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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Śivaśarman. In a way, this is a mute consent to the brahminhood of Cāņakya.
The impact of Harișeņa's story is clearly seen and the details added by Prabhācandra are almost negligible. [11] The Bhadrabāhu-Cāņakya-Candragupta-kathānaka of Raidhū is a small poem containing 28 kadavakas. This small Apabhramsa book pertains to the 14th-15th century A.D.
Out of 28 kadavakas, two kadavakas are dedicated to the episode of Sakațāla, Cāņakya and Candragupta. Raidhū is not interested in giving the full life-account of Cāņakya up till his death.
Sakațāla and Cāņakya get acquainted with each other in the incident of digging out and burning the kusa grass. On the request of Śakațāla, Cāņakya agrees to take his daily meal in the royal bhojanaśālā of Nanda, by occupying the golden seat. On a particular day, Śakațāla intentionally changes the golden seat and places a bambooseat instead. Cāņakya takes this change as an insult and accepts the vow to uproot Nanda from the kingdom. He, along-with Candragupta, joins the enemy-king (Puru or Parvataka) and completely annihilates Nanda. He consecrates Candragupta on the throne of Pāțalīputra.
We do not get any new information about Cāņakya in this tale. According to Raidhū, the search of Cāņakya for retaliating Nanda was done by Sakațāla and not by Kavi (Kāvi) as mentioned by Harișeņa and Śrīcandra. From this aspect, his story goes nearer to the Kathāsaritsāgara. Raidhū depicts the incident in the royal dining hall, more convincingly than his previous writers. According to him, the capital city of Nanda is Pāțalīpura and not Pāțalīputra.
We find a small story of Candragupta (II), the son of Kuņāla (Nakula ?) in this text, who is the disciple of Bhadrabāhu (II) and