Correct Option
King Kharaavela of Kalinga, who ruled in the first century BCE, was a prominent patron of Jainism. His Hathigumpha inscription provides significant evidence of his devotion to Jainism, including his restoration of Jaina images and construction of Jaina caves. This demonstrates royal support for Jainism during that period.
Incorrect Options
1) The spread of Jainism in South India is primarily attributed to the migration of Bhadrabahu and his followers, who moved from Magadha to Shravanabelagola in Karnataka during a severe famine in the 3rd century BCE. Sthalabahu (or Sthulabhadra) remained in Magadha and led the section that later became the Shvetambaras.
2) The Jainas who followed Bhadrabahu to the South constituted the Digambara sect. Those who remained in Magadha under Sthulabhadra adopted white robes and eventually formed the Shvetambara sect after the First Jain Council held at Pataliputra. The Second Jain Council was held at Vallabhi, which further codified the Shvetambara canon. The statement incorrectly associates Bhadrabahu's followers with Shvetambaras and misattributes the council's outcome.
4) In the initial stages of Jainism, particularly during the time of Mahavira, the emphasis was on asceticism, self-control, and non-violence, rather than image worship. The practice of worshipping images of Tirthankaras evolved later, similar to the aniconic phase of early Buddhism.