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 73

Lord Mahavira
traditions, was the son of Gardhabhila.23 Vikramaditya and his dynasty can therefore be treated as the Gardabhilas. Merutunga's Vicarsreni gives 145 years to Vikramaditya and his dynasty or 152 years to the whole Gardabhila dynasty including the inter-regnum of 4 years for the Sakas. After the Gardabhila dynasty comes the Saka king. This happened 605 years after Mahâvîra Nirvana. Titthagotipainnya after Nahvana's 40 years assigns 100 years to the Gardbhas, by which apparently Gardabhilas are meant. No mention is made here separately of Gardabhila, the Sakas or Vikramaditya. One hundred years assigned to the Gardabhas in this tradition, perhaps, cover the thirteen years of Gardabhila, four of the Saka and after it the reign of Vikramaditya and his dynasty. This tradition also places after the Gardabhilas the Saka king, 605 years after Mahâvîra Nirvana.
The Digambara Jain traditions, on the other hand, after the sixty years of Vasumitra and Agnimitra assign one hundred years to the Gardabhilas, whom Tiloyapannati calle as Gandhavas and Hasivamsa Purana as Rasabhas. 'Rasabha' seems only a translation of Gardhava both meaning 'ass24. It is a common practice in Indian traditions to etymologically explain personal family and tribal names. We may recall the story given in the Kalakacarya Katha of the King Gardabhila being called by this name as he mastered the magic known as 'Gadabhi' 'she ass'. Elsewhere we have suggested that Gardabhila may be identical with Kharaveta of the Hathigumpha inscription fame. We have tried to show these that like Gardabhila Kharaveta also belonged to the first century B.C. Kharaveta's conqeust of Western and Central India are attested by his inscription. Gardabhila may be a translated form of the name Kharavela, “Khar" like 'Gardabha, also meaning ass. The same process of translation can be traced in Jinasena calling Gardabhilas and his dynasty as Rasabhakings. Our surmise is that the dynasty founded by Kharavela is the same as the Gardabhilas of the Jain and the Pauranic traditions. If this surmise is correct then the 13 years of reign and conquest of Kharavela mentioned in the Hathigumpha inscription will correspond to the reign of 13 years assigned to Gardabhila in the Jain traditions in which case the victorious career of Kharevela and Gardalabila came to an end after his defeat by the Sakas. It