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72: Śramaņa, Vol 62, No. 3, July-September 2011 means superior or 'Śreștha’. In the same edition while translating ‘Videhahsumale', Videha has been translated a 'a person with special or viśșta' body. Dr. Sagarmal Jain, translates ‘Videhjacce' as born in Videha, a geographical region. Similarly he translates 'Videhdinne' as the son of 'Videhdinna' which is one of the names of Mahavira's mother; Trisalā. He has not examined as to why Trišalā was called 'Videhdinna'. Is it because she hailed from 'Videha region' or Videha clan', or for that matter because she was given away to, or given away by ‘Videhans' in marriage dinna is prakrit of datta (having given). Being the sister of Chetaka the Licchavi ruler of Vaishali, her paternal clan could only be Licchavi. Videha as a Geographical Area We next come to 'Videha' as a geographical region. It is noteworthy that chronicles of that period donot mention 'Videha' as one of the “Janapadas'. Both ‘Anguttar Nikāya' and 'Bhagvatī Sūtra' mention sixteen Jana / Mahājana padas. Although they differ in detail, Vajji is mentioned by both and Videha is absent in both. If it was the Videha region which was later termed as Vajji, then why 'Videha' has been used instead of 'Vajji' in Mahavira's context? Mahavira as per the narrative in 'Sthānānga Sūtra spent four 'varşāvāsa' at Mithila and quite a few at Vaishali clearly indicating Mithila as a distinct place, which, in various contemporaneous literature is mentioned as the capital of'Videha'. Vaishali, before it became an independant 'Ganatantra', is also mentioned as the capital of ‘Videha' at other places. At some places, Mithila has been used for a kingdom of which Vaishali became a part. All these point to the prevailing confusion about geographical territories. Chronicles of that time mention 'Videha' as a clan, being one of the 'Aşta Kulas'. Then where was their territory? It could not have been the area with Vaishali as its capital, because that was a ‘Licchavi' stronghold where 'Chețak brother of Triślā held away. Some of the authors have quoted 'Sakti Sangam Tantra (Sundarī Khanda) and Bệhadvişņupurāņa (Mithilāmahātmya, 2/5) to define
