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[29-30-31] Abhayadeva's understanding of Kautilya and the
Arthaśāstra
112
Abhayadeva was a versatile literary personality of the 11th century A.D. Among his vast literature, his commentaries on nine canonical texts are important, due to which he got the epithet - 'navāngi ṭīkākāra'. Like his predecessors Abhayadeva has not repeated the famous Cāṇakyan tales. His references about Cāṇakya and his Arthaśāstra are occasional and brief. The language is Sanskrit.
(i) Commentary on Sthānāṁga 4.4.361, p.281
Context: A monk endures various kinds of troubles (upasargas) afflicted upon him by human beings, gods and animals. The mancreated upasargas are further divided into four kinds. The third subvariety is vīmaṁsā (troubles created during discussion or consultation). Abhayadeva quotes theexample in the following words “विमर्षाद्यथा चाणक्योक्तचन्द्रगुप्तेन धर्म्मपरीक्षार्थं लिङ्गिनोऽन्तःपुरे धर्म्ममाख्यापिताः क्षोभिताश्च साधवस्तु क्षोभितुं न शकिता इति । ”
"Caṇakya advised Candragupta to test the religiosity of heretics (brahmin ascetics) and (the Jaina) monks. Candragupta kept all the monks in the vicinity of his harem.
Heretics were agitated due to the rise of erotic feeling in their minds while the Jaina monks remained unpurturbed."
Abhayadeva quotes this story on the line of the Avaśyakacūrṇi but very briefly and in the different context of parisahas. Hemacandra documents this incident in his Parisiṣṭa-parva in the elaborative manner. Abhayadeva depicts Cāṇakya as a Jaina lay votary and proves the superiority of the Jaina monks after proper examination. Abhayadeva here wants to glorify Cāṇakya for his impartial justice based on sufficient evidence.
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