Path of Arhat

Author(s): T U Mehta
Publisher: Sohanlal Smarak Parshwanath Shodhpitha Varanasi

Page 47

22 1
The Path of Arhat:
Religious Democracy
India. Most of these sixteen entities are shown in the political map given in (Appendix A ). As already noted above, these entities were either monarchical or non-monarchical. The latter had evolved a system of representation by election but the lay people were not associated with that process. Election was mostly of the representatives of aristocratic Ksatriya clans. However, more systematic and more or less modern methods were adopted by Vajjis, who were composed by powerful Licchavis, Videhas and Mallas. Their territory extended from South of Nepal to the North of Ganges. They had adopted a voting system, an organised Federal council, took all decisions by debates, set up a strong administrative system, evolved a judicial administration, safe-guarding efficiently liberty of citizens and proved a great bulwark against the neighbouring powerful monarchies of Magadha and Kośala. King Cetaka, the head of Licchavi republic, was a powerful and influential head of the Vajji confederation. Mahavira's mother Trigala was his sister. His daughter Cellana was the wife of Magadha King Bimbisara known in Jaina literature as Śreņika'. Vaiśāli was the capital of Vajji Confederation. Mahavira's blood relationship with the Licchavis was of great help to him in influencing other powerful rulers of neighbouring states of Magadha, Kośala and Anga. His upbringing in the greatly democratic atmosphere of the Vajjis must have been helpful in inculcating in him the ideas of equality and fraternity, which made him popular with the masses. Mahavira's birth place was 'Kupḍagrama' a suburb of Vaisali, the Vajji capital.
Magadha and Śreņika
Other kingdoms of prominence were those of Magadha and Kosala. King Bimbisara (Śreņika) of Magadha and his wife Cellana were very ardent devotees of Mahāvīra. Bimbisara had built a very powerful empire and developed friendly relationship with almost every powerful king of India of his time. His first wife was the sister of Prasenajit, a