Suvas 1939 06 Pustak 01 Ank 12

SR No.: 034624
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Suvas Karyalay
Publisher: Suvas Karyalay
Publication Year: 1939
Total Pages: 70
Language: Gujarati
Classification: Magazine, India_Suvas, & India
File Size: 5 MB

Page 68

દરર - સુવાસ : ચૈત્ર ૧૯૯૫
centres, healthy from climatic considerations also. The Jains themselves are more or less ignorant of the religious importance of these places, though Priyadarsin was one of the staunchest Jains75. (We shall discuss this when we come to the account of rock and pillar edicts76.) This Avanti was selected from various points of view.
So Priyadarsin changed his seat of capital to Avanti. He divided the province into two parts", with Vidisā as the capital of the eastern portion and Ujjaini as that of the western78. The Sunga kings who established their rule when the Mauryan empire ended, continued to have their capital here. It enjoyed this position during the rule of many subsequent dynasties, because of its central position and only with the advent of the Muslims was the seat of the capital shifted to Delhi.
It is stated in Buddhist books that during the last two or three years of his life Aśoka had given over the whole of the empire in charity. This statement does not bear The conquest tour out any piece of historical evidence79. For 14 years he was a mere regent for Priyadarsin and a man like Asoka would not make a travesty of his regency by giving away in charity what did no longer belong to him. Priyadarsin would not have been proclaimed emperor, had Aśoka given over the whole of his empire in charity. Again, even after the period of regency was over and Priyadarsin became full-fledged emperor, Asoka was alive for 20 years and certainly he could
(74) Vol. I. pp. 18 f. n. no. 32.
(75) More details are given on pp. 189 to 194 of vol I. and also in the account of Chandragupta in this vol. also f. n. no. 76 below.
(76) F. n. no. 72 above. Full details will be given in my "Life of Mahavir", which is to be published in a short time.
(77) Whether this division was made from climatic considerations or other. wise is not known. It was certainly made for some political purpose.
(78) J. B. B. R. A. S IX, pp. 154:-"His (Kunal's) son Samprati reigned in Ujjain." Bh. P. R. vol. II, pp. 135; and f. n. no. 105 further.
(79) Pp. 250 above, and f. n. no. 120.