Jain Legend Vol 2

Author(s): Hastimal Maharaj, Shuganchand Jain, P S Surana
Publisher: Hastimal Maharaj Shugan C Jain P S Surana

Page 193

led a campaign against Kalimga. Kemar ja the king of Kalimga confronted A oka in the battlefield with his huge army and put up a stiff resistance. A fierce battle ensued between both the armies. Though the valiant soldiers of K emar ja fought bravely, they were no match to the powerful and innumerable army of A oka and after a bloody battle the Magadha army inflicted a cruel defeat on Kalimga. In this battle of Kalimga, about one and a half lakh soldiers were imprisoned, other than that one lakh soldiers died and a greater number who were wounded in the battle, later died. The brutality of the war weighed heavily on A oka's heart. In his 13th rock edict he announced that he himself was responsible for this bloodshed and declared that in the future, he would never attempt to win a country with this type of human - butchery and bloodshed.
When A oka was in deep pain with guilt and shame and was feeling remorse, it is possible that he might have confronted a Buddhist c rya and influenced by him, adopted Buddhism. After becoming a follower of Buddhism, he spent his life in propagating and glorifying Buddhism. He got his son Mahendra and daughter congregation mitr initiated as bhik u and bhik u i respectively and sent them to the neighbouring country, Lanka to propagate Buddhism. Apart from propagating Buddhism, A oka also performed many noble deeds for the welfare of the people, and engraved rock edicts on which religious and cultural commandments were inscribed for the benefit of the people.
Because of his significant contribution for the expansion and propagation of Buddhism, A oka's name will be remembered for ever and will be taken with great reverence in the history of Buddhism. After exercising power and authority over Magadha for 24 years, Emperor A oka died in V.N. 282. Some historians believe that during the last four years of his life, A oka once again reverted to and followed Jainism.
After A oka, his grandson Samprati succeeded to the throne.
Sermon by rya Suhast to Samprati
According to Kalpa Cri, rya Suhast once went to Ujjain? to pay homage to J vita Sw m and walking along with the chariot procession
2 According to Nishida Churni, he went to the City of Vidisha.
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