Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 136

Sec. IIVA] STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŪTRA
111 a serious crime and severely punished with the penalty of death, imprisonment', mutilation of limbs' ard banishments. Murder
The BhS contains references to a few cases of murder in connection with the religious teaching on the consequences of Karmas' (actions) done by an individual man. But there is no evidence to show that these crimes gave rise to law-suits in the court.
In this regard some other Jaina texts reveal that the case of murder or an attempt to murder was severely dealt by the court with capital punishment or public execution and imposition of fines on the culprits involved and found guilty in such a crime according to the law of the land.
Non-Execution
There occur evidences in some Jaina texts that non-execution of royal order was considered a serious offence which was
death; Vivāga Suya p. 35; (The adultery of Bassaidatta, the minister of king Udayana, with the queen was punished with death. Pinda Nirukti 127 (a merchant of Srinilaya nagara met the same fate a long with his friends and admirers
for his adultery with the queen. 1 Nisi Cūrni 15, p. 1002 Cf. Manu. VIII, 374. ? Commentary on the Uttaradhyayana Sutra-23, p. 285 f ; Cf.
Gahāpati Jātaka (II, No. 199, p. 134 f. (The adultery of Kamatha with the wife of his brother Marubhūi was punished with the banishment from Poyarapura. Vyavahāra Bhāsya Pithikā 17, p. 10; (Cf. Gautama. XII-1 for the intentional reviling twice born men by criminal abuse or criminally attacking them with blows a Sudra will be punished with mutilation of the limb with which he assaulted); See also M. VIII, 12 f. (A Brāhmana is expiated from his sin for the adultery with his daughter-in-law only by
touching the four Vedas). 4 BhS, 15, 1, 560.
5 Vivāga Suya, 6, pp, 36-39. (Mandlivaddhana of Mathurā was publicly executed for his conspiracy to murder his father by a barbar who disclosed this evil design of the prince to the king.
Vivaga Suya, pp. 49-55 (D.Hvadattā, the queen of king Pūsanandi was also a warded death punishment by him for murdering her mother-in-law. (i. e. King's mother) out of
jealousy. 6 Vide Life in Ancient India, p, 70 by Dr, J. C. Jaiņ.