Life in Ancient India as Depicted in Jain Canons

Author(s): Jagdishchandra Jain
Publisher: New Book Company

Page 73

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE
NON-EXECUTION OF THE KING'S ORDER
Non-execution of the king's order was another offence which was dealt with very severely. Generally the king was an absolute monarch in those days, and as a rule it was absolutely necessary to carry out his orders It is said that the persons who disobeyed the king's commands werc thi own into salt (khai antaka) where within a very short time-its duration being calculated by the timc that was taken in milking a cowtheir bodics were icduced to skeletons 4 Four kinds of assemblies (parisā) are referred to in the Jain texts, vid, Khalliya, Gahāvar, Mähana and Isa 45 IL is said that an offcncler from thc Khattıya assembly was punished with cutting off his hands or feet, he was beheaded, impaled, killed by one stoke of the sword and was thrown away. The offender from the Gākávar assembly was buint to death on a pile of bark, husk oi chaff, the offender fioni the Miīhana assembly was taunted in disagrecable terms and was branded with a mark of a pot (kundiya) or a dog (sinaga) or was banished;40 and thic offender from the Isz assembly was admonished mildly 47
People giving 115c to the slightest degree of suspicion in the minds of the kings, wcrc pur shud heavily and often werc deprived of their life. We hear of Kappaya, the minister of Nanda, who was once preparing for the wedding fcast of his son The ex-minister of Nanda, who was a rival of Kappava, informed the king that Kappaya was making preparations to establish his son on the royal scat The king, without making much inquiry, is said to have ordered Kappaya and his wholc family to be cast into a well 48 The same plot was devised by Vararuci against his rival Sagadāla, thic minister of the ninth Nanda When Sagadūla came to know that he was suspected by the king and being anxious to prevent the run of his whole fainily, hc persuaded his son to put hum (Sagadla) to death 49 Cānakya loo is said to have met the samc fate at the hands of his master IL 15 said that oncc Subandhu, who was jcalous of Canalya, approaclıcd the king and reported that the latter had killed his (king's) mother 60 The king inquired of the maidscrvant, who confirmed the report Next day when Canakya visited his master, he did not receive him properly. Cūnaky a felt that now his life was drawing to its closc. So being indiffercnt to woi Idly interests,
4+ Ici cú , p 38 V 143 Cf the eight assemblies in the Angultora, IV, P 307
10 Cr 1rthasästra, p 250, una allyasmiti, II, 23, 270 47 Riya , 184 48 dua cú , II p 182 40 Ibid, p 18+
10 It is said once Duidhari, the queen of Candragupta, who was pregnant was dining with the king On Canaky a s orde the food of the king was mixed with very minute dozes - of poison so that the king may gam immunity from poison Now observing that the poison almost instantly killed the queen, Cinahid ripped open hei womb and extracted the child : Sthavirävali carita (8 377 411), of also Buddhist tradition about Bindusara, Malalasekara. op cit, Vol II, under 'Bindusara'