Jain Journal 1972 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 44

APRIL, 1972
• 183
Kunāla :
The Jaina texts give an interesting account about this son of Asoka. It is said that in the city of Pataliputra there was a king Asokasri. His son was Kunala who was given the province of Ujjayini for his maintenance. When the prince was eight years old, Asoka sent a message 'that the prince should be taught quickly. The stepmother of the child, however, gave an anusvara over 'a' (adhiyatām) which made the order as 'quickly make the prince blind'. When the prince saw the order, he himself took out his eyes. After some time, Kunala pleased the king and asked him to hand over the kingdom to his son Samprati who was in his previous birth a disciple of Arya Suhasti. The emperor granted the request and Samprati was made the viceroy of Ujjayini, who afterwards conquered the whole of Daksinapatha
Besides this, “the reality of the existence of Kunala is established by the combined testimony of the Pauranic and Buddhist works (which represents him as the father of Samprati) as well as the evidence of Hemacandra and Jinaprabha Suri, the well-known Jaina writers.
.. Two things, however, may be noted : that Kunala never succeeded Asoka, and that Ujjayini rather than Pataliputra was coming into prominence.
Samprati and Dasaratha :
With the passing away of Asoka, two of his grandsons seem to have come to prominence—Samprati and Dasaratha. It is not clear as to what the relations between these two were, and Jaina and Buddhist traditions even omit the name of Dasaratha. But his historicity has been attested by his dedication of the caves to the Ajivika sect on the Nagarjuni Hill.
It may, therefore, be possible that both these grandsons of Asoka ruled simultaneously, Samprati at Ujjayini and Dasaratha at Pataliputra.
Out of these two, Samprati was said to be a great patron of Jainism. When after his rise to kingship, he came in contact with the famous pontiff Arya Suhasti at Ujjayini, he became devoted to the Acarya and accepted the vows of a Jaina layman.
Samprati invited all his vassals and explained to them the Jinadharma. Thus festivals and worship of the Jina images began to be