[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Historical geography](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography) › [Historical Geography of Ancient India](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.law-1954) › c6.653 # Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.653 Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.653 - **Language:** English ### [c6.653](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.law-1954.c6.653) Śrāvastī was not only a great emporium of Indian trade but also a great centre of religion and culture. Śrāvastī, otherwise called by the Jainas as Candrapuri or Candrikāpurī, was the birthplace of Sambhavanātha and Candraprabhānātha, the two famous Jaina tīrthaṅkaras (Jaina Harivaṃśapurāṇa, p. 717; Shah, Jainism of Northern India, p. 26). According to the Vividhatīrthakalpa a caitya adorned with the image of Śrīsambhavanātha stood in the city of Śrāvastī. Saint Kapila came here for the purpose of acquiring knowledge. Bhadra, son of king Jitaśatru, became a monk in course of his wanderings and afterwards attained perfection (B. C. Law, Some Jaina Canonical Sūtras, 175). It was in this city that Mahāvīra met Gosāla-Maṅkhaliputra for the first time after their separation. Mahāvīra visited it more than once and spent one rainy season here (Kalpasūtra, Subodhikāṭīkā, 103, 105, 106; Āvaśyakasūtra, 221; Stevenson, Heart of Jainism, 42). The Jaṭilas, the Nigaṇṭhas, the Acelakas, the Eka-sāṭakas and the Paribbājakas were very familiar figures to the people of this city so much so that it was easy for the royal spies to hide their secret mission under the garb of those religieux (\*Saṃyutta\*, I, 78). Many of the Buddha's most edifying discourses were delivered here. This city contributed a fair number of monks and nuns to the Order (\*Dhammapada Commentary\*, I, 3ff.; \*Ibid.\*, I, 37ff.; \*Ibid.\*, II, 260ff.; \*Ibid.\*, II, 270ff.; \*Ibid.\*, I, 115ff.; \*Ibid.\*, III, 281ff.; \*Ibid.\*, IV, 118; \*Psalms of the Brethren\*, pp. 7, 13, 14, 19, 20, 25; \*Psalms of the Sisters\*, 19-20). - [Previous: c6.652](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.law-1954.c6.652) - [Next: c6.654](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.law-1954.c6.654) - [Up: c6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.law-1954.c6) ## Cites (5) - [Kalpasūtra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.jaina.sveta.cheda.1.kalpasutra) — Bhadrabāhu, Ardhamāgadhī Prakrit - [Vividhatīrthakalpa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.jaina.post.prabandha.tirtha.vividhatirthakalpa) — Jinaprabhasūri, Sanskrit - [Saṃyuttanikāya](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.samyutta) — Pāli - [Āvassaya](https://indike.org/pramana/in.jaina.sveta.mula.3) — Ardhamāgadhī Prakrit - [Riṭṭhaṇemicariu](https://indike.org/pramana/in.jaina.anuyoga.epic.harivamsa.ritthanemicariu) — Svayambhū & Tribhuvana, Apabhraṃśa --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.law-1954.c6.653](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.law-1954.c6.653) · Pramāṇa