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THE NÅNDA RULE IN KALINGA
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Brahmanical works and passed on to the Greek and other writers. Mahāpadma Nanda was succeeded by his eight sons, that is to say, the dominion was either distributed among them or they were appointed governors of various provinces with Dhana Nanda as the reigning monarch in Magadha. The empire appears to have been in the worst state under these eight rulers, and people who were against their regime, must have spread such news in the public as might create a popular feeling against them. This is quite natural for people having belief in the Brahmanic religion. But the same may not have been true about Mahāpadma Nanda, who is ascribed an undue long reign of eighty eight years by the Brahmanical writers. The country might have been in normal state under him.
Further, it may also be argued on the basis of the above references that Nandarāja, while taking away the image of Kalinga-Jina, myst have taken great wealth from the defeated Kalinga country. This is not improbable. But such a conclusion may not have been in the fitness of things, for we know at the same time that Nandarāja is reputed to have excavated irrigated projects in Kalinga, one of which, atleast, was in existence at the time of Khāravela in the first Century B. C. This gives us an insight into positive public works of the Nandas. Kalinga was a vijita country and the interest shown in the welfare of the people there suggests greater interest in their own people viz., the Magadhans.
If tradition recorded by the epitomisers of the Brhatkathā is to be believed, Patliputra, under the Nanda rule, became the abode (kshetra) of goddess Sarasvati as well as of goddess Lakshmi, viz. the home of learning as well as of material prosperity. A galaxy of scholars–Varsha, Upavarsha, Pāṇini, Kātyāyana, Vararuchi, Vyādi, is said
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| SR No. | 006922 |
| Book Title | Early History of Orissa |
| 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 |