I |date=2004 |orig-year=First published in 1998 |publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]] |isbn=978-81-208-1938-2 |ref={{sfnref|Natubhai Shah|2004}} }}
*{{Citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kUz9o-EKTpwC|title=The a to Z of Jainism|isbn=9780810868212|author1=Wiley|first1=Kristi L|date=16 July 2009|p=51}}
*{{citation |last=Vidyabhusana |first=Satis Chandra |author-link=Satis Chandra Vidyabhusana |title=A History of Indian Logic: Ancient, Mediaeval and Modern Schools |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0lG85RD9YZoC |publisher=[[Motilal Banarsidass]] |date=2006 |orig-year=1920 |isbn=81-208-0565-8 }}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline}}

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