Chanakya Explored in Jaina Literature

Author(s): Nalini Joshi
Publisher: Firodaya Prakashan

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cies are not noted in the Jaina references. The Jainas might have thought that it is impossible to imagine Subandhu to work for Candragupta because he was totally loyal to the Nandas. Considering the revengeful mindset of Subandhu, there is a logical possibility that Subandhu may retaliate Cāņakya and specially Candragupta after being a chief-minister of the Mauryan kingdom.
In nutshell we can say that though the Mudrārākṣasa is a successful political play, it's uniqueness left no impact on the later Jaina narratives. From this we can conclude that the legendary material available for the Jainas about Cāņakya was different than that of the brahmanic literature and its antiquity starts before the Christian Era. [12] Some minor similarities :
(a) Pāțaliputra : Pāțaliputra bears an important position in ancient history of Magadha and is closely connected with the history of the Nandas and Mauryas. Naturally, we find often references of Pāțaliputra in the Mudrārākṣasa and in the Jaina literature.
The names Pāțaliputra, Kusumapura and Pușpapura are randomly used in the Mudrārāksasa and also in the Jaina narratives. The Prakrit versions of Pātaliputra viz. Pādaliputta and Pādaliutta are found in the Prakrit portions of the Mudrārākṣasa.
Pāțaliputra possesses a certain important position in ancient history of the Jainas, because the first conference of Ardhamāgadhi canons was held at Pāțaliputra in the regime of Candragupta Maurya. It is noteworthy that the first Jaina Sanskrit philosophical text the Tattvārthasūtra of Umāsvāti was written at Kusumapura.
(b) Cāņakya's parņakuti : In the 15th verse of the third act of Mudrā° the simple hut-type residence of Cāņakya is described. Here,