Indian Antiquary Vol 47

SR No.: 032539
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 386
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

Page 113

APRIL, 1918 )
THE PRATIHARA OCCUPATION OF MAGADHA
109
attaches importance to philosophy in so far as it exercises the princes in logical thinking; and the contents of the system do not seem to him to matter much, as he recognises even the infidel Lokâyata, along with Sankhya and Yoga. This clearly indicates a great difference in point of view between Kautilya and his later follower Kâmandaki.
An older witness is Manu. According to Kautilya the Mânavas recognised only three Sciences, because they included Philosophy in Theology (trayî vârttâ daņdanitis cê 'ti mânavâh; trayi višeshchy Anvikshiki 'ti). Hence one may expect Manu to recognise only three Vidyâs; but he mentions four, just like Kautilya, because he, like the latter, separates Philosophy from Theology; however he demands that the Ânvikşikî shall be an atma vidyê (VIII, 43);
traividyebhyas trayim vidyam dandanitim ca śâbvatim
Anviksikim cá 'tmavidyâm vårttárambhams ca lokatahil "(The king should learn from Brahmans well versed in Vedâs, Theology, the everlasting State-craft and Philosophy which teaches the nature of the Soul and learn the works taught in the Science of Industries from people who understand it." We thus find the same views in Manu as in the Nydyabhagya and in Kâmandaki. They based their teachings on Kautilya modifying the latter to suit the orthodox tendencies of the time which set in after Kautilya, probably after the dissolution of the system of Government introduced by the heretic Emperor, Asoka. That the account of Philosophy as we find it in Kautiliyam could not hold good a few generations after the life-time of Chanakya, speaks for the genuineness of its text that has come down to us.
I may recapitulate the results of our investigation by saying that the Mimâmsa. Sankhya, Yoga and Lokâyata already existed in the 4th century B.C., whereas Nyaya and Vaibesika and probably the Buddhistic Philosophy also came later into existence.
THE PRATİHARA OCCUPATION OF MAGADHA.
BY R. D. BANERJI, M.A., POON A. In my monograph on the Palas of Bengal I had stated that “Magadha was annexed by the Gurjara-Pratáhåras to their dominions, and after Nårêyaņapala we find the names of the Guriara princes in the votive inscriptions of Magadha." 1 The discovery of two inscriptions in the province of Bihar has thrown new light on this period and has now enabled us to determine the extent of the occupation of Magadha by the Pratîbâras more precisely. The Vishnupada inscription of the 7th year of Narayanapala's reign provoð that up to that date Gayê was in the possession of Narayanapala. The Bhagalpur grant of Narayaņepåla proves that up to the 17th year of his reign Mudgagiri or Munger was in his possession. A small brass image bearing & votive inscription on its back was discovered in Bihar Town two or three years ago. At present it is in the Museum of the Bangtya Sahitya Parishad at Calcutta. The image is that of a goddess with four hands
Memoirs of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, vol. V, p. 63.