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280
POLITICAL HISTORY OF N. INDIA FROM JAIN SOURCES
Kumārapāla between V.E. 1229 and 1232, this date, therefore, must be taken as authentic. We may also add to this that Kumārapāla received the title Paramaśravaka, i.e., the most eager hearer of the Jain doctrine. This is known from colophon of the MS of a Jain work named Jñatadharma-katha and also from the Ratnacūda-katha, which was written five years later in 1221 (1164 A.D.).1 The Jälor inscription of the same year calls Kumārapāla Paramarhata. The Moharaja-parajaya specially emphasises Kumārapāla's prohibition of the four vyasanas and abolition of the rule by which the property of those who died heirless was confiscated by the state. It states that the king through his dandapāsikas suppressed the people who had excessive indulgence in gambling, meat-eating, wine-drinking, butchery, robbery and adultery. But it is strange that prostitution does not find mention among these sins. Gambling, it appears, was very common amongst the nobles, princes and general public. The names of five kinds of gambling are given in the Moharaja-parajaya, viz., (i) Ambhiya, (ii) Nalaya, (iii) Caturanga, (iv) Aksa and (v) Varada. Severe punishments were prescribed for the habitual gamblers; for instance some had their hands, feet and ears chopped off ; of others the eyes were removed and of some all the limbs were to be cut off. The same authority, referring to the names of the men of the highest families amongst the habitual gamblers, shows that gambling was deeply rooted at that time in the society and was resulting in certain bad consequences. We are further told in that connection that certain persons were so much addicted to gambling that they did not stop even if their father, mother, or any other relatives died. According to the same authority the various sects like the Kaul, Kapālika, Rahamāna, Ghatacataka and Māri were indulging in animal slaughter.6
The great portion of the Kumarapala-pratibodha of Somaprabha, another contemporary work, describes the Jain teaching given to the king by Hemacandra and sets forth Kumārapāla's prohibiting the slaughter of animals, meat-eating, gambling and prostitution. The most interesting effect of Jain teaching on the king was his withdrawal of the right of
1 SJGM., XVIII, p. 109: 9739 Fagic u Jarca te thote area .... FETTAT777777. PARTIDO ....I
2 P. C. Nahar, Jain Lekha-samgraha, I, p. 239, No. 899: T hefTatraगुर्जरधराधीश्वर-परमाईत-चौलुक्यमहाराजाधिराज-श्रीकुमारपालदेव ....।
3 GOS., IX, Act III, p. 55 ff: The fact ra nga CETTE • Ibid., p. 83: a a a aacurtai taa paa aa ari 5 Ibid., Act IV, V. II. 6 Ibid., V. 22 ff.
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