Lord Mahavira Vol 03

SR No.: 023278
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: S C Rampuria
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati Institute
Publication Year: 2001
Total Pages: 232
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

Page 135

126
Lord Mahâvîra
Mahâvîra died in 528 B.C., he could not have lived in the reign of Kunika" (p. 156).
H.C. Raychaudhari furnishes some additional arguments for rejecting this date :
1. "In the first place, it is at variance with the testimony of Hemacandra, who places Mahâvîra's Nirvana only 155 years before Candragupta Maurya" (p. 85).
2. "Again, some Jain texts place the Nirvana 470 years before the birth of Vikrama and not his accession, and as this event, according to the Jains, did not coincide with the foundation of the era of 58 B.C. attributed to Vikrama, the date 528 B.C. for Mahâvîra's death can hardly be accepted as representing a unanimous tradition" (p. 85).
If we study the details of the list of kings and dynasties provided by Merutunga, we find the following irregularities as well
1. The reign-periods of certain dynasties and kings are completely unacceptable, e.g., a total of 155 years has never been allowed to the Nandas by any tradition. With a view to defending the Jain tradition, it may be argued that possibly the list indicates the reign-periods of kings and dynsties who ruled over Ujjain and not Magadha. But even in that case, such a long period for the Nandas cannot be defended.9
2. The Great Satrap Nahapana, who is usually identified with Nabhovahana of the tradition, flourished after Vikrama according to competent authorities. Inclusion of such a postVikrama figure in this Jain tradition renders it all the more valueless.
3. As is well-known, the story of Vikrama and the end of Saka rule is of much later growth. Kielhorn10 long ago proved that the connection of the era commencing 57 B.C. with a king Vikramaditya of Ujjayini, who perhaps never existed, was not established till a very late date, the first mention of 'Vikrama Samvat' being made in an inscription at Dholpur of Samvat 898 A.D. 842. Hence any tradition which incorporates this story must be used with great caution.
(B) The second date of Mahâvîra's death, i.e., 467 B.C., is based on a tradition recorded by the great Jain author
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