Page Text
________________ JAINISMI IN ROYAL FAMILIES This much about the ancestry of Candragupta. The question as to why Canakya did not usurp the Magadhan Empire for himself is more or less made clear in the above statement of Dr Raychaudhuri. It seems highly probable that Candragupta himself was, as the Greeks tell us, "prompted to aspire to royalty by an omen significant of an august destiny."1 Like the other sources of Jaina history the Greek annals also throw comparatively little light on real history. They tell us about Candragupta's having escaped from the death sentence passed upon him by the Nanda king, about a lion having licked the sweat oozing from his body while he was sleeping, about his being inspired from this prodigy with the hope of winning the throne, and about a wild elephant having submissively knelt before him. When such annals, which rank as contemporary witnesses reported at second-hand, throw such light on the period of Candragupta, it is no wonder that the Jaina interpretation, in short, runs as follows: Canakya had all his teeth complete on being born. The monks being informed of this marvellous circumstance foretold that the boy would become a king, but the father being of a religious turn of mind desired to spare his son a lot which he considered dangerous to the well-being of the inner man. Accordingly to remove the omen he broke out the boy's teeth. Upon which the monks foretold that Canakya would govern by proxy. Further on, after the defeat of the Nanda king, we are told that his treasures were divided by Candragupta and Parvata between themselves 4 Leaving aside these uncorroborated facts of Indian history we shall see in brief what was the strength of the Magadhan Empire during the Mauryas. It may safely be said that the high-water mark of its power and extension was reached during the days of Asoka. The real conquests and annexations were begun and accomplished during the days of Candragupta and not in the days of Asoka. Politically the latter was a Quaker, and was better fitted to fill the chair of an abbot than of an emperor. What he did was to reconquer or re-establish the authority of the Magadhan McCrundle, op at,p 827 Toid, PP 827-328 C Smith, op cu, 128, 1 1, About this incident of Cannkya's life Jacobi makes & note as follows. "The same circumstance is told of Richard III. 4 Teeth hadst thou in thy head when thou wast born To signify thou comest to bite the world" -Jacobi, op and loc cul Cf Alastaka-Sutra,p 435, Hemacandra, op cit, 827 188
| SR No. | 011067 |
| Book Title | Jainism in North India |
| 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 |