The Jain scriptures, such as
Adbidhana Chintamani, mention him as a
Dramila, implying that he was a native of
South India.
[9][10] According to the Jain writer
Hemachandra's
Parishishtaparva, Chanakya was born in the Canaka village of the Golla region, to a
Jain Brahmin named Canin and his wife Canesvari.
[11] Other sources mention his father's name as Chanak and state that Chanakya's name derives from his father's name.
[12] According to some sources, Chanakya was Brahmin from north
India, scholar in
Vedas,
[13] and a devotee of Lord
Vishnu.
[14] According to Jain accounts he became Jain in old age like Chandragupta Maurya