Sambodhi 1984 Vol 13 and 14

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, Ramesh S Betai, Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 67

Sudarshan Kumar Sharma
The verse Svancitapakşma-Kapātam' might have had a place in the Vth Act of present play and might have got lost through Scribal omission. In order to arrive at a correct identification of Kasıraja contemporary Prince of Udayana a Co-Suitor for the hand of Vāsavadatta preferred by Mahasena in the event of failure of Sălankoyana to capture alive Vatsaraja Udayana (PRY) and one married to Sudarsană daughter of Vairantyaraja Duryodhana sister of Kuntiblioja laving a sister in law's fiusband in Sauvfrarāja adopting his soul Vişnusena alias Avimaraka and father of Jayavarma Vişnusena married to Kurangi and Jayavarmā to Sumitra we shall have to tap a number of sources critically examining the history of Kasi and its Kings in various epochs preceding the Christian era and particularly the pre-Buddha and post-Buddha eras.
According to R. B. Pāņdeya, 'Kasi' finds a significant place as a political division in Northern India shortly before the times of the Buddha. It was an independent kingdoin before the rise of Buddhism and as such it finds mention in no less than four places in the Anguttaranikaya in the list of the Sodasa Mahajanapadas, i e. the Sixtieen great countries. The fact that kasi and Košala are frequently mentioned in the Jātakas, in the “ Paccupannavatti" only and not in the stories, draws our attention towards the study of its political history and the dynasties that ruled and governed over its destiny. In the Sixth Century BC. Indian territories were split up into numerous independent but tiny states, which, according to the Purīņas were ruled by the kings of different dynasties such as Aiksavākas or kings of Košala, Pāñcalas, Kaseyas, Asinakas, Kurus, Maithilas and so forth. However, the most important of these dynasties was that of the Bralımadatta reigning at Vārāṇasi and ruling at Käsirattha. The ruling family of Kāși also seems to have been called Brahmadatta after this king. Thus, in the Jatakas every prince who was heir-apparent to the throne of Vārāṇast was styled Brahmadatta Kumāra. The Matsya Purana? 2 also refers to a dynasty consisting of one hundred Brahmadattas. The Jatakas 23 which are the main source of information, regarding the history of this Kingdom mention no less than Six Kings of Varā nasi, besides Brahmadatta. They are: (1) Uggasenna (2) Dhananjaya (3) Mahxfilava (4) Samyama (5) Vissasena and (6) Udayabhadda.
In the Puranas Brahmadatta is represented to have been followed in succession by Yogasena, Viśvakasena, Udaka-Sena and Bhallata. 24 Dilating upon, R.B. Pandeya quoting from Candatindu Jataka, Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa, Mahabharata (II. 8.23) (referring to a Hundred Brahmadattas) Darimukha Jatakı, Gangamála Jataka, Sambula Jataka, Uddalaka Jataka, Maha ummagga Jataka, Uttaradhyayana Sutra and Svapnavāsavadattam