Chanakya Explored in Jaina Literature

SR No.: 007699
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nalini Joshi
Publisher: Firodaya Prakashan
Publication Year: 2014
Total Pages: 257
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 1 MB

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a single reference to Caṇakya is found. The Hariṣena's Caṇakya is totally a different personality having no connection with the Candragupta and which is more close to brahmanical purāṇas, who personally killed the king Yogananda by black magic, ruled over the kingdom for a long time, accepted munidīkṣā and obtained liberation by voluntary death.
Hariṣeṇa never mentions that Cāṇakya has written a treatise on polity. In fact the reference to Kautilya's Arthaśāstra is found in Tiloyapanṇatti (Trilokaprajñapti) - a revered ancient Jaina text written by Yativṛṣabha, a renowned Digambara sage. Therefore it is likely that Hariṣeṇa might have regarded Kautilya as a different person than Caṇakya - who become a Jaina muni and came to south.
* The whole Svetambara tradition presents Canakya as an example
of pārināmiki-buddhi. Hariṣeņa shows the sense of extreme regard towards Cāṇakya by using the terms like f: (v.3); नरनागः सुबुद्धिमान् (v.65) ; चाणक्यं मतिशालिनम् (v.66) and चकार विपुलं Ag: (v.71) etc. Harisena praises the intelligence and wisdom of Caṇakya in general without using the terminology of the fourfold buddhi. It is natural because the Digambaras never explain the Jaina Epistemology in the terms of fourfold buddhi.
*
Hariṣena is successful in portraying the image of Cāṇakya as a brave revolutionary, expert in the skills like horse-riding, a political visionary who manages the chief of the neighbouring countries with great wisdom and an able administrator having good governance. The image of Caṇakya portrayed by Hariṣena is not seen in the Śvetambara literature because they treat him as a bimbāntarita-rājā while Hariṣeņa depicts him as an actual king.