History of Jaina Monachism

Author(s): S B Deo
Publisher: Deccan College Research Institute

Page 76

HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
71 Princes called Atimukta,105 Padma,106 grandsons of Seniya, Megha, Abhaya and others107 were said to have joined the Church of Mahāvira. Historical Identification :
It may, however, be noted that only a few among these kings can be identified, and that there were some who were claimed by the Buddhists as belonging to their own sect.
According to the Jaina texts, Mahāvīra was connected with many of these kings through his maternal uncle Cetaka, king of Vesali. This Cetaka was said to have seven daughters who were married to the following persons: 108
Names: Prabhāvati Padmāvati Mșgāvati Śiva Jyeshțhā
married to Udayana
Dadhivāhana Śatānika Caņda Pradyota Nandivardhana,
brother of Mahāvīra, Became a nun married to Bimbasara
King of: Sindhu Sovira Campā Kausambi Avanti Kundagrāma
Sujyeshțhā Cellaņā
Magadha.
Of these, Udayana has been the hero of a number of Sanskrit romantic stories and is mentioned in both the Buddhist and Jaina literature, with the difference that the name of his consort appears as Vāsuladattă, a corruption of Vāsavadattā.109 There is, therefore, sufficient ground for acknowledging the historicity of this person who has been immortalised in various stories and accounts.
Regarding Dadhivāhana, SHAH remarks, "Considering the importance that Campā enjoys in the Jaina annals there is nothing strange if one assumes on the authority of the Jaina literature that the family of Dadhivāhana had a living interest in the Jaina doctrines". 110 Moreover, the daughter of this king, Candanā, was said to be the chief nun of Mahāvira. There is nothing wrong, therefore, if we take this king as a historical person.
105. Atgd. 3rd Vagga. 106. Niryā. p. 32. 107. Ibid., p. 33; Nāyā. Chapt. 1; Avas. C. p. 115. 108. Avaśyaka. p. 676. 109. Rhys DAVIDS, Buddhist India, p. 4; Avaśyaka. p. 674. 110. Jainism in North India, p. 93.