Question

Which Jain saint was credited with the spread of Jainism in Karnataka (South India)
A. Bhadrabahu
B. Adinatha
C. Parshvanatha
D. Mahavira

Answer 1

Hint: In Karnataka, Jainism has always held a significant status. It had been the main religion of the state for a long period of time in history. The saint who was responsible for spreading Jainism in Karnataka belonged to the Digambara sect of Jainism.

Complete answer:
As the famine had captured most of North India in the third century, Chandragupta Maurya who had by that time turned into a Monk travelled to Karnataka along with his instructor Bhadrabahu. Along with both of them a lot of Jaina also settled in Karnataka. All of them settled at Shravanabelagola so that they could be ascetic. This marked the extension of Jainsim in southern India.
Born in Pundravardhana, in a Brahmin, Bhadrabahu was only seven years of age when Govarddhana Mahamuni made a prophecy that he will be the last Shruta Kevali. After making that prophecy, Govarddha Mahamuni started with the basic education of Bhadrabahu.
Bhadrabahu was one of the two main disciples of Yasobhadra, who was the head of the religious order reformed by Mahavira. This was divided into ancestries led by Sambhutivijaya and Bhadrabahu after the death of Yasobhadra.
Bhadrabahu was the last acharya of the unified Jain sangha. After him, the Sangha split into two separate teacher student ancestries of priests. The ancestry of Acharya Vishakha is followed by Digambara priests and Svetambara priests follow the custom of Acharya Sthulibhadra.

Hence, the correct answer is option (A).

Note: Bhadrabahu is rumored to have gone through the cycle of sallekhana, the Jain custom of extreme victory over human interests wherein the adherent repudiates the world totally and starves to death.