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198
LIFE IN ANCIENT INDLA
ROBBERS39 There were organised bands of robbers, already referred to, who attacked the travelling tradesmen and made good their escape. The robbers were not content with this, they also kidnapped men and women. They destroyed shrines and the articles thereof, they massacred the whole garcha including the acārya and carried off the nuns. These robbers entered the residence of the sådhus and exacted trouble The Bila:kalba Bhasya refers to a robber who snached an excellent blanket kambalarayana) from an ācārya at the point of a dagger 34
POLITICAL DISTURBANCES36
There was another hardship caused by political disturbances in the country. The Brhalkılha Bhasya divides the kingless state Grijak into four groups (1) after the dcath of the king if there were two heirs-apparcnt and none of them so far anointed as the king annaya), 2 when one prince who had already appointed an heir-apparent in his turn took anot. T joint ruler juradnja, 3) when the army of the enemy occupied the country (terajjara), it when there was warfare between the two oppo.lents claiming the throne terajja.se
Frequently thc Samanas moving about during disturbances, mistaken for spics and were arrested. It is for this reason that time
Vigganhas or Nigganthini, are prohibited from wandering about during the time of political disturbances reruddha anal in the country?
Then it was alright if the king was a devotee of the Jain faith in that case the Mīggantha Samiras ucre given facilities by the king and the late ser ants But if the king belonged to a different faith, the lot of the Sunan:s was deplorable. Frequently they were banished, their food and drink were stopped and their ritualistic paraphernalia were confiscatid and there were occasions when they were put to death 59 It was d custom that at the time of the king's coronation everybody including the eighteen corporations and the Samonas should visit the king with respect:u' offerings ia gha, ; if the Vigganthas se sabhikkus, failed to do so they were dealt with severely 40 Under such circumstances the Viagnhas had to go in the disguise of Buddhist monks and live on prohibited food, such as roots, flesh, stale food dosin), oil-cakes, and the food offered to the crows. In the absence of the ritualistic paraphernalia they picked up
* See Brh Su 1 45 and its Bhanya pp 848 to 836, chapter on hantahan aparta 33 Visi. cü Pi, p90 31 3 39113, +, alo c Vinhiids: VIII 22 35 See Byh. su. I 37 and its Bra ya pp 778-767 (chapter on valja ili watu
prakrtam) 13 1 2763 17 Cf. Cttarā TI 2. P 23a 38 Brh su. 1 37. 99 Brk. Blå. 1 3221 10 Nisi. cü 9, p. 519; abo ct Uttará Ți. 18, p. 248a
