Mysore and Coorg from the Inscriptions c2.12

c2.12

acknowledged by competent authorities. The history has been traced back, with scarcely a break, to the third century B.C., and former conceptions in regard to it have been considerably modified. A few of the principal items, before unknown, which have been brought to our knowledge may here be briefly mentioned. The earliest in order of time, and among the first in novelty and interest, are the account of the migration of Jains from the North under their great leader Bhadrabāhu, and the statement that he was accompanied by the celebrated Chandra Gupta as his disciple, and that both ended their lives at Śravaṇa-Beḷgoḷa in the Hassan District. These cannot be said to be proved as undeniably true, for they are perhaps now incapable alike of proof or disproof. But there are probabilities in favour of the occurrences as narrated, while they are not discredited by any anachronism. And the crowning discovery by me of Edicts of Aśōka, which placed beyond all doubt the fact that the north of Mysore in his time formed part of the Maurya empire, may also be held to lend support to the alleged connection with this country of Chandra Gupta, whose grandson Aśōka was. A local seat of the Maurya Government had evidently existed for some time at Isila, which is probably indicated by the Sidda of Siddapura in the Molakālmuru tāluq, where the edicts were found.