Book Title: Gommateshvara Commemoration Volume
Author(s): T G Kalghatgi
Publisher: Parshwanath Shodhpith Varanasi

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Page 150
________________ Bhadrabāhusvāmi and Samrät Candragupta 109 bāhu started for Dakşiņāpatha following the way of Rşi (Ārsa) which cannot be other than the way followed by Dvādaśangi Bhadrabāhu. Thus in conclusion we can say that both Dvādaśāngi Bha irabāhu and Acārāigapāthi Bhadrabāhu undertook journey to Dakşiņāpatha and spent their last days on Candragiri hill at Sravanabe!goļa. Before taking up the question of identifying King Candragupta, who accompanied Dvādaśāngi Bhadrabāhu in his journey to Dakşiņāpatha, it is necessary to give a brief account of chronological succession of Magadha and Avanti Kingdoms which has been worked out somewhere else (See the table at the end). Ariñjaya or Ripuñjaya was the last King of the house of Bịhadrathas that ruled Magadha country for a long period. This king was killed by Cilātaputra alias Pradyoti, son of Kūņika, the lord of Kuņaka country. Thereafter Kūnika consecrated his son Cilātaputra-Pradyoti as the king of Magadha in the year 582 B. C He ruled for 12 years (582 to 570 B. C.) whereupon he was replaced by Sreņika-Bimbisāra, another son of Kūņika, and he in turn ruled for 38 years (570 to 532 B, C). Then his son Darsaka, bearing the dignitary name Ajätaśatru and the paternal name Kūņika or Kuņaka, became the king and ruled for 32 years (532 to 500 BC). He was succeeded by his son Udāyibhadra who ruled for 16 years (500-484) and was killed by Munika (pseudomonk) alias Munda alias Nāgadāsaka. After his 17 years rule (484-467 B.C), he was compelled to give up the kingdom and thus the vacant throne of Magadha was ceremoniously caused to be occupied by Nanda. According to the available traditional account Nanda was chosen as the king by the state elephant, accompanied by other paraphernalia, and thus after consecration he came to be known by the name Siśunāga (childelephant). Nanda was none other than Nandivardhana whose consecration as the king of Avanti had taken place 8 years earlier at Ujjaini. A word of explanation becomes necessary at this point. Palaka's coronation took place on the very day on which Mahavira's Nirvāņa took place. Palaka is the son and successor of Pradyota Mahasena. According to the Matsyapurāņa, after 52 years rule of five Prādyotas, i e., descendents of Pradyota, coronation of Nandivardhana has taken place. Again in Vaidika purāņas the name Nandivardhana occurs after the name Udayibhadra', and this indicates that Nandivardhana, the king of Avanti, must have acquired the throne of Magadha. Further according to the Jaina tradition Nanda becomes the monarch of Magadha after a lapse of 60 years from the day of Nirvāņa of Mahāvīra. Nandivardhana is often mentioned by the name Nanda. As the kings of the house of Pradyota of Avanti had the dignitary names ending with 'Sena' such as Mahāscna, Kumärasena etc., Nanda also had one such name i. e., Vijayasena. In the Buddhist chronicles he is mentioned by the name Susunāga, which is definitely, a Prakrit form of Siśunāga. After the acquisition of Magadha throne Nanda is said to have extended his empire by making free the part of Indian territory that was occupied by Pārasikas. As an emperor of Avanti Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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