Here is the Jain view in brief:

• Where was the soul before entering Bharat Kshetra?

- In Jain cosmology, the soul (jiva) is bound to samsara and migrates through many lives and realms. There isn’t a single fixed “before Bharat” location. A soul can be born in many different places and forms in past lives—deva (heavenly), manushya (human), or even lower realms—depending on its accumulated karma. Bharat Kshetra (Jambudweep) is simply one region where a future or present human birth can occur. The soul’s immediate past birth could have been in any lok or form governed by its karma.

• What caused the soul to fall into karmic bondage?

- Bondage occurs when the mind, speech and body perform actions under the influence of passions (kasayas) such as anger (krodha), attachment/greed (raga/lobha), pride (mana), and illusion (moha). These intentional actions generate new karmic particles (punya and papa) that bind the soul to samsara. - In short: illicit thoughts, words and deeds fueled by passions create karma; over time this karma governs future births. Purification and liberation come by shedding these passions, right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct, and by practices that burn off accumulated karma (upsarga and niryukti), ultimately aiming for kevala jnana and ascent to Siddhashila.

• About Siddhashila

- Siddhashila is the realm above the tops of the world where liberated souls reside in omniscience and eternal bliss. The soul reaches Siddhashila when all karmic bonds are burned off and omniscience is attained, not merely by changing location but by purifying knowledge, perception and conduct.

If you’d like, I can explain how Digambar and Śvetāmbara traditions differ in detailing these ideas, or provide a brief mnemonic to remember the key steps toward liberation.