the Eve of Lord Mahavira t 2500th Nirvana Anniversary

KING BIMBISARA
AND

KING AJATASATRU
IN T H E A G E O F

rtAHAVlRA & BUDDHA

By M U M N A G RA J D Lilt

Foreword B y Prof Of RAMESH CtUNORA, PANOEY M A Ph 0 ProfeuoriDd Head Department of Pbilowpby llotvenlty o f Delhi

Translated B y M U N I M AHENDRA KUM A R Drileeya B Sc. (B ob/ )

Publishers

JAINA

VISHVA

BHARATI

LADNUN (Rijiutbio)

P ubtifiitd by

'S C. R a tn p u m J>iTectOf A gam a &. Sahitya PfakSihan JA1NA VISHVA BHARAT1

LADVUN (R a m ih an )

First Edition
1974

Price R s 7 00

Printed by fJamyin A Som"

< IV ) T he p resen t w ork is a p a rt o f h is w ide researches I t p ertatns to the tw o g reat kings o f M a g a d h a in the tim e o f M ahavlra an d B u d d h aB im bisara and AjataSatru N o t much is know n a b o u t the role o f these ancient king* o f In d ia m th e Held o f history The a u th o r h as w aded th ro u g h th e vast lore o f P ra k rit a n d Pali lite ra tu re a n d critically studied th e facts available th ere H is treatm ent o f the subject is com pletely free from bias and prejudices T he conclusions h e h as draw n about th e creed o f these kings seem to b e q u ite const tent With historical evidence and logical a s well 1 congratulate the au th o r for his commendable efforts in putting before the scholars o f history an d culture his valuable research findings m the form o f a systerf atic and im pressive monograph I also hope th a t his future researches m this field will furnish us w ith so fa r unknow n facts o f his toncal and cultural value

T h e N ovember W M

(R C P a N D E \A ) Professor and Head D epartm ent o f Philosophy University o f Delhi

C O N TEN TS C hapter 1 Srcnika BJmbisara 1 9 10 !0

11

T he First C ontacts In the T rip itak as Com m encem ent o r U posatha in th e B uddhist Order Soldiers forbidden to be In itia te d M iracle in th e Prison Conversion o f King Pukkusati Next life o f Bimbis3ra C o n tac t w ith M ah jv lra Initiation o f Princes into th M onastic O rder Prophecy R o ja l M onk P rasan o ach an d ra Follower o fM a h a v ira o r B uddha Controversy a b o u t th e N am es Bhim bhisara etc Bimbis&ra Srenika Fath e r s nam e Queens Princes C hapter I I A jatsatrn Knrtika B uddhist account Jain description Message o f M a h a v lra s A rrival A rrival o f M ah av lta a t C ham pa Sermons o f M ahJvira Follower o f la u u sm o r B uddhism 1 M o th e r 3 Longings during P regnancy

12 13 14 17 18

20
23 30 30 32 32 34 34 16 38 39 40 41 43 44 50

S r e m k a s A ffe c tio n f o r h a S o n F a th e r s I m p r is o n m e n t P a tn c id e R e p e n ta n c e C o m m e n ts H is M o th e r D if fe re n c e in N o m e n c la tu r e s M a h iU k a ir ta k a B att'e an d V ictory over Vaj}is T h e J a m v e rsio n , .* D e s tru c tio n o f th e R a m p a r t o f V atSJlI T h e B u d d h is t V e rsio n D isse n sio n a m o n g th e V ajjis C o m m e n ts D e a th o f K u o ik a

4 The monk There is a tow n c alled K ausam bi w here lived my father whose n am e w as PrabhGta d hanas'ioth ay a (m ea n in g very w ealthy) who was true to bis nam e W e were a h a p p y fam ily Once in my earlv youth I w as cau g h t w ith a very se\ere p u n m my eyes an d i severe b u rn in g fever all over my body T he p ain was d read fu l an d unbe arable The best o f physicians cam e to my h elp but they could n o t rid m e o f m y p ains M y fa th e r would have spent all he possessed for m y sake b u t he could n ot rid m e o f m y p ains hence I s a y th a t I am w ithout protection My loving and faithful wife moistened my breast w ith her te a rs n o t living my side even for a m om ent b u t she could n o t rid me o f mv pains hence ! say th a t I am w ithout protection And the M ahanirgranthathe g reat ascetic urther explained to the king O king th u s finding m jsuir entirely w ithout protection I sought refuge in religion I took an o a th th a t if I fo r once shall get rid o f these pains I shall becom e a houseless monk T he next m orning my pam s had vanished and hnce I took leave o f m y relatio n s a n d b ecim e a houseless monk The above dialogue is found w ith m ore details in the twentieth chapter called Wahani%anthi)& o f the VtiaraJh) ay ana Suira It may be interesting to note that M onk An5th! also explained to the king about another kind ol w ant o f protection He refctred to those m onks who a f a r being initiated did not adhere to the code o f asceticism Impcachtng Strongly the laxitj o f ch a ra -te r o f such persons the monk said But there is still another w ant o f r elect c n O k in g h e a rlh e itfc re O k irg attentively

6 custom) who like fire devours everything w fllgo to hell from h ere after having sinned 1 Thus condem ning the so-called la x m onks, in the end An3th! M uni clearly adm onishes th e king o f M agadha thus A wise m an w ho hears th is ilis course an instruction full o f p recious wisdom and who deserts e \e rv p ath o f th e w icked should walk on the to ad o f th e g reat N irg ra n th is * King S re n k a was extrem ely pleased by hearing A nlthl s sermon W ith folded han d s cxpre sing his gratitude to A nSthi M uni th e king said Vou h 3 \e varily explained to me w hat it is to be w ithout protection ^ o u have m ade th e best use o f hu m an birth you have m ade a tru e gain O g reat sage it is t>nly you who (in tru e sense can be said to ) h a \ e a protector and relations fo r you h ave en tered Che path o f the best Jinas Y ou are th e pro tecto r o f all unprotected beings O ascetic 1 ask you to forgive m e O highly fortunate (m onk) 1 I seek to be discip lined by you T h a t by asking you 1 have disturbed your meditation an d th a t 1 invited you to enjoy pleasures all you m ust forgive m e *
1 V Ues am knazadim n lOfam na mumcfioi ktm chi anesan] Jam A rg tv ra sa iabhakk! i bhmltta to ethuo gaehehkat pa am Ibid V 47 1 Sochcla a inehaii sub!os iom Imam ant saianam nonngu no avtyam

om ^jbld
3

l' nasarvnm m-^myathanarae H " -"

Tttlho lfl stm o raya Inamadahu ka\am)ah An hattamjahabh i am t llhu me u-adamsham T }}f am svlad}) am Ih u tnanusiajammani labha svld ?

ne males!

tanaha }a sabovlka a ya ja-n

th e ihla fogg*

7 T h e concluding \e r s reads W hen th e lio n o f kings h a d th u s w ith th e g reatest d-v o tio n p raised th e lion o f houseless m onks he (th e king) to g eth er w ith his wives servants an d re latio n s becam e a staunch believer m tlv* religion (o f n irg ran th as) w ith a pure m ind 1 T here are striking sim ilarities betw een th e Ja m account o f K ing Sreijika s m eeting w ith A nathi M uni a n d th e Buddhist episode o f B im b isaras m eeting w ith B uddha In both the episodes th e king o f M agadh3 (a) is '.cry m uch im pressed by th e elegance a n d cq uan im ity o f th e young ascetu. (b ) offers him th e facil itics o f c im a l pleasures a n d (c) o b ta in s refusal thereof T he sequence o f b o th the scenes forces on e to d o u b t w heth er o n e o f th e trad itio n s h a d copied th e o th e r M aodikucbchhi garden h as been referred to i s M addakuchhi tn th e Buddhist tra d itio n * Except the above episode we d o n o t find a reference to A n Jth t M um an jw h e re else either in th e Jain o r th e B uddhist literatu re W hether he w as a d i^ ip L o fM a h a v lra o r initiated in the order o f P jriv a is also n o t alluded lo any w h ere
Tam 1 1 naho anakanoni iatT(^>hir\ana samjasa Kfiam mi tc mahohhnza' I(bch)am ion saslitm Puchchiuna rraf tjWihcm Jhanatiggh) k jo koo \ m.i mlo r < 2 bh, grhlvt lam jowaro maruthi me - l b , J w 54 ST r\o m if-anlitana m raj m i ho ana arasiham paramal bhatut Stio of t> sff^aflyano sabamP&YO dhamiruuturatto ilmaleru chf)asa / M m * e S

2.

(N

?1

Mshaparicilhbana

s
N o r there 15 any m ention o f his ever meeting M ahavira Probably these reasons have led D f R adhakum ud M ukherji Ihe h istorian to conclude th a t the person referred to as A m th i in this episode was none oth er th an M a h S v In on the basis o f epithet A nagara Siho ({ton o f ih e m onks) He therefore infers th a t this m eettng o f S rem ka was w ith M ahavira h im self1 W hile such a n inter pretation would no d o u b t increase th e historical im portan e o f the meeting we have no confirm atory evidence to support it O n the contrary m ention o f the Town k a u s a r b i Irabh u ta D h an a S anchaya M erchant (as A ru th i s fath er) p ain the eye etc definitely po in t to an entirely different person The significant difference in the Ja m an d the Buddhist versions o f the Bim bis3ra s first co n tact is th a t while in the Buddhist text Srenika (B im bislra) m rely invites Buddha to visit Rajagfha o n his attaining enlightenment m the Jain scripture he w ith his family accepts N irg ran th a religion as a result o f his c ontact w ith A nithi N irgrantha A nathi s description o f the oth er type o f Unprotectedness ap pears to be h ittin g o u t at pseudo moaks to divert the km = &faith from them It is difficult to conclude from this d e s c r ip tio n whether any particular sect was the targ et o f his criticisms n o r is it clear w hether Sregika w as the follower of th a t sect W hereas his reference is chiefly to easy going N irgranthas it is difficult to say which N irgranthas h ad become so m uch lax If is to the easy going m onks initiated I Civ li tuion p Igj (Bharllva Vidya Bhawan

9
m th e tra d itio n o f P&isva th e n it is obvious f i s t th e tim e o f this episode m ust be afte r M ahavira S omniscience an d before his visit to RsjagtES because th a t was the period w hen th e lax m o r t s ^ th e Patsva-o rd er held th e sway lo th e T rip itaVas W c find se\eral clear proofs o fK io g having accepted th e B uddhist faith T he c r g m , reference is found in th e Vtnay Pitaka. - v b rs ~ s sta ted B u d d h a visited R ajag jh a after thousands o f Jd jd as 1 such as U rtzv ej H r r - a a . etc King D im bis3ra cam e to k a o v r ?5r.. i s visited B u d d h a accom panied w ith n p c r - jr - ~ z y*. th o u sm d B rah m an s a n d househe^is- -c c -s^r r M jg a d h a B u ddha w as s o jo u rn iE g i;* !-^ . th it tim e H e p reached to t h c c . serm on el ven h u ndred lhow 3 t - -* ~ M ig-tdhu including B im bisira ~ th ere uneo rru p te d v o o f trutli '*'_*rir>=-s produced m ust cease to be wtu* c i e s u r '- s i r f tssond accepted the B uddhist ^ x staunch B uddhist Bim bisara c-c__-s',rr _ r n jr* to invite B u ddha for dianeT L ^ * s * Lda> I h d \e fulfilled all the * en tertained since long I **' 5^ - , sr crow ned a s a ( c o r o n a t e d ) ! ^ ^ t s * s z iz ~ - S ~ 1 e B udd h a v,sit m y c a jn . ^ presence (,4) M ay I listen j*>^ j-w M av 1 accept h im as p ^ r - ^ r - w these five aspirations hs>- v_ ^ js 'r-Z* t
2 i n itas v. ere asctltcs * w -a s H e - s s - j.f j_ Itn a y r faAav-t,

10 I invite you and all jo u r m onks to be m y guests for tomorrow T he next d a y B uddha an d his monks accepted the hospitality o f the king w ho ser\ed them w ith his own hands an d d edicated Veluvana girdens for the use o f B uddha an d his m o n k s 1 This episode is corrob o rated by the Kutttdanto Suita o f the Digha h ikaya T h ere th e B rahm m a K utadanta savs to bis advisers an d colleague brahm ins W hy should 1 not go to visit S ram ana G autm a Even Srem ka Bim bisara the king o f M agadha together w ith his wives son* an d mints te rshas dedicated h ish fe to the cause o f Buddhism 1 In the Sonadonda Sutta Brahm in S onadanda gives utterance to the stm e w ords on a fitting occasion * Commencement of Uposatha in the Buddhist O rder D epiction o f a num ber o f episodes descri bing Bimbisara s relations w ith B uddha and the Buddhist ord er after accepting B uddhist faith arc available M ention is found in th e Malta | 'Qgga o f the \ may Pitaka about the personal visits o f Bimbisara to B u ddha o n a few occasions D uring one o f such visits B im bisJra proposed Oh Lord ' disciples o f o th e r faiths con gregate and hold religious discourses on the eighth fourteenth and fifteenth days o f the lu n ar fortnight Why should we not do the same ? B u d d h a gave his assent to the proposal and thus commenced the custom o f upo<atha in the B uddhist order Soldiers Forbidden to be Initiated O n m o th e r such occasion he entreated Buddha not to initiate m mbers o f the arm ed forces m the 1 ~ ~Ibid pp 378 DA a>y * o I 5 pp l it 12 (NaUnda tdillon) bid 1-4 p 103

u m onastic o rd e r T h is w as necessary b ecause man> soldiers w hen disp atch ed for fighting in th e front lines sough t in itiatio n a s monV.9 th ro u g h fe a r o f d e ath B uddha gave his assent to this also 1 O nce Srenika Bim bisara called the representatives o f eighty th o u san d villages w hich w ere ru le d b y him H e ta u g h t them political social an d eco n o m ic^ adm um ttatK K i A t la s t h e said W hatev er I have ta u g h t is a ll m un d an e F o r re lg io u s knowledge you should seek refuge in B u d d h a T h e re a fte r th ey all w ent to G rd h ra k ty a M o u n tain and becam e followers o f B uddha SreniVn B im bisara a ppointed his Jivaka K au m ara B hftya fo r th e B uddha a n d his m onastical o rd er his having b u ilt m onasteries is also to y a l physician m edical C3re o f D escription o f availab le*

According to th e Petavatlhu A tfhakatha Srejiika Bim bisara observed Uposalha every m onth o n th e eighth fourteenth an d fifteenth day s o f th e fort night M iracle in the P rison According to th e Am ita)tirdh\ana Sutra o f th e M ahay^na School d uring th e evening o f his life w hen Srenika BimbisSra was in prison M audgatyS yana a chief disciple o f B u ddha by his m iraculous powers used to a p p e a r in th e p rison an d preached him religious m axim s I n fa ct BitnbtsSra desired so an d accordingly it happened V aidehl th e wife 1 2 3
4

I mava Pttaka Makatctgvo Mahakhandhaka Vfnaja Pttaka Mahcnaggo Chammakhandhaka p 199 Ibid Challfiatrga Khuddakayathukhart lhaka o 458 2^
I erst

13 some m erchants o f Tak$aSila cam e to B im bisara s co u rt They p ra ise d th e ir K m g P ukk u sati They depicted him to be o f th e sam e age a n d a s v irtu o u s as Bimbisara A frien d ly alliance w as th u s establi shed betw een the tw o kings th ro u g h exchange o f mess ges M erch an ts o f b o th th e coun tries w ere exem pted from custom d u ties m u tu ally PukkusSti presented five costly m ulticoloured shaw ls to Bimbisvra In re tu rn B im bisara p resented a golden plaqu e inscribed w ith eulogies o f B uddha Eventually P ukkusati cam e to R ajag jh a travelling on foot to visit B u d d h a and becam e a B uddhist m onk N ext Life o f Bim bisara T he description o f life afte r d e a th o f Bim bisara is found in the Ja axasabha Su tta o f th e Digha N ika)a a s u n d e r A n an d a asked Buddha O L ord ' Since you have described th e life afte r d e a th o f e v e ra lo f y o u t disciples o f various natio n ality it would b e fit if you will also des n b e th e sam e o f Sregika Bim bisara w ho was also a religious a n d pious km*, and also yo u r disciple In response to A n anda s req u est B uddha w ent into m editation and c o n c e n tr a te his consciousness to know in which sta te o f life Bim bisara w as expen encing happiness o r mis ry A celestial ia k s a re v eiled him self an d said - O Lord ' I am Ja n av asab h a an d repeated it thrice nd asserted I am Bim bisara m yself Then Buddhn knew an d declared to A nanda th a t B im bisara h a d been b o m a s a Yoksa a n d u a j'f c 1 f n ie a _ Jan jv a sa b h a

15 a n d in torm me im m ediately a b o u t his a rriv al personnels c arried o u t his orders The

O ne day L ord M a h iv ira arrived m R ijag fh a a n d people assem bled Proprieto rs o f rest houses etc cam e to S rc m k a and said O king ' T o see w hom you a rc so very anxious a n d w hose nam e gU dens your h e a rt so m uch he, th e P receptor T irth a n k a ra Om m >cicnt (.all perceiving an d all knowing) L ord M ahavira h as arrived in R ajagfha an d stays a t GunaSIla gardens S re^ika w as very happy an d content to h e a r this news G ettin g u p from his throne, an d w alking a few paccs m th e direction o f G unasila gardens he bowed to L ord M ahavira A fter having rew arded th e messengers he called the head s o f his arm y tran sp o rt dep artm en ts etc an d ordered th -m to keep ready the fourfold retinue and the chariot used for religious purpot,s H aving d o n s this he cam e to Queen C h elana and saiu D a r 1 V isiting th e O m niscient P reccptor is a great blessing Let us therefore go an d visit Lord M ahavira bow to him revere him welcomc him an d pay o u r respects to him L ord M ahavira is blessed consecrated god o f gods and om niscient L et us go an d worship him W orshipping him w ould be blessings for us for happiness and welfare in this life th e next and all the subsequent cjcles o f life and in achieving em ancipation H earing this C helana becim e glad and happy ChelanS com pleted her ablution p u t on clothes a n tto ra jm e n ts an d rode th e chariot side o f - * \ l n due course the* *

16 GunaSila gardens Facing L ord M nhlvJra Chsfeija venerated him w ith folded h an d s in q u ired a b o u t his well being and bringing 3renka m fro n t o f him busied her>elf in tb e w orship o f M a h iv tra MaVilvira preached C ongregvtion dispersed Observing th e divine affluence o f Stem kn som e o f the m onks w ondered Blessed is S rem ka Bham bhasSra to h a 'e Chelana a his queen a n d M agadha i s his kingdom I t o u r lusterites are fruitful then we should enjoy as their fruits such delightful plea sures Similarly observing tbe divine splendour o f the queen some o f the nuns to o h a 1 th e desire to have similar pleasures M ahavlra by his power o f know ledge knew about these de ires o f m onks and nuns H e a t once ordered th e m onks to assemble and explained them the evii consequences o f such desires T h e m onks and nuns repented for h aving such desires This reference is a source o f inform ation about deep reverance th a t Srem ka Bharobhasara h id towards M ah lv ira as well a s it points to the fa c tth a t tins should b e tbe first meeting o f Srenika w ith Mahavira Here it is ChetanS w ho leads Srcnika to M ahavira and after introducing him sits for th e audience W hile Chelana was a follower o f N ir fcrdntha tradition bv b m h Srem ka on the o th er hand was in the beginning a follower o f another th I t was by h er efforts th a t Srem ka became a ower of Jainism fh e fact th at Chelaija led and

17 in troduced Srem ka to M ahdvira su p p o rts o u t d e d uction th a t it w as Srem ka s first v isit to th e la tte r T h a t m onks an d n uns desired specific rew ard s fo r th e ir la s te n tie s a fte r observing S rem ka s a n d C h e la ru s g ra n d e u r also endorses th is fact In th e Anuttarora\aldasa dgam a an o th er episode is d escribed th u s K in g Srenlka afte r hav in g paid his veneratio n s to L ord M ahivTra a t th e end ot serm on asked O L o r d ' W ho am ongst th e fo u r teen thousan d m onks such as IndrabhH ti is th e fore m o st in observing austerities a nd th u s purifyin g h ts self? T he L ord replied Srem ka 'T h e m o n k n araed D han>a is th e forem ost o b serv er o f austerities a n d purifier o r th e self King Srem ka w as very h ap p y to h ear th is H e w ent to M onk D h ao y a an d com pl m ented him O beloved o f gods 1 Blessed you are Lucky you are T h e n he c im c back to L ord M aM vtra paid his venerations to him a n d re tu rn e d to his p a la c e 1 In th e th irteen th c h a p te r o f t\a)adham m akahao also a description o f Srem ka s visit to M ahSvIra w ith full re tic u e is given Initiation o f P rinces into the M onastic O rd er On thu occassion o f th e in itiatio n o f P n n ce M cghakum ara Srenlka pronounced a euology on th e N irg ra n th a religion th u s N irg ran th a religion is tm e p ira m o u n t perfect lead in g to salvation logical an d unique T o becom e a m o n k in such a religion is extrem ely difficult * Srem ka s ano th er 1 Ch n f p m i

prince N andisena was also o rd a in e d m th e o rd er o f M ahavira l W e also Bad a referenve th a t once S rem ka anno unced m a m eeting o f his royal fam ily knights and m inisters IF anyone w ishes to g e t in itia te d by Lord M ah iv ira I will not prev en t him Inspired bv thi announcem ent tw en ty th re e o f hi? princes such as Ja\l M iia li e tt got in itiated by M ahavira * Also th irt en o f his queens including N andS N andam ati etc entered into M ah av ira s o rder o f nuns * Prophecy Once K ing Srenika was itting n ear L ord M ahavira in the Sama\asarana (th e god m ade place fo r the serm ons o f th e Tirftian^arn) A t t h a t tim e a m an whose body was in advanced stage o f taprosy cam e there bowed and sa t d o w n D ea r the Icing Just th e n Lord M ahSvira sneezed and the leper said Die W hen ^retjika sneezed th e lep er said Live Prince Abhayakum&ra also sneezed T h e leper said Live o r die B utcher kfilasaurtka sneezed and the leper said D o n o t U \c nor die The king hearing these ab su rd w ords o f the leper asked his soldiers to seize h im B ut w hen the soldiers made a n attem pt to cap tu re him he flew u p in the air and becam e invisible C aught by surprise the king asked Lord M ahavira about the wonderful ept ode M ahavira S3td 'T he 1 Trisattuataka pur necharu am book X canto VI
Afa/uJiirac/iar iam by Gunachandra p 334 Aiutiaroimoiadasiuga pan } c'irs 1 10 p ari IT th rs J 13

19 Up r was n o t a h u m a n being H e w as a da ta (god) in disguise a n d w hatever h e u tte re d w as n o t a t all ab su rd H e ask e d m e to d ie for 1 shall a tta in em ancipation after d e a th H e to ld y o u to live be causc after d eath y o u w ill b e b o rn in hell H e satd to A bhayak u m ara Live o r die because he is devoted to righteous life w hile he lives a n d w 11 ta k e b irth a s a god in th e A n u tta ra v im a n a (th e highest c ategory o f th e gods) afte r th e d e a th W hen he asked B utcher K alasau n k a n o t to live n o r to die the significance was th a t th e butch er was devoted to evil while living an d w ould go to th e seventh hell (th e w o rst o f all hells) afte r d e a th K ing S rem k a after hearin g from M a h iv lra th a t he him self w ould h a v e to go to h ell in th e n e x t life was astounded H e bow ed to M ah av ira a n d asked How shall I th e follower o f >ou L ord M ah av ira ! have an existence in h e ll? Is it the resu lt o f my devotion to thee 7 M a h iv tra said to th e king N o u is n o t so In p a st o n account o f deep in terest in h u n tin g you had alread y acq u ired th e sin (K arm a) responsible for b irth in hell T he resu lt o f following m y path will be th a t ju st after the end o f yo u r infernal life >ou will be b orn again as a h u m an being an d just as I am th e la s t (tw enty fou rth ) T lrth aftk ara (Lord) o f th e pres n t lineage o f tw enty four T lu h a n k a ra s you w ill becom e th e first n am ed padm anS b h a "Tlrthankara o f th e fu tu re lineage o f twenty four TIrtha& karas H earing this g reat pro phecy K ing Srem ka becam e extrem ely h appy
5 "Hit d e u c e d <Jev:rp\>on ot PatimaTiaWii Ttt given a Sutra 9^/693

20
S re m k a a t o n c e a s k e d M a b S tl r a m e a n s b y w h ic h I c a n e s c a p e h e ll T

Is th e re a n '

M ahdvtra replied If you m ake K a p ill. I*16 Br3hm3m g i\e alm s checrfully w ith d e\o tio n to s3dhus if you m ake Butcher K J la sa u n k a g lV C up slaughtering even for a d a y th e n you w ould be saved from rebirth in hell n o t o th erw ise O Kng I King S rem ka a t once p ersuaded K a p ili a s wett as K aU saunka b u t both o f th e m refused to d o as Sremka said When K apil i was forced to givealm s she 3aid I am not giving ilm s it is th e k m c who is giving alms F o r preventing th e butch er from killing the animals the l i n g m ade to keep him w a dry well and kept him prisoner a day a n d night b ut the butcher m ade five h u ndred buffaloes o u t o f clay and killed them 1 In fact b o th th e means sug gested by M ahSvira were impossible happenings a nd hence the hell was also unavoidable for S regika MahavTra had only suggested them to enlighten Sremka Royal Monk Prasannachandra The Jain literature is replete w ith accounts o f th e dialogues b e tw e e n M a h S v Ira a n d King Sre tjik a One o f these interesting allusion is in the context o f royal monk Prasannachandra Prasannachandra was the king o f Potan3pura W ^en M ahSvira went to P o tanapura k in g P ra s a n nachandra enlightened by his serm ons joined the monks order Once M ahavlra accom panied by
S -lfiT sa,',ka Puru,a >o Ilran book X can l IX vv

22 If Prasannach an d ra dies ju st now he would attain the highest category o f dev as (gods) called SarvSrthasiddha King Srem ka was yet more confounded by this double explanation Resolving Srem ka s ambiguity M ahavira said Y ou need not get bewildered I t is tbe m en tal a ttitu d e which counts W hen you were asking th e first ques tion Prasannach an d ra s m ind w as engaged in the fight against his m inisters etc D ue to high tnten sity o f anger he w ould have certainly gone to the seventh hell if h e n o u ld have d ied then B ut J t the tim e o f your second q uestion state o f his mind had totally changed H e bad recovered himself from the sinful thinking and again established himself in spiritual m editation by th a t tim e No sooner h ad M ahavira com pleted his sentence th an the g o d s drum s w ere h e a rd p roclaim ing th a t the royal sage P rasnnachandra h a d achieved omnisci ence Sremka rejoiced a t glory o f the Jam o r d e r 1 According to the Chaupannamahapurusa chariyani Indra once praised Srem ka saying T here is none equal to Sremka in religious devotion and faith One o f the gods got enraged a t this an d decided to test Sremka A t the end o f his test when he found th a t Sremka wa indeed a stau n ch devotee o f the N irgrantba religion he felt happy Pleased with his devotion the god gave Sremka a gift o f a neck lace o f eighteen strands which atta in e d the histo ncal im portance later being the b o n e o f contention
1 T aslhalakapurusaeho iiram book X canto IX w 21 50 cf English translation by Helen M Johnson vol V I pp 230-32

23 o f th e two w ars vtz k a n ta k a 1 R ntham usala an d M ahasiU

According to the D ig am b ara tra d itio n o f the Jam s M ahavira delivered his first serm on o n M t Y ipulachala n ear R ajagrha o n th e first d a y o f th e d a rk fortnight ofS rav an a Srenika king of M ag ad h a w as presen t w ith his fam ily an d full retinue in th e congregession H e w as th e leader o f the m ale laity while Queen C helan a was th e le a d e r o f th e female laity * Follower o f M alu m ra o r Buddha W hen v e consider th e above proofs provided by th e Jam s undoubtedly Srem ka emerges a s a staunch follow er o f M ahavira O n the o th e r hand i f proofs given b> b o th th e Jam s a n d th e B uddhists are con sidered sim ultaneously an d im p artially neither o f them outw ei0h s the oth er A lthough it is difficult to adjudge any p a rticu lar side to be stronger in proving S rem k a as its follower it can undoubtedly be said th a t a chronological exam ination ofth<* above proofs provided by both sides would prove m any o f them to be o f later origin th a t is ap p en d ed from time to tim e as legendary literatu re A s for tnst3nce Rhys Davids* says A nd so I w ould subm it stands the case also w ith o u r present Su tta (the K fltad an ta S u tta) T he whole legend is obvio usly invented a d ho I t details a re n o t m ean t to be taken seriously as historical p lace T h e B rahm aa JCuiadanta (potnted to o th ) is m entioned now here
1

2 3

D etai'ed description follows on pp 59-65 Bharatiya Inhota Eka Drhii p 65 D iabf****pfthe BudJI a p a rti p 163

25 would be ra th e r difficult to distinguish decisively between th e real and im aginary proofs w hatever they m ay be A fte r a ll i t is o n ly o u r speculation o n th e basis o f w hich we class som e to b e im aginary U nder th e circum stances it w ould be im possible to reach a positive decision by distinguishing betw een reality and im agination T he only criterio n th a t can solve this problem decisively is th e chronological consideration o f M ahavira B uddba and B im b isira O n th e basis o f th e com parative study o f th e Agam as an d th e Tnpttakos it is found th a t M abavira was b o m in 599 B C renounced th e w orld in 569 B C achieved om niscience m 557 B C and atta in e d th e \ir \a n a in 521 B C while B uddha was b o m in 582 B C renounced th e world in 554 B C. achieved enltgh tenm ent in 547 B C and atta in e d the N in a n a m 502 B C AKo the dates o f accession an d d eath o f Bim bisara are found to be 582 B C and 544 B C respectively1 It therefore follows th a t th e period o f contem poraneity o f Bimbisar* w ith om niscient M abivira is th irte e n years, while th a t o f B im bisara w ith enlightened B uddha is ju s th re e y ears A nd d u ring these three years too M ahavira was living M abavira sojourned a t R ajag jh a d uring bis first m onsoon a fte r omniscience A t the com m encem ent o f th is sojourn * Srem ka acceptcd sam yakal\a 1 e form al expres ion o f faith in Nirgrantha religion while A bbavakum ara etc accep ted sraxakatia i e faith in N irg ra n th a religion togeth er w ith the lay1

F or d n a iled account o f the chronological facts see the a ath o r The Contemporaneity and Chronology o f btahetffrcT**'' a nd Buddha " TJrth 'a p a rt II p JI

25 One m ore p ro o f o f Srem ka s staunchness in the N irgrantha religion ts th a t th e n um ber o f initiations o f his queens an d p rinces in th e B uddhist o rd e r is q uite negligible c o m p ared to th a t o f the J a in order W e a lso find evidence o fS rfflik a b ein g a Jain hereditarily H is fa th e r is said to have faith {Sam yakua) in th e religion o f PSrsva and to have accepted th e lay d iscip les vows1 ( a n u v r a ta s ) A ccording to D r K ash i P rasad Jayasaw al th e noted historian th e ancestors o f Srcntka had m igrated to M agadha from K&3I I t is also believed th at it w as th e same dynasty o f K JsI m w hich T lrath an k ara ParSva was born 8 O n the basis o f this belief it m ay b e concluded th a t th e Ja in religion was Sremka s fam ily faith A ccording to the Ja m narra tiv e although Srem ka was a Ja in by firm ly faith h e h a d relinquished it tem porarily d uring his
called on Buddha (Cf Rhys Davids Bu U h n t India p 88) during a rainy seasoi passed in the Rajagtba However the Atlhakatha o f the An^ulatra Nikaya lells us 'h a l Buddha passed only the second third fourth se'c ntecnt i and twentieth rainy season after ihe enlightenment at Rajagrha O f the forty s i\ rainy seasons the remaining twenty live were spent at Sravasti and the lasl a t \a isa ti Then how is it possible that A jatasalru s accession took pl3ce only seven o r eight years before Buddha s \ i a a and that he met BudJha only seven o r eight years before his A i tana 1 Snmatpa svnjinadJilsa sasanambhojastitp lah Sarmagda sana pun alma JOfajn iy aiadlarobl n at T isastkat kapu utacbar i am book X canto \ I v 8 - Quoted by D r J P Jala fn his Bhartna Itl/iasa E k a D is ti p 62 (Bh&rtiyi Jnanapiiha Banaras 1957 ) Ih tl p 62

29 exile in his prm cehood I t m ight be th a t d u rin g th a t period h e m ig h t have followed th e lax S ram anas who w ere re fe rre d to m th e course o f discussion w ith S ra tra n a A nathI It is q u ite n a tu ra l th a t Srcm ka whose fa th e r a n d forefath ers were Ja in should have b een also Jam by brilh It is undo u b ted ly tru e th a t during the last th re e y ears o f his life Sten ik a was m co n ta c t w ith B uddha and his o rd e r T his relatio n however does not seems to be m ore profo u n d th a n a m ere courteous an d sym pathetic o ne T he above statem ent is corrob o rated by the fact th a t R ljag fh a was th e c h ie f cen tre o f activities o f M ah3vira and his order M ahavira h im self passed fourteen w in y seasons th ere a n d also often vtsiled it during th e o th e r m onths o f the year Also people o f R ajasfha were followers o f PHrJva th e proceeding T lrtharikara even belore th e advent o f M ahavira It therefore ca n n o t be dou b ted th a t Sregika s discipleship was one o f th e c h ie f factors in m aking R a p g fh a th e m ain c entre o f activities o f M ah iv Ira and the N iig fa n tfu (J3tn) o rd er It was n o t P ajag fh a b u t S rfv ast! w hich w as the centre o f activities o f Buddha a n d th e Buddhist ord e r There only were situ a te d the J e ta v a n j o f Anflthapiijd3ka an d th e P u r\5 ra m a o f M n g ^rm ita There too w as the k in g prasen ajit o ne o f th e fore m ost followers o f Buddha I t svas there th a t B uddha sojourned tw enty six " rain y seasons while only five a t RSjagfha O n th e o th e r h a n d M shSvtra pass-d on ly o ne rain y season a t c v re m arkab le th a t just a s M a h iv lrs Sreniku M ^ - v p e a T tra th an k ara "

10 ted for Prasenjit to bccom e a B uddha 1 O n the whole it ap pears th a t <>remka w as the follower M ahavira and Prasenjit was th e follow er af Buddha Famous historian D r \ A Sm ith ctprcsseil sam e opinion l i e w rites Me (S re m k i) app*ars to h iv e been a Jam a in religion a n d sometimes coupled by Jam a tra d itio n w ith A shoka s grandson Sam prsti a notnble p a tro n o f the creed of M a h l\lra * D r Sm ith fu rth er concludes Being related through his m other to th e reigning kings of \ ideha M agadha and A nga he (M ahSvIra) was in a position to gain official patronage for his teaching and is recorded to have been in p e rso n al touch w ith both BimbisSra and A jJtaSatru w ho seem to have followed his doctrine * CON TRO V ERSY A B O U T T H L N A M ES Bhlmbhtsara etc In th e Jam canons the nam es such as Bham bhaslra BhimbhasSra a n d B him bhisira ha>c been frequently used fo r BimbisSra * T he word B ham bhaslra is mostly used in th e U ter
AnOgatavamsa blcllona y c f Pall prope \ a >M ^ p 174 The Oxford History of India p 45 Ibid pp 51 _ () Seine bhambha&are NayoJhamniakahao book I chanter X tll P 1*95) (Sural IVJt) () Seme bhamhhasare Senlo bhim bhiiarc - V aval Srnra 117 p a l<9 p *3 U 9 P 115 , (Sural 1937) (e) Sente bhimbhisare T kananraSuta ch io tfr IV n 458 h (Sural 1920)-

31 Sanskrit a n d P ra k rit w o rk s 1 T h e w ords Bhambha Dhm bha an d Bhtmbhi a re all synonyms used in th e sense o f k e ttle d ru m (B h en ) The episode which b ro u g h t a b o u t th is n am e has been described in several works as follows O nce w hen th e princes palace caught fire all th e princes fled taking w ith them various p recious things w hich each considered roost valuable S rem ka how ever considering th e kettle drum as th e sign o f MCtory o f kings took it w ith him T h a t is how he acquired a n alias B ham bhS slra * Vijayendra S u n the fam ous Ja m a u th o r consi d e rs Dham btusSra as th e only tru e form an d h as trie d 4 to prove all o th ers to be i n o r r e c t But this does n ot ap p e a r to b e p roper In fact all these versions a re found m th e original Agamas in several places Even if we accept V ijayendra S u ri s co a te n tio n th a t words Bhhrbha etc are n o t synonymous w ith Bhambha the fact rem ains th a t they have been a p p ended to Srem ka T hus they being p roper nouns convey th e m eaning conferred to th em T he question o f canontc.il p ro p er nouns to be incorrect docs n ot an s* a t ail V ija>endra S u n corroborates his contention by quoting Tltanatga Commentary Bhambha t i l d h a kka sa saro )a s \a sa Bhambha
J A bhJhana Cklntam vtl U d io n U1 v 376 UpaJeshamala w ith comment*!* p 3J4 Rshl ManJalPrakatan p 143 Sri Bbdroitxk ora BKihnball Com mentary p a rt I p 22 A vaihyaks Chum l vol II p l$S Pldjv-^aJJa \takanna<o pp <94 F07 Senlya komarena puna JayidtaW ii ksdditya ju v m u su m

3 J

Piuca tatthcoi tlo bhiniya to bbimbhasaro Vpot Sfihiarata wllh commentary, fvJWa.
Tlrthanlara Jl pp

33
is g e n e r a lly reF erre d to a s S e m e B h im b h is r a e a n d S e m y a B im b is a ra r e sp e c tiv e ly I n b o th th e e ty m o lo g ic al in te r p r e ta t io n o f th e w o rd S r e p ik a is a lm o s t sim ila r A c c o rd in g to th e J a m so u r c e s b e c a u s e hee s ta b lis h e d S te m s ( 1 e d if f e r e n t c la ss e s o f a rtis a n s ) h e w as n a m e d S r e m k a 1 A c c o rd in g t o th e B u d d h is t, so u rc e s h e w as c a lle d S re jjik a sin c e h e w a s p r o c la im e d lo r d o f e ig h te e n S re m s (c la sse s) o f a r t i s a n s 1 l i t b o th th e tr a d itio n s th e n u m b * r o f Srenis is e ig h te e n 8 E v e n th e n a m e s o f th e srenis a r e a lm o s t sim ila r T h e J a in c a n o n Jambjdivapannatti d e s c r ib e s m t r e a t d e ta il s th e e ig h te e n c lasses o f a rtis a n s c o m p ris in g n in e A aru* a n d n in e k a r u 5 B u t th e B u d d h is t so u rce s d o n o t fu rn ish th e n a m e s o f th e s e 5 r e m s e ith e r iu fo rm ly o r s y ste m a tic a lly A lth o u g h th e n a m e s g iv e n m Wahenastu* a r e v e ry m u c h sim ila r to th o s e f o u n d in th e Jambvdhapannatti, th e ir n u m b e r h a s b e e n in c re a s e d to th ir ty D r R C M a ju m d a r h a s c o m p ile d tw e n ty se v en n a m e s o f Srenies c a llin g th e m fro m v a rio u s so u rc e s I t is c le a r t h a t h e h a s n o t c a te d to lo o k "up t h e Jambudirdpannattl o th e rw is e h e 1 S m ith ko)<i!l srtnlko magadhesh*arah " ,46/ Idhana Chim m ani with the Authoi s Commentar y martia kanda ver e 376

Vtnina Pttaka G ilgit Manuscript Jamb/tin opannattl t a itarata ra I II Jaiaka Auhakatha Mugapakkhajataka no 338 Kumbtiara patiam suvaoaVata suvakara va G andhaw a kasavasga malakara kachchhakara Tamboiiya ya ce navappayara ya narua bhania A ha nam navappayata karuavanne pavakVfuml Chvm nyaru jamtapdaga gamchhu chhimpaja Sivagi guara bhillaga dbivara vannai attha<Sa.a Vol III p 113 and pp 442 43

w ould have no occasion to w rite th a t it is difficult to know w h at these eighteen Srepies a te 'Some Buddhist Commentators (such a s B uddh ag h o ja and D ham m apala) explain Seniya as m eaning possesed o f a large arm y (S en a) o r belonging to Seniya gotra * .Father s Name A s p e r th e Sw cU m ber tra d itio n o f th e Jains Srenika s f a th e r s nam e w as P rasenjit* T he Uttarapurana* o f th e D igam bara trad itio n on the oth e r h and gives his fath er s n am e as KQqika which is obviously incorrect D ig am b ara A clurya Hari$ena in his w ork Brhatkaihakosa(stoty 55) men tions Sregika s father s nam e a s UpaSrenika* I t is also m entiooed th a t U p a ire n ik a b anished Srenika from his kindom and a ppointed Srenika s step b ro th e r C hilati as his successor ChilSti however failed to ad m inister state affairs properly Hence th e m inisters d ethroned him a n d m ade Srenika the king Chiliiti th e n renounced the world and be cam e a Ja m ascetic * Snm a d Bhaga\at Purana calls Srenika as V id h is\ra a n d his fa th e r as K$etrajiia Elsewhere his fa th er s nam es are given as Bhattiya M ahapadm a H em ajit K je tro ja k se tp ro ja etc * Q oetns The Jain w orks give nam es o f tw e n ty five queens
1 2 3 4 5 6 Corpo ale Life m Ancient Ind a vol II p 18 Dictionary o f Pah Prope Names vol II PP T sastualakapiruxacharitram bk X can to V I verse i 74/418 Tatorasrrmlca raja , & r K sm ta P ra a d J a n Some Jatna Kings o m llJ fo a 12 (Jam M itra Mandal D elhi 1941) >2/1 C Raichnudhu y Polit col History o f Ancient I M i \

N a m e s o f th ir te e n q u e e n s N a n d i r t s . z s i u s q u e e n s K i l l S u k a ll e tc . a r e f o u n d j s th e A s l ^ > dadasao T h e y w e r e a ll in itia te d b y M a i i v i z l i r S r e m k a s d e m is e W e h a v e se e n C f c e L s i b c 5 m e n tio n e d a s th e p r in c ip a l q u e e n us th D sxs & t *J im fesJC fa ri* K khandha T h e r e a p p e a ts i n n a m e o f a q u e e n A p a ta g a n d h a w hsch is c o t r s 3 know n T h e tta ia d h a m m a k a fw * g rv ci <!*i3s3 i s r c r ip t io n o f Q u e e n D h S n iji o f S re g ik a. A c c o rd in g t o th e V lnay P u a k a K i a j S m r j i s t h a d five h u n d r e d w iv e s * A p h y s tc ia n lm t > T .

Bhftya cured B im bislra o f fistula v * -was anointing pleased th e king o 2 rr* f t r r ornam ents o f th e five hundred It cannot be ascertained w hether *** i s z z r ' r t l wom en w ere Sreijika s queeiu. T i* SHuaCLsf tra d itio n mentions k o s a l a d e r i s s s r e '* . * r Prasenjit a s Birab2ra s c h r f q s - t a , S jC v e ira received as dow ry a Village f-tss e - 1 ^ karsapana as revenue* Queen K fesS t i s p y n i o f M a d ra country She was pnssJ w v .f scir-ty U ltim ately She was enlightened a_%^ h, B uddha * Pad*n2vatl a c o a n e u a n z i i o believed to be S re m k a ! w * * s t s i m l dhyaiu Surra a reference is f o r j as a q u e e n o f BimbisSra Tjl, a2f, ^
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 W ith Bhas>a p a t t l p 17 Ch 1 aph 8 ( p I**) Mahatogga 8 1 IS iaiaka 2-403 Dictionary 0f f . P .86 ' AW# Therlgatha Aithakatha 133-10 Therlgatha 31 32 Sacred Books o f Ike East ? ^

__ 3 t 4,(

36 B uddhist versions ab o u t th e queens o f B im bisira are disparate I t seems th a t Bim bisara h ad m aay wives an d the trad itio n w ith w hich th e se queens were m ainly connected h a s re ferred to them in its works I t is also possible th a t som e o f tb e queens m ight have been referred to m b o th th e traditions un d e r different nam es Princes Prince K u n ik a (A j^tasatru ) w as h eir a p p aren t to Sremka T he Buddhist tra d itio n refers to some o f th e princes A bhayakum ara is m entioned as the son o f a courtesan queen P a d m a v a tl1 A nother son o f Bim bisara bo rn to C ourtesan A m bapali " a * Vicnal K on d an n a who la te r becam e a Buddhist moDk * Sllavu is also m entioned a s Bimbisara i son H is b ro th er AjataSatru wished to k ill him b ut failed owing to Sdava s destiny L a te r on Silava became a m onk a n d also a n arhat * A nother son o f B im bjsjra was Jayasena 1 In th e Jain tra d itio n an elaborate description o f many princes beside K om ka is to b e found T h e Antittaro\a\ai}a* gives an account o f the following te n princes ( I) Jah (2) M ayali (3) Uvayah (4) Puriroscna (5) V ^nsena (6) D jb a d a e ta (7) LatJha danta (8) V eballa (9) V ehayasa a n d (10) Abbaya k u m ira O ut o f these th e first seven were the sons o f Queen D h an n l Vehalla and VehSvasa o f Queen
1

2
3 4 '

Thengalha 31 32 Theragalha Atthakatha (A Theragcaha 608-619 \tajjhim a Nikaya Airhakatlia 2/93*. Nmorom * dharinl sua v tl alia ttfiasa cheUonoe Abhavassa nanatam ray agile no?are sen yero ya nanda devi Anuiircna al)tt >0 ga I

Cbelan3 a n d A bhayakum ara o f Q ueen N a n d a T he same canon in the co n tex t o f a n o th er e v en t m entions th e following th irteen princes (1) D ih asen a (2) M ahasena (3) L aU h ad an ta (4) G u d h a d a n ta (5) S u d dhadan ta (6) H a lla (7) D um a (8) D um asena (9) M abadum asena (10) STha (11) Sihasena (12) M ah a sihascpa a n d (13) Puijnasena In the N irayavaliya th e following te n p rinces are m entioned to be the sons o f Queen k a il Q ueen Sukal] an d oth er queens (1) X aiakum jlra (2) Suk&lakumara (3) M ahakala ktim ara (4) K anhakum Sra (5) Sukajjbakum Sra ( 3) M ahakan h ak u m ara (7) V irakanhakum S ra (8) R am akanhakum ara (9) Senakaijhakum ara (10) M abasenakanhakum S ra T he tw o princesM egha kum ara and N andijena* are renow ned in th e Jam traditions T he J a m canons do n o t m erely m ention the nam es o f these princes b u t also furnish th eir d etai led life sketches in p ro p er context O u t o f these princes k a la k u m a ra <ind oth er nine w ere killed m M ah isila k a n ta k a war* a n d while th e rem aim ag o nes w ere initiated a s m onks

1 2 3

\aftuihammakahao chapter I Trisastlsalala piirusacharitram 10j6 Description o f this war is given to the next chapter

39 came to know o f B u d d h a from his state physician Jivaka K a u m ara B hflya an d im m ediately h e visited B uddha w ith h is five h u n d re d queens tid in g o n five hundred elephants I t is difficult to say wheo A jJta ia tru h a d his first m teiview w ith M ahSvira Available records o f his interview s w ith M ahavira indicate only o ld acqu ain tan ce an d deep devotion J a la Description The first U panga U\a)ai throw s lig h t p rim arily o n the relations o f k u n ik a w ith M ahavira H ere is also given a fine d escription o f his c ap ita l C ham pa n agan an d th e adm inistration o f his kingdom Elucidating th e devotion o f K ilnika tow ards M ah3vira it states th 3 t he h a d a ppointed an infor n a tio n officer (P ro rttl Vaduka) w ho received a high salary H is d u ty was to keep h im abreast o f M ahavira s everyday activities U n d e r him he h a d several w orkers w ho were also highly paid T hrough th-m th e in form ation officer used to receive everyday news o f M ahavira a n d c o n \e > e d th e same to k fim ka The description o f th e advent o f M ahavira to C ham pSnacari a n d k u n ik a s devotion tow ards him m the {/varol Sutra is very vivid a n d inspiring H ad it b een the subject o f the review o f th e research scholars like Samanmphata Sutta it w ould have been equally significant The fact is th a t th e resc arch mnde o n the Agamas is not so copious a s th 3 t on th e Trlpitakas I f this res arch were undertaken
t Tatsanam kontassa ranno e k k t v a rite v(ubJca\e -tittle % a ma0 P w i t i w e b h a w a o tadJeuisiam potltlim nfreert la sso am pu Isatsa bahareanne punsa Anna hhottl bhaita taoSa*auio taM evatiam patltttm

41 th e direction o f M ahavira H e drew m his left foot Similarly h e m oved his fight fo o t d o w n to th e ground H e b ow ed d ow n to th e ground thrice and then rising a little folded b is b a n d s in reverence T ouching his forehead w ith th e p alm o f h is h and he g reeted M ahavira w ith nam oU hunam (eulogv) an d said M y w arm est respects to Sram an a L ord M ahavira who is the pioneer a T lrlh an k ara an d desirous o f a tta in in g salvation, is ray religious teacher an d preceptor From h ere 1 w orship Lord M ahiivira w ho takes notice o f m e from th e re 1 H aving th u s worshipped an d p a id hom age to L ord M ahavira K untka re ascended th e throne He aw arded 108 000 silver coins to th e inform ation officer a n d ordered Inform m e again w hen L ord M ahavira graces C ham pa w ith his visit an d arrives a t tbe P u m a B h a d ra C haitya A r m a l o f M ahavira a t Cbampa R adiated by a thousand ta y s th e sun rose in the sk> In the delightful atm osphere o f the m orning L ord M ahavira arrived a t C hatnpa an d stayed in th e PQrpa B hadra C haitya A ssuming an appro priate position he to o k to inspiring his soul w ith self re strain t and austere living All ro u n d and throughou t th e C ham p 2 n a g a n th e re w as a uoiver sa l talk Sram ana Lord M ahavira h as com e over l Xamomhanam somanassa bbagarao Mofmlras,a ad,gar assa tiihangarrtusa Ja*o samixnlukanuus mama dham mayariyaua dhammnadesagassa vcmdaml nam bhagvantam taithagayam lha pasialmeimt se) bhagtnam taUhagaeJhogayam likatru nnJal namamsal f Uvauai Wupupatika) Sidra Sutra 1J

42 h ere and is staying a t PQrna B h a d ra C h aity a Even th e hearing o f his n am e an d cla n is highly benefi ctal W hat to speak o f g ettin g his holy glimpse Beloved o f the gods ! le t us all go and p ay o u r respectful hom age to L ord M abavira I t will be highly fruitful and brin g h appiness to us in this world and hereafter T hereafter people b a th e d a d o rn e d them selves w ith beautiful dresses an d orn am en ts and precious g arlands o f pearls Som e rode on h orse backs som e on elephants and som e seated in p alanquins and a considerable n um ber on foot set o u t fo r visi ting Lord M ahavira The inform ation officer gave this p leasant news to k tin ik a The king rew arded him w ith a gift o f 12 50 000 silver c o in s 1 k fln ik a so n o f Bimbisara called for the c hief officer o f the arm y and ordered Decorate the H a stiratn a elephant A rran g e to get the arm> consisting o f four divisions (horses eleph ants chariots a n d infantry) ready K eep chariots ready for the chief queen Subhadra, an d other queens etc to ride m Cleanse C ity C ham pa inside and outside D ecorate the streets m d highways P repare platform s for th e spectators at different sites I shall go to w orship and rever Lord M ahuvlra
l There s no word Silver" m the original text but Iradi I onally it i? beii ved th at a universal monarch S'ft > s twelve and a half crore golden coins a Vjsudeva s of t* e ! e and a ha lf lac golden coins and a regional k in g s o f twelve and a half h e silver coins C f U orai S a ra (Hindi translation) p 133 (Sailana Mndhya Pradesh 1963)

43 A ll preparations were m ad e in accordance w ith the k ing s ord e rs The k in g ro d e on th e H astira^na Queen Subha d ra and o th e r queens g o t into chariots Thus th e king w ith his g re a t g lory o f the arm y proceeded to visit L ord M ahSvira 1 A fter dtivm g through th e c e n tra l p a r t o f C h am p a City the king reached the vicinity o f P u rn a B h ad ra C haitya T h e king from a distance saw L ord M ahSvira s insignia o f T lrlh a n k a ra and left the H asU ratna H e th en c a st aside all th e five signs o f royalty and cam e before Lord M ahavlra H aving acquired th e five essentials he p a id his h om age and then sat down w orshipping th e L ord w ith m ental \o c a l unil physical reverence Sermon? o f M abavira The L ord delivered serm ons to th e audience m A rd h a M Sgadhi d ialect T h e re exists universe non universe soul m a tte r bondage salvation virtue vicc a ttra c tio n prevention and efTacement a rg c r vanity deceit greed etc There also exist desisting from violence falsehood stealing, coition ctc A ll affirmations rest m existence while all negations are w ith n o n existence Good acts result m good white evil ones re ju lt in b a d Soul con fronts w ith virtue and vice Soul passes th ro u g h th* c>cle o f b irth a n d death There a re tw o kinds o f religion o ne for the saints and th e o th e r fo r the bouse holders T he form er consists o f renouncing the worldly attachm ents and abstaining from vio lence falsehood etc while the la tte r prescribes the twelve vows viz five Am nratas three Guna\ratef~ kumka s 8t*fJr3T N^ C rtv foj de atUd dwctipti m srrtng

-------------I Consult ifcr tAaval Sttfro

44 and four Slksarratas 1 T h e assem bly dispersed after attending the serm on T h e king a!o got u p and paying his hom age th u s said L ord jo u r N irgrantha preachings (i e tenets o f th e Ja m religion) are profound em phatic comprehensive and m atchless W hile preaching religion y o u bave preached calmness while explaining calmness }ou have explained p rudence an d so also non indulgence w hile discoursing ab o u t non indul gencv you have p reached for non com m itting sinful deeds There is no o th e r B rahm an3 o r Sram ana who can p reach religion so well w h at to speak of anything m ore th an thts * S ubm itting so th e king returned to wherefrom he cam e* Follower of Jainism o r Buddhism ? O n com parative study o f th e Sammnaphate Sutta and the c h a p te r o f th e Uvcnai Sutra th e latte r one is found to be m ore proved a n d impressive Id the Samannaphala Sutta th e only evidence of AjataSatru being a follower o f B uddha is the state m ent th a t O G od t i k e m e in thy sh elter a s th y fold handed w orshipper from to day In the chapter o f the Uia\at th appo tn tm en t o f inform s tion officer king s getting o ff from th e throne his saluting w ith Nammolhunam (the Jam trad itio n o f paying reference) and meeting w ith devotion are Quite secure proofs o f his being a follower o f Lord M ah2vlra The king s assertion th a t there is no 1 F ord tails consult Uvasaza lasao (Ed N A Gore Pooni
2 1953) Natlhl nam annt k e i sanane to nuhan ra )e rriiam Ihammont ma Ikhittae Ktnvinga puna etto u taratoram Uva\al Sutra Sutra M

Cased cm the Uimoi Surra

'4 5
B r a h a m a n a o r S r a ra a n a w h o c o u ld p r e a c h su c h r e h g jo n a s y o u d id fu lly c o n firm s a n d u n e q m v o c a lly e sta b lish e s h is f a ith in th e N ir g r a o ih a re lig io n I t a p p e a r s t h a t A ja ta S a tru s su b m issio n to B u d d h a w a s j i u t a f o rm a l th in g B u t n e v e r d o e s it se e m lik e ly t h a t in f a c t h e e v e r b e c a m e a fo llo w e r o f B uddha k i n g A j- ita s a ttu h a d o n ly o n c e m e t B u d d h a ,1 w h e re a s h e h a d o f te n \ is ile d M a h 3 v ?ra * N o t o n ly th is th e k in g h a d e v e n a tte n d e d tb e relig i o u s d isc o u rses o f S u d h a r m a S w a m i th e su c ce sso r o f M a h a v ir a 8 D r S m ith w rite s B o th th e B u d d h is ts a n d th e J a m a s c la im e d h im a s o n e o f th e m se lv es T h e J a m a c la im a p p e a r s t o b e w ell f o u n d e d * A c c o rd in g to D r R a d h a R u m u d M u k h e rje e A j a t a i a t r u w a s a fo llo w er o f M a h i v i t a in th e d a y s o f B u d d h a a n d M a h a v ir a * H e f u r t h e r s ta te s t h a t A s u s u a l th e J a m s giv e b o th A jita ^ a tr u a n d U d S ib h a d d a a g o o d c h a r a c te r p r e s u m a b ly f o r th e ir f a ith i n Ja in is m th e r e a s o n w h y th e ir c h a r a c te r is b la c k e n e d b y th e B u d d h is t * T h e r e a re m a n y m o r e r e a s o n s f o r A j3 ta a tr u n o t b e in g a fo llo w e r o f B u d d h a s u c h a s h is in tim a c y 1 RhysDovids B uIdhtst India p 88 2. Thananga Commentary 4-3 3 Parlsista P ana canto H w 15 54 4 V A Smith Oxford ifs to r y o f India Oxford 1923 p 51 5 6

Second edition Bbsf3Sf

Hindu C m h at,on pp 190-1 (Bhartiya Vidya Bombay 1964) Ibl

Buddha > d e a th know n to A jataS atru b y showing him the pictorial biography o f B u d d h a from b irth to N i n a n a 1 These events a ttrib u te to AjStaSatru s devotion for Buddha B ut Since th ese narrations have been tak en from th e later w orks they cannot be taken as au thentic ones D evadatta s disciple U p a k a the son o fM in d ik a after having discussions w ith B u d d h a cam e to A jatasatru and condem ned B uddha B ut A jataS itru got enraged a n d asked him to *,et a w ay * The A tth a k a lh a m ik es further additio n th a t A jatasatru got U paka tu rn ed o u t by his servants w ith neck g r ip s This also is n o t a p ro o f o f A jataSatru being a follower o f B uddha A wise m an deprecates those w ho speak low and unm annerly o f o thers H ad A jatasatru been a devotee o f B nddh3 U p a k a would n o t have dared to go to him and defile B uddha It was only because he to o k A jatasatru to be his m aster D evadatta s well wisher th a t he d ared to do so There are certain references available m th e later w orks which po in t to A jitaSatru s antagonism s to Buddhism According to the A yadanoSataka K ing Bimbisara bu ilt a stupa o n B u d d h a s nails and h airs during Buddha s life time Ladies o f the harem used to worship this stupa with inccnces flowers etc A jatasatru p u t a ban on thi worship im m ediately after his accession to the throne W hen Srlm atl a lady o f the harem stift w orshipped the stupa she w as aw arded d eath penalty * According to Theragatha Atthakatha

Enevdopa dla o f Buddhism p 320 Angullara Nikavo 4-8 188 Ency lopaedaofB uddh sm p 319 Avada ashataXa 54

40 AjStaSatru even tried to get m urdered his joun g er brother Sllava w ho la te r o n becam e a Buddhist m onk 1 Thes** anecdotes do n ot su p p o rt the c on t-ntroE th a t A jatafatru was a follow er o f Buddhism but on th e c o n trary they ten d to p ro \e th a t h . w as ai> antagonist o f B uddhism N e\ertheless they do n o t carry n u c h significance Well known scholar o f B uddhism D r T W Rhvs Davids c!earl> expre ses his views th a t A ttb * close o f the discourse th e K ing is stated to h - r e openly taken th e B u d d h a as his guide in future and to have given expression to the remorse, he f*lt a t the m urder o f his fa th e r B ut it is also disti&cth stated th a t he w as n o t converted There :s t o evidence th a t he really after the mom ent wfc*n h i, h eart was touched continued to follow the Buddha s teaching He never so far as we kno* waited again either upon th e Buddha o r cpo-* any m ember o f his o rd er to discuss ethical n te and we h e a r o f no m aterial support given b y i l a ^ th e o rder d uring the B u ddha s life tim W e are told how ever th a t after the Buddha s death he asked (on the ground th at he h r j th e Buddha was k ? a tn y a ) fo r a portion o f the rc lc s th a t h e o btain ed them a n d built a stupe o l b u n a l m ound over them A nd though th oldest du th o
n t y s a v s n o th in g a b o u t it yo unger w orks s ta te t h a t

on the convocation o f the First Council a t R aiaerha, shonly a lle r ih e t e e ,t s vided and prepared th a t h all at ih entrance to the
1 Theragalha Atthakaiha gatha 609.]}

50 S atta p a n m cave w here th e reh earsal o f th e doctn n e to o k place H e m ay w ell have th u s show ed fa v o tr to the Buddhists w ith o u t a t all belonging to their p a rtv He w ould only in so doing be following th e usu al h ab it so characteristic o f In d ia n monarch* o f p atronag e tow ards all schools 1 M other 3 Longings during Pregnancy T he description o f K u n ik a s b irth an d his revolt a g a in s t his fa th e r is alm ost id entical in b o th the traditions W e find th is description in the la in c an o n Nirayaraha a n d Digha N ikaya Atthakatha o f th e Buddhists B oth th e tra d itio n s nam e his father Srenika (Bim bisSra) H is m other s nam e was ChellagS according to the Ja in tra d itio n and K osaladev! according to the B uddhists T h e Jam s sta te th a t his m other on the d a y o f conception saw a lion m a dream b u t the Buddhists d o n o t m ention anything ab o u t it A ccording to th e Jain tra d itio n th e m other longed d uring p regnancy to e a t the fried an d baked m eat o f K ing Srenika s h e a rt muscles a n d drink wine A ccording to the Budiihists she longed only to drin k th e blood from th e king s arm s B oth th e traditions state th a t the king fulfilled these longings A ccording to the Ja in tradition A bhaya K u m lra slyly so m aneuvered th a t the king s h e a rt muscle w as taken o u t and given to h e r b u t in f tc t jt was r o t even touched The Buddhists s ta te th a t th e king s arm blood w as extracted by a doctor an d th e m other s longing fulfilled T h e queen later felt aggrieved o f

SI

this incident an d even attem pted to destroy tb s embryo in th e w om b A ccording to th e BudiiiJAS, this she attem pted to do a s th e astrologers h a d pre d icted the w ould be child to be a m urderer o r fca father T he Jam s state th a t this she a t t e m p t o u t o f h er own thinking a s to w h at could b e t x p v ? e d o f one who even while in th e womb d * m cd _ d his father s h eart. Srenlka s Affection fo r bis Son According to the Jain tradition, Ch l'a'jS. t i t queen m other threw aw ay th e child on a s la a t x s after its birth There a cock b it his little a*r 71-* finger bled N o sooner did th e king come to k a ? ab o u t this he o u t o f affection, felt aggreved i ~ f then quickly came to th e spot Picking cp th* c i5 d he brought him to the queen a n d c u r'd l ie eg fcr sucking the blood from th e wound Tfc* tradition gives the following account o f it the child was bo rn th e king s minister a p s r t i t s f . m g th a t she m ight kill it took sway ti<* e c l i . L ater after some tim e th e child was jw tc'ed t> l i e queen who under th e im pact o f h*r o r & r l / for th e son willingly nourished him. Osce c&?4 A ja taiatru developed an abscess oa c a T he servants to o k th e weeping child is uj th e court T he king to o k the fin g T ja fc jsta sjjh . The abscess bled o u t T he king out e f fc j s 3 i c tion for the son did n o t spit t i 2 % b sx
sw a llo w e d i t

Father s Imprisonment The Jam account o f Kfi?ika, azatnSj savs th a t KOnika being as^*t ou s fc-r

52 th ro n e m ade co nnivance w itn his b ro th ers Putting his fath e r in to p riso n he h im self occupied the th ro n e A ccording to th e B u d d h ist tra d itio n it was D e v a d a tta w ho instig ated A jataSatru for acquiring th e th ro n e a n d so he im prisoned his fath er m the h o t house P aJn c id e According to Jain tra d itio n K uijika o n a cere m onial d a y w ent to his m other C hellana fo r salut ing her feet T h e m other d id n o t accept his salutations O n being asked a b o u t th e reason for her refusal to accept his salu tatio n s th e mother n a rra te d th e episod reg ard in g S renika s filial affection fo r his son a n d rebuked him fo r h is foul deeds I t sw a je d K u n tk a s h e a rt w ith love fo r his fa th e r H aving la m en ted fo r his misdeed h e at once took u p a chisel an d set o u t to c u t th e chains to free hi* fa th e r O n seeing him com e Srenika anticipating o f his im m inent m urder preferred to com m it suicide H e instan tly took a deadly poison Talaputa a n d e nded his life T he Buddhist trad itio n n a rrates th a t none else was allowed en try into th e hot house where BjmbisSra w as im prisoned except K osafadew ihe m other queen A jutaatru w anted to starve the king to d eath a t the instance o f D ev ad atta who forbade th e killing o f fa th e r w ith we ipons KosaladevJ u n d e r the pretext o f seeing the king used to carry meals concealed under her laps and gave it to the king knowing o f this AjataSatru ordered his setvont E o r o l e t i r y irctfccr o with covered laps rri *-* --

53
in h e r h e a d d r e s s W h e n tin s too w as fo bidd a, sh e e a r n e d th e m e als c oncealed in her g o 'd e r f< gear O n b e in g p ro h ib ite d fo r th is to o th e q c ~ a

used to go to the king after t a lm , bath in perf r 4 wat r and then sni atiug her body with the fju sweet liquids The h o g licked her bod) and I ? himself alive for a few days A^tasatrti i x x i j stopped h er visiting the king T h e i th krag i \ j by walking about in his cel! n e d itin g WKa AjataSatru observed th it the k u ^ w - s a h* c alkd the barbers and ordered Co open ike feet o f my father the lin g with a aeajyjD m c -r them with salt and oil and roast them on th fcfcef wood coals The barters did iMs aad the i r t , died Repentance Both th e traditions speak of KQgtfca ~ a t the death o f Sremka Arconfio to tfc ; Jn tradition Kfiijika h ad aready n p ei^d e jte king s death for his misdctdj cn h inn? aSeot f fa th e rs filial Jove from Jis ncC-er St t* * la th e r dead h e Jell < W - t thwart* as tk ^ J xa tree cut by a chopper h h R c^rm * con*, , ness after a couple of hoars, he t a t rlv
= a , d o h i w a , / * * ? ' irrelig io u s m d t o r o f t c M t e a , ' , im p riso n e d m b ( ! , ^ I b e ca u se o f me that b " g r ie f stricken b , # , ua ^ B tl R i P B l U and res did e f t ^ 1 ft n th e cap ,ia| o f =a iu -*>f t t l m i -

54 A ccording to (he* B u d d h ist tra d itio n a sob was b o rn to A ja ta S a tru 'o n th e day o f DimbisSra s death M essengers d elivered a w ritten m essage ab o u t hav mg a son in bis {.hands T h e king felt overjojed w ith affection a n d filial Jove Even his bones and m a rro w s were seized j o f happiness T h e joy he experienced a t th e b irth o f his son m ad e h im realise som ething o f affection his ow n father m ust have felt for him Im m ediately b e o rd e re d his servants to set free h is fa th e r M essengers also h an d ed over to him th e d eath news [o f Bim bis2ra O n reading th e news o f his fa th e r s d eath he scream ed and ran to his m o th er an d asked D id m y fa th e r love m e ? T he m oth er n a rra te d th e episode o f sucking the finger T h en he becam e all th e ^m o re grief torn an d repen ted fo r his deeds Comments A lthough the details i,in the episodes o f dream longings finger w ound im prisonm ent etc in the n arratives o f tw o trad itio n s vary th ere exists much sim ilarity from th e basics p o in t o f view T he difference in th e episodical versions i not u n n atu ral Every m ajor incident even a t th e tim e o f its happenm ng gets currency in diverse forms and versions The m ore so when th ere is a lapse o f tim e T he Jam cannon N ir)a\aha is believed to have been compiled before the beginning o f V ikram era (56 B C )l while A tth a k a th a s a re regarded to have been w n iirn m th e 5th century o f V ikram e ra * I t may well be a
1 P t Da'sukha Malavama Asarra I g a l a Jama Do sana Sanjnati O jana Pitha Agra 1966 P 29 2 flhfksu Dha-fnara lsb ita M h erjo Buddhoghosr Mah todh Safchs Sainatha Varanasi 1956 p 7 ^

55 causeoftbisdifference In all the traditions episodic m atters getting transm itted by verbal versions are compiled in w ritten forms only after a time gap o f centuries T he B uddhist narratio n about th e king s m urder empathically exposes the cruelty o f A jatasatru while the Jam s p resent it in a q u ite m oderate way The Buddhist version o f cuttin g th e feet putting salt a n d roasting them a p p ears to be much inhuman while according to th e Jam s Sreijila suffered only im prisonment w ith no to rtu re s like starving etc Even d eath is stated to be th e outcome o f suicide O n the contrary A ja ta S a tra is accused o f p a r tia d e a s p er th e B uddhist tra d itio n All these facts tend to prove th a t A jatasatru w as a follower o f Jainism His Mother Both traditions give different nam es fo r K u m k a s mother According to the Ja ta k a s K osaladevi w as the daughter o f Mah&kosala th e king o f K o sala le sister o f Prasenajit the k ing o f K o s a la 1 O n th e occasion o f h e r m arriage a village from the K asI state was given as a dowry A fter B im bisara s m urder Prasenajit took b a c k th a t village T here was a w ar and afte r one reverse Prasen ajit w as victorious T aking A jataSatru as his sisters s son he spared him alive concluded a treaty m arried his daughter \ a j i r a to him a n d gave the sam e village in dowry * In Samyinia Nikaya A jatasatru has been m e n ' tioned as a son o f Prasenajit s sister a n d also a s
1 2 la!aka edited by Fausboil voL 1 0 p 121 Jalaka Atthakatha do 249 23)

56 yedt-lupjira 1 These nam es do n o t reconcile with each o ther Here Buddhago$a h as ta k e n th e m eaning o f \cdehi and Pandita and r o t s th " princess of Videha K ingdom T he fact ts th a t Chcllana (m entioned m the Jain trad itio n ) b ein g 1 daughter o f Chetak.i the chief ol Vat^ali Republic was Vedelu P rasenajit s sister K o sa la d w i could be a step-m other o f A jatasatru A ccording to the Tibetan tradition9 and the A m itayurjhyana Sutra the njm e o f A jatasatru s m o th er was ledeht la so u and also as she was a princess o f th e V ideha S tate 5 The use o f th e w ord V id eh a w ith this interpretation is found in ab u ndance elsewhere too Lord M ahavira has been callu l Vidtha Vulchacttnnc hdehajachche* Since Lord M ah av ira was bo rn in Videha he was called \ e d e h l his m other too was born m Videha kingdom so she w as \ tdehadatt atamata an d be o g the noblest am ong th e V cdehis he h as been called I idchajatya 7 The great poet Bhusa in his d r^m a Suapna \as\adatti has called king U d a ja n a a s V jdehaputra8 because his m other w as a princess o f Videha
1 1 3 4 5 6 7 Samxut a N k a ) a 3p\A ledeliputtoti \edth ttp anlta ih h ach a n a n era i pandtilthl >aputtou altho -Sa m \itta N ,ko > a Atthakatha vol I p 120 Rockhil! L f t o f Buldha p 6 ' S B E vol X U X P 166 Rockhitl Life 0f Buddha p 63 Katpa Sut a 110 S B vol XXII p 2<6 Vasantakumara Chattcrpa Oh ya Kalpa Sutra (Bengali edition) p 2? i* e U n la Ct\ U zaiion (part IF) p 199 (Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan lo<_ ' r

57 kingdom A ccording to th e J a m tra d itio n C hdla\> i (m other o f k u m k a ) 4adMfgV>&lt m other o f U dayana were r ta l sisters b ein g th e dau g h ters o f King C h ejak a o f \a iJ a iI * L o rd M ahuN iras m other T m a ia was th e sister o f k n g C h e ta k a 8 There th e epithets such as Videhadinna o r ^ idthaputra are most n a tu ra l an d intelligible Even m the J im uanons KQgik3 has been called a s Mdchaputra J According to M r R hys D avids k in g B im bisara h a d two queens one ko salad ev i sister o f k in g Prasenajit the second o ne Y ideha P rin ctss an d A jU asatru was the son o f this V ideha P rin c c s s 1 According to the A tthakailw w hile k in g Bimbisara was in prison m t h - hot house Q ueen KosaladeVi w aited upon h im In Encyclopaedia o f Buddhism the nam e o f the w aiting q ueen is sta te d -s k h e m a and she is said to be th e ro>al princess o f k o sa la kingdom 8 B ut this obviously ap p e a rs to be in e rro r k hcrnS tru ly belonged to M a d ra De>a * I t seems th a t m place o f k o s a l-d e v l the name o f k h e n n h as b een m entioned erroneously In the T ibetan tra d itio n a n d th e Amitayurdhyana Sutra the n am e o f th e w aiting q u een h as been mentioned as Vaid h i \ a s \ I w ho w as th e d aughter o f \a iv iH s C o m m ander S in h a T D r R a d lu k u m u d M ukherjee w rites th a t V aidehi Vasvl can
t Avas)akoUu nl part I t p 164

IM p-vul p V4

3 Bkag*cui S tira Saulca ? U d d k a 9 p 5 6 4 BuJJhut M ia p 3 5 Entxchpa d ia o fB i Jihism p 316 6 Thrrlgaria Atthakatha 139-43

58 be identified w ith C h d la n a 1 F ro m th ese diversities in th e Buddhist trad itio n n o th in g m ore is inferred th a n th a t A jataSatru w as th e son o f princess of Videha and so h e was called V ed eh ip u tra I t is not understandable why A ch ary a Buddhagho$a h ad been nourishing the w rong im pression m interpret mg the word Vedehi as Pandita a n d A jatSatru as the ton o f k o salad ev i th e princess o f K osdla Difference in Nomenclatures There i$ a difference reg ard in g th e nam e and title m both the trad itio n s T h e Ja in s h ave all through n acied in k u m k a w hile the B uddhists have called him A jataJatru Even in the Upantshadas* an d Puranas* th e n am e o f A ja ta ia tru has been used T hus th e f ic tu a i positio n is th a t Kflmka is the real n am e a n d A jlta S a tru is an epjtheti naipe Som e tim e the title o r th e epithetic name enjoys m ore popularity th a n th e real name Such as V ardham ana was the original nam e and M ahavira an epithet b u t in p ractice M a h lv lra has been m ore p o p u lar In the g eneral history o f India only the nam e o f A j.ita$atru is c u rre n t The nam e o f A jataSatru K u m k i is found engraved on an edict a t the M ath u ra s m useum * In fre t this appears to be his full nam e T h e \vord AjataSatrU k u ijik a should be used in th e m odern literary %vorks as this would be m ore expressive and correct
2 3 * / / ndu Ci dual on (part II) p 181 Dialagu s o f Buddha vol II p 78 fu ra a chapter 99 sloka 319 Matsyo Purana chjft4r271 sloka 9 Journal o f Bihar and Ortosa Restarch Society vol V part IV pp 550-51

60 differ from e a c h o th e r regarding th e cau se p a ttern an d results o f th e b attle b u t b o th agree a b o u t the victory o f M ag ad h a over th e VaishaU R epublic B oth M ahavira and B u d d h a w ere p resent a t the tim e o f this ba ttle Both have answ ered questions c oncerning this w ar T h e description o f this b attle in both the trad itio n s is m ost fascin atin g and expressive o f the contem p o rary politics T h e Jam version is prom inently available m the Bhagnati Sutra Nirym aliya Sutra and A\asyctka Churnl while th e Buddhist description is available in the Maha parlnnsana Sutia o f th e Digha N ikoya an d its Atthakatha T he Jam \ ersvoa A fter his father s d eath K um ka transferred his c apital to Charapa.aaga.cl a n d sen t fo r all his ten b rothers K a tik u im ra etc H e th en divided tbe kingdom arm y wealth etc into eleven p a rts and g ave them th e ir p o rtio n k u m k a h a d tw o real brothers (sons o f C h ellaiji) nam ed H alla and V ihaH a1 K ing Srem ka d uring his life tim e gave them his two special things the Sechanaka elephant a n d & god given eighteen stringed necklace *
1 Thc~versmn however is d screpant m different books The b lru n a lta text narrates the Who! episode in context o f \ih a lla only whereas the Ni vavaha Commentary the Tiliagiatt Comm nta y and the Bha ateshrora Baht bah Commentary mention b o th H alla anil V ihallain this context The Anuttaro a aiya Text stlies Vihalla aod \ebayasa as tbc sons of Queen C helU m and Halla as tDe son of Q ueen D hatim w hetta^ \ t e vOmrnenunes on the A navaha as w II as Bhag\cn mention Hal a a ril \ih a lla as the sons o f Queen ChelUtw The whole topic is a subject of teswuxh 2 It is said ihat the Secfunaka elephant a rd the god given necklace were equal in value to Shrenika s whole king flora cf Atas)a^a Churnl p 167

61 Riding on his e le p h an t S e c h an ak a \ i h a l l a kum Sra alongw ith his harem p a ity used to go every day to th e banks o f th e G a n g es fo r w a te r sports H is enjoyments an d lust gave rise to i talk in th e town th a t V ihalla K u m ara a n d r o t KGnika w as really enjoying th e g ran d eu r o f the kingdom T h ese talk s reached K um ka s queen P ad ra a v a ti She th o u g h t W hat is this royal dignity to m e if 1 d o n o t h ave the Sechanaka elephant an d th e div in e n ecklace 1 She expressed h e r feelings to K um ka W ith h e r rep eated e treaties K um ka w as com pelled to liCmand the el p h an t an d th e necklace from his b ro th ers H e c lied H aifa a n d V ihalla and said H a n d o v e r the necklace an d th e elep h an t to m e T he) replied O ur fa th e r h as given these things cxc'usivcly to us How can we give th em u p 7 KQQtka g o t enraged at his reply H alla an d V ihalla o n getting an opportunity e a rn e d th e necklace ele p h a n t a n d the harem to th eir m a te rn a l g ra n d father C h etak a in \a iiJ h k flm k a cam e to know a b o u t this H e sent bis emissary to King Che{aka and asked him to return the necklace a n d th e elep h an t alongw ith H alla and V ih alla to C ham panagarl C hetak a said T he necklace an d th e elephant belong to H alla and Vihalla They h ave sought m y asylum and 1 w ould n o t retu rn them I f m y g ran d son kO tjika the son o f K ing Srcijika an d C hellana w ould give half o f his kingdom to H alla and V ihalla I can m anage to g et him the necklace an d th e elep h an t Kflmka again sent his am bassador a n d sasd H alla in d V ihalla have ta k e n aw ay t K necklace a n d the elep h a n t w ithout my perm ission B oth these tju ag s belong to o u r S ta te M ag ad h a C h etak a re ia rn e tfj, th e am bassador w ith n negative repfv

am bassador rep o rte d all the details to Ktiflika who g o t enraged O u t o f excitem ent his lips started quivering eyes reddened a n d forehead wrinkled In anger he o rd ered th e am bassador to go for th e th ird tim e an d said I give you a w ritten letter In this is w ritten R etu rn th e elep h an t and the necklace o r get read y to fight P roceed to C h e tak a s assembly a n d kick his th ro n e D eliver this letter into his h an d s w ith th e edge o f a spearhead The emissary com plied C h ejak a got angry w ith the contents o f the letter an d th e etiq u ette o f the emissary In agony he said to th e am bassador I am prepared far w ar L e t K upika come soon I w ait for him C hejak a s aides c aught hold o f the am bassador by the neck and tu rn him o u t from the assembly Kfiijika h eard all this from the acnbassa dor He sum m oned his ten brothers KalikOmara etc and said to them G o to your states a n d come back h ere p re p a re d w ith your arm ies I shall fight w ith K ing C h ejaka A ll the p rinces w ent to th eir states an d cam e b ack accom panied by th e ir own three thousand o f each elephants horses ch ariots and three crores o f foot soldiers K uijika too provided his elephants, horses chariots three th o u san d each an d three crores o f in fantry m en Thus, KOmka with a great force o f th irty three th o u san d each o f elephants horses a n d ch ariots and th irty three crores o f foot soldiers cam e to VaiSall King C he(aka too summoned his eighteen con federate Republican kings o f Ka$t a n d K osala nine being th e M ailakis a nd nine th e Lichchavis Seeking their advice he said to them K unika, th e son o f ChellapS th e queen o f King Srenika my grand son has come to fight for the necklace and th e elephant