Jainism in North India

SR No.: 011067
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Chimanlal J Shah
Publisher: Longmans Green and Compny London
Publication Year: 1932
Total Pages: 66
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 3 MB

Page 157

JAINISM IN NORTH INDIA With Ajatasatru, also called Kunika or Kuniya, the successor of Sienika, Magadha reaches the high-water mark of the power of the Bimbisarian dynasty. He not only humbled Kosala and permanently annexed Kasi, but, as the Jainas tell us, also absorbed the state of Vaisali.1 As a result of his war with the Kosalas, like his father, Ajatasatru was also given in marriage Vajira, the princess of Kosala and the daughter of Prasenajit, with a part of the district of Kasi as her dowry, and in all probability he won for Magadha a decided preponderance over its neighbour, Kosala. It is certain that the latter kingdom is not again mentioned as an independent Poner, and that later on it formed the integral part of the Magadhan empire. However, Kunika's victory over Vaisali and its Mallaki and other allies, including the rulers of Kasi-Kosala, was more decisive and highly fruitful from the point of view of the expansion of the Magadhan Empire "It may be presumed," obscrves Smith, "that the invader carried lus victorious arms to their natural limits, the foot of the mountains, and that from this time the whole region between the Ganges and the Himalayas became subject, more or lcss, directly to the suzerainty of Magadha"4 He must have felt from the very beginning that the Licchavis formed the greatest bar to the realisation of his idea of Magadhan expansion, and we find him taking the dreadful resolve, "I will root out these Vajians, mighty and powerful though they be. I will destroy these Vajjians. I will bring these Vajjans to utter ruin." 5 Thus the Kosalan and the Lacchavi or the Vanjan wars were probably not isolated events, Sulali, masman, sut 30079 1 बज्जो चिन्हाने नदाया, नपमवई नालेछई कासीकोमलमा पदारसपि गणरायाणे परानइापा / -Bhagatai, suf 300, 315 Cr Atasyala-Sutra, p 681, ITcmacandra, Trishashtu Sulala, L'art X, 1 200, p 108, Raychaudhuri, op cit, pp 120-197 + CJ Smith, op cit, 37, Raychaudhuri, op cut,p 07, Prodlin, op. cit. p 215 * The Bhagatafi tells us that, in the war with Varsali, Ajutasatru 18 said to have made we or Nolaislahanlala and Rathamusala The first scems to hasc been some cnnindo war of the nature of n cntapalt wbich three big stones The second was al cinno which a mace vis attached, and winch, trunning about, cffected n great execution of men Iorn [ull description of these two wonderful engines of war sce Bhagarati, ral 900, Pr 310, J10 CJ Tournle, op cit, Appendix II, pp 50-60, Raychadhuri, opril p 199. Towncy, Kothalosa, 179 Shuth, on and lor al "Koniha-Ajitavatru monde protracted war on the Selemany of the lucchesis, the Mallahis and the cigltern Ganarajas of Kiskoval te than sintet n ver, and at last we able to clfect their niin, which I WAS HIS nour to do, although lus cause ag unrighteoul"-'mdhin, op til. 275.910 Ito talk, orail, Appends I.pi SIT, lip 1, ( Law (BC), Sonic Katerina Trirsof Ancient Imp 11 un detall descripliit nlrout Magadhn and lonill contact sec thi. 1 111110