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OCTOBER, 1983
to come to his house and at the time of his birth, they were present in the house of Cani. He asked the framaṇas to forecast the future of the boy. They told him that the newly born child would be a distinguished and famous person. Later on when he became the prime minister of Candragupta Maurya, their forecast came to be true. Acarya Haribhadra Suri has given more attention to the life of Canakya. He says that the presence of the Jaina śramaņas at Canakya's house at the time of his birth indicates that his parents were followers of the same cult.9 The Avasyakacurṇī, while narrating his life shows that he was given fourteen types of education and became a śrāvaka during his youth. Hemacandra, the author of Parisiṣṭaparvana has mentioned the Jaina pontiff Sambhutavijaya calling Kautilya 'sanghopāsaka'. He honours Canakya with the title like 'pravacanopahāsa bhiru'1o,‘sanghapuruşa'11 and 'nirjarodyāta',12 which are generally used for a member of śravaka sangha. He further says that it was Cankaya, who converted Candragupta Maurya to Jainism and before accepting this new faith, there was a discussion between the king and the prime minister and Canakya convinced Candragupta of the Jaina principles and ethics which he then gladly accepted.18
A story of the last days of Canakya throws some light also on his religious belief. It is said that during the ripe old age of his life, Kautilya was falsely charged of murdering the king's mother. When he felt that he has fallen in disrespect in the palace, he passed on his post to his disciple Radhagupta, took munidikşa and started starving himself to death like a true Jaina.14 The Bhatta Painṇā,15 Santhāra Paiņṇā16 and Marana Painna1 confirm this event of Kautilya's life.
Tradition represents the 'wicked minister' as having repented and returned to Sukula tirtha on the banks of the river Narmada, where he breathed his last and Candragupta is also supposed to have followed him in his last days. Sukula tīrtha is the exact equivalent of Belgola,
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Kautilya lived with Candragupta Maurya for about twentyfive years, (J.S.B. Vol. XVII, pt. 1, p. 12)
• Upadesapada, v. 9.
10 Parisistaparvana, chapter VIII, verse 405.
11 Ibid., verse 411.
12 Ibid., verse 458.
13 Ibid., verse 434.
14 Upadesapada, gathas 151-172.
15 gatha, 162.
16 gatha, 73-75.
17 gatha, 569.
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