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178
SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
sovereign of Vaishali I don't contemplate extraditing him to you with his necklace and elephant In case you agree to share your kingdom equally with him I may consent to send him with his valuables'
Kaunik reiterated his request with another envoy Chetak was still unrelenting Kaunik sent an ultimatum with his messenger rejectable at the peril of war Chetak preferred to settle the dispute on the battle-ground
Chetak called eighteen republics to discuss the issue They all endorsed the stance of Chetak Vehallakumar had sought asylum and hence he could not be banished like a common criminal War is palatable to none but if Kaunik chooses to fight out he should be given a fitting lesson, they said
The troops of Kaunik reached the boundary of Vaishali A fierce battle ensued Chetak decimated ten brothers of Kaunık during a battle lasting ten days?
The following observation need mentioning 1 Non-violence is no chicken-hearted policy It is mascu
linity par excellence 2 The great non-violent observants inspired with non
invasion by Lord Mahavira were not shorn of logistic strength They only canalised their energies to human
welfare 3 As and when the harbingers of human damnation thrust
war upon them, such observants never lagged behind in paying the enemies in the same coin
It seems unusual that Lord Mahavira took no interest in this war Both the adversaries were followers of the Lord They swore by him But the issues had become so tangled that the steam was to be let off on the battle ground rather than implore the Lord's good offices Thus the fierce event was inevitable
1 'Niryavalıyao', 1
