Jainism Early Faith of Ashoka

Author(s): Edward Thomas
Publisher: Trubner and Company London

Page 58

THE EARLY FAITH OF AŞOKA.
of comparatively early date, and, apparently, absolved from all suspicion, by the omission from their lists of the name of Aşoka, a far more powerful monarch than his grandfather, and one whom they would reasonably have claimed as a potent upholder of their faith, had he not become a pervert.
The testimony of Megasthenes would likewise seem to imply that Chandra Gupta submitted to the devotional teaching of the seronánas, as opposed to the doctrines of the Brahmans. The passage in Strabo runs as follows :Τοις δε βασιλεύσι συνείναι δι' αγγέλων πυνθανομένοις περί των αιτίων, και δι' εκείνων θεραπεύουσι, και λιτανεύουσι το θείον. -Strabo, xv. i. 60.
We must now turn to the authoritative account of the succession of the Mauryas, as presented by the Brahmanical texts, which had so many chances of revision, both in time and substance, in their antagonism to all ancient creeds, and less-freely elaborated delusions, than their own more modern system professed to teach the Indian world.
The most approved of their Puranas, under the chronological and genealogical aspects—the Vishnu Purára-introduces the succession of the Mauryas in the following terms:
“Upon the cessation of the race of Nanda, the Mauryas will possess the earth; for Kautilya will place Chandragupta on the throne. His son will be Bindusára ; his son will be Aşokuvardhana ; his son will be Suyaşas; his son will be Daşaratha; his son will be Sangata ; his son will be Şálişúka; his son will be Somaşarmaņ; in the month of Kartika, bad 16 dreams....."-Mr. Lewis Rice, Indian Antiquary, 1874, p. 155.
Mr. Rice adds the “Chronology of the Rájávali Kathe," as given by Deva Chandra, to the following effect : “After the death of Vira Varddhamana Gautama and other Kevalis, 62 years. Then Nandi Mitra and other Srnta Kevalis, 100 years. Then Visakha and other Daşa purvie, 183. Then Nakshatra and other Ekadaşángadhara, 233. Then was born Vikramaditya in Uji
... and he established his own era from the year of Radirodgári, the 606th year after the death of Varddhamana."
" Intepretation of the 16 dreams of Chandra Gupta. "1. All knowledge will be darkened. "2. The Jaina religion will decline, and your sucoessors to the throne take dikshe. "3. The heavenly beings will not henceforth visit the Bharata Kshetra. "14. The Jainas will be split into sects. 15. The clouds will not give seasonable rain, and the crops will be poor. 16. True knowledge being lost, a few sparks will glimmer with a feeble light. 67. Aryakhanda will be destitute of Jaina doctrine. "8. The evil will prevail and goodness be hidden.. . " 16. Twelve years of dearth and famine will come upon this land."