Mahavira Jain Vidyalay Suvarna Mahotsav Granth Part 1

Author(s): Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya Mumbai
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay

Page 715

244 : SHRI MAHAVIRA JAINA VIDYALAYA GOLDEN JUBILEE VOLUME
Rajamandira; its entrance was known as Rājadvara, and the place was well guarded. There was no restriction against entry in the Skandhāvāra which was open to all the public but entry into the Rājakula was restricted and strictly controlled. The entrance of the Rajakula was guarded by the Vähya Pratihāras, i.e., chamberlains posted outside or in the palace. The first portion of the Rājadvāra on both sides of the entrance consisted of several rooms in one or more storeys known as Dvāra Prakoştha or Alinda. It is stated that at the time of Rajyasri's marriage goldsmiths were seated in the Alinda portion and working to make golden ornaments (142). The etymology of Alinda (Alim dadāti) may be traced to an earthen cup called Ali2 in which some drink or eatable was offered to the guests. The Alinda was named Bahirdvāra Prakostha in Gupta Sanskrit (Hindi Barautha). In Pāṇinian Sanskrit the Alinda portion of the house was known as Praghana or Praghāņa (see Rajakula, Plate 23, in Harşa-carita: A Cultural Commentary).
The system of Kaksa :
Inside the Räjakula there was a regular scheme of courts (kaksā). The palace of Harsa was planned in three courts. In the Kadambarī the palace of Tārāpida, father of Candrāpīda, was divided into seven courts which the prince had had to pass through in order to meet his father. In the Rāmāyaṇa the palace of Dasaratha is stated to have five courts. The palace of Rāma as crown prince (Yuvarājabhavana) had only three courts (Ayodhyā., 5.5). In the first court of Harsa's palace on the left side of the Rājadvāra was an extensive pavilion (Asthanamandapa) for the royal elephants (ibha-dhisnyāgāra) in which the king's own elephant Darpaśāta was kept. On the right side opposite to
2 The word Ali for an earthen cup is still current in the dialect of
western Uttar Pradesh. The word is also preserved in Sanskrit Aliñjara meaning a very large storage jar. (Alimajarayati Alimjarah = Mahakumbha. Amarakośa, 2.9.31.) These have been found in the excavations at Nalandā, Rājaghāta, Kāśipurā. The reason of such a big jar being named as Alinjara was that when these were made all the available clay was diverted for them and the smaller cups went
by default. 3 There is a sütra in Panini, that the Praghana denoted a portion of
the house (agāraikdese) (Ref. 3.3.79) which the Kāśikā equates with Bahyadvāra PrakosthaBāņa also has used Bahirdvāradeśa, i. e., a portion of the outer gate.