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115
Sukhabodhā, still the history of Magadhan cities is the unique feature of Sukhabodha. Though the sources are taken from the Avasyaka (DET KETRİ 39ky - p.31) the history of the above-mentioned
cities is absent there.
(ii) Commentary on the Uttaradhyayana 4.1
At this place, Devendra notes the ten traditional examples of the rareness of the human birth, given in the niryuktig
etc. While explaining ‘pāsaga', viz. dices, the story of the miraculous dices produced by Cāṇakya is mentioned. Though the small episodes of pasaga was sufficient, Devendra could not resist the temptation to give the life-story of Cāṇakya. Thus he copied the first half of the Caṇakya-narrative.
The story is a mere repetition, still it is noteworthy that Devendra has passed a favourable remark about 'cāṇakya-nīti, which is not found in the Avaśyaka-cūrṇi or even in the latter literature. When Parvataka was about to die, Candragupta came forward to save him. Cāṇakya stopped him by raising his eyebrow. Devendra remarks
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चाणक्केण भिउडी कया इमं नीतिं सरंतेण “तुल्यार्थं तुल्यसामर्थ्यं, मर्मज्ञं व्यवसायिनं ।
अर्द्धराज्यहरं भृत्यं, यो न हन्यात्स हन्यते ।।” (Sukhabodhā-ṭīkā p.58b)
It means, "It is almost a rule in the politics that if one does not kill a person (lit. servant) who has equal wealth and strength, one who knows the secrets, who is industrious and who is the master of the half of the kingdom, then it is likely to be killed by him at the earliest opportunity."
The above-mentioned verse quoted in the defence of Cāṇakya
