Early History of Orissa

SR No.: 006922
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Amarchand Mittal
Publisher: Jain Cultural Research Society
Publication Year: 1957
Total Pages: 506
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 9 MB

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AN EARLY HISTORY OF ORISSA
placed in Kalinga where it was worshipped. From Kalinga, the Tooth was brought to Ceylon in the time of king Siri Meghavaņņa (Meghavāhana ?) by Hemamālā—daughter of Guhaśiva, the king of Kalinga, and her husband Dantakumāra, a prince of the Ujjeni royal house. In Ceylon, the Tooth became the palladium of the Simhalese kings.
The Jātakas contain various references to Kalinga. There was once a great draught in Dantapura and the king, acting on the advice of his ministers, sent Brahmins to the king of the Kuru country to beg the loan of his Royal Elephant-Añjana-vasabha, who was credited with the powers of producing rains. On this occasion, however, the elephant failed. But the Kalinga king hearing of the virtues practised by the king and the people of Kuru, offered them himself, upon which rains fell.2 Another king of Kalinga was a contemporary of Aruņa, the Assaka king of Potali. The Kalinga king, in his eagerness for a fight, picked a quarrel with Aruna but was worsted in battle and had to surrender his four daughters with dowries to Aruņa. 8
The Kalingabodhi Jātaka relates the story of another ruler of Kalinga. The Kalinga king of Dantapura had two sons-Mahākalinga and Chūllakalinga. Sooth-sayers foretold that the younger son would be an ascetic, but would also become a Chakravartin. Knowing this prophecy, Chūllakalinga became so arrogant that Mahākalinga, on coming to the throne, had to order for his arrest. At this Chūllakalinga fled to Himavā and lived there as an ascetic. Near his hermitage lived the king and queen of Madda (Madra)
1. Chūlavaṁsa, XXXVII, p. 92.
2. Kurudhamma Jātaka, II, p. 367 ; also Dhamma-Padattha Kathā, IV, pp. 88 f. A similar story is related in the Vessantara Jātaka (VI, p. 47) where the Kalinga Brahmins ask for and ebtain Vessantara's White Elephant that he may stay the draught in Kalinga,
3. Į taka, III, pp. 3f,