BHADRABAHU, Belgod, Belagola (Cave of)
12.983300,75.866700
Description
NOTE 1: »The word Sravanabelagola means the Monk of the White Pond« (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 944). NOTE 2: YOGANANDA, Parahamsa (1946) explains the story with an ascetic's retreat in view of »self-realization.« The German version of YOGANANDA (1950, 18th edition 1991, paperback edition 1992 translated by Erika Lorenz, page 528) narrates how »Aschoka war der Enkel des mächtigen Tschandragupta Maurya … Im Jahre 298 v. Chr. übertrug der siegreiche Tschandragupta seinem Sohn die Regierung und ging selbst nach Südindien, um dort die letzten zwölf Jahre seines Lebens als armer Asket in einer Felsenhöhle zu verbringen. Diese Höhle in Sravanabelagola, in der Tschandragupta sich um seine Selb-Verwirklichung bemühte, wird heute in Maisur als Heiligtum verehrt.«
A modified natural temple cave sacred to Jains is said (oral history) to have been used as a troglodyte dwelling. SITUATION: Somewhere on the »Chandragiri, the smaller of the two hills between which [the town of] Belagola [also: Belgod, short for Sravanabelagola, Shravanabelagola N12°59': E75°52'] nestles« (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 944) on the northern side of the Mangalore - Hassan - Bangalore line of Southern Railways. CULTURAL HISTORY - human use - legend: Accompanied by his spiritual teacher Bhadrabahu, the king Chandragupta (322-298 BC) went with 1200 monks from Magadha to Sravanabelagola (note 1) or »Shravana Belgola in the Mysore county« to escape a coming famine (note 2). Chandragupta is supposed to have lived here in a cave … (GLASENAPP 1928: 134; forwarded by Manfred Moser 1999). The cave of Bhadrabahu commemorates the story of a famine predicted by the legendary Jain saint Bhadrabahu in the 3rd century AD: »… the conversion of the natural cave into a Jain temple cannot be dated before the 11th century, when a devotee called Jinachandra carved an inscription« (WARD 1991, 1992: 146-147).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.9 | KALHATTI FALLS: CAMP-SITE CAVE | ||
| 10.9 | KALHATTI FALLS: TEMPLE BETWEEN ROCKS | ||
| 20.9 | HASSAN - MANGALORE RAILWAY TUNNELS | ||
| 46.5 | DATTATREYA, Baba Budan Giri (Cave of) | ||
| 46.8 | MULAINAGIRI CAVE | ||
| 46.8 | MULAIANAGIRI CAVES | ||
| 47.6 | RUDRESHWAR GUDI | ||
| 53.1 | KALAGAVE | ||
| 53.1 | KAVIKALGANDI |