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________________ JAINISM IN NORTH INDIA Tushya which forms part of the constellation Cancer or the Crab Bahapati certainly is an alternative name for Pushyamitra, the first Sunga king according to the list in the Puranas." I Emphasising the similar standpoint Mr Haraprasad Sastri says to the following effect ; "Asoka was, to all intents and purposes, a Buddhist monarch, and a bigoted one too... He put a stop to all animal sacnficts throughout his vast empire. ... This is an order which was certainly directed against the Brahmans, a privileged class wherever they settled. ... This was followed by another edict in which Asoha boasted that those who were regarded as gods on earth have been reduced by him in a short time into false gods If it means any. thing at means that the Brahmanas, who were regarded as Bhidevas or gods on earth, had been shown up by him... The appointments created by Asoka of Dharma Mahamatas---that is, of superintendents of morals--was a direct invasion of the right and privileges of the Brahmanas. They were not the persons to brook the injury done to them quietly. And to crown all, Asoka, in one of his edicts, insisted upon all his officers strictly observing the principle of Danda-samata and Vyavahara-samata -- that is, the equality of punishment and the equality in lawsuits, irrespective of caste, colour and creed. Under such circumstances the prospects of being huddled together in prison with the unspeakable non-Aryans, whipped, impaled alive and hanged, were very offensive to the highly educated, respectable and privileged community. They tolerated these indignaties heaped on them as long as the strong hand of Asoka was guiding the empire. ... They began to cast their eyes for a military man to fight for them, and they found such a man in Pushya - mitra, the commander-in-chief of the Maurya Empire . He was a Brahmanist to the core and hated the Buddhists." 2 In short, there is no difficulty about the identification of Bahapatimitra with Pushyamitra Sunga, and moreover no his. torical fallacy is committed by such an identification Everything fully agrees with the contemporary historical personages and well suits the events of the time. 1J RAS, 1918, p 645 Sastra (Hariprasad), JP.ASB, 1010, pp 250-200 It may be noted here that such alternate names are common in India fuse - Bimbisurs Sreniha, Ajutasatru -- Kunya, Asokn-Pusadas, Candraguptam Norchdro, Balamtm-Agimitra, Bhunumitra-Vasumitra, ctc. 176
| 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 |