Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

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112
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
[Ch. III
dealt with various kinds of punishment, such as, throwing the offender into salt", beheading with one stroke of sword, burning alive, taunting in disgraceful terms and branding with a mark of a pot or a dog (kundiya or 8 unaga) or banishment', mild admonition in the case of members belonging to the Ksatriya the Gähävai, the Māhana castes and the Isi assembly respectively.
A slightest suspicion caused by any one in the minds of kings was followed by the death penalty. So they, who were generally suspicious by nature, inflicted severe punishments on their ministers and ordinary subjects in various ways on the slightest suspicion according to their whims.
It is said in the Daśā Cürni" that even Cāņakya, the great minister of king Candragupta Maurya had to resign his ministership under the ruling king Bindusāra, the son of king Chandragupta due to the cold reception accorded to the said minister who was responsible for the death of his mother, queen Durdharā. Being thus disinterested in worldly affairs, Cāņakya renounced
1 Acaranga Cúrni, p. 38.
· Arthasāstra, p. 250. * Rayapaseniya Sutta, 184. 4 Avasyaka Cūrne, II, p. 182;
Ib, p 184 (Kappaya the minister of king Nanda was thrown by him into a well together with all the members of his family on suspicion created by his ex-minister (who was a rival of Kappaya) in his mind. ; Sagadāla, the minister of the Ninth Nanda embraced death to escape from the royal punishment together with his whole family due to the suspicion caused in the mind of the king by Vararuci another court member against him; Refer to Life in Ancient India by Dr. J. C. Jain
for details, p. 71, 48-49 ff. 0 Dasa Cürni, p. 81 f. See also Mahābodhi Jataka (v 22, ff)
for the royal treatment meted out to his minister. Sthavirāvali Carita, 8, 377-414 : Cf. also Buddhist tradition about Bindusāra ; Malalasekara, op. ct. Vol. II under "Bindusāra.'
(It is said in the Sthavirāvali Carita that once Cāņakya ordered royal servants to mix up a very minute doze of poison with the food of king Candragupta with a view to immune him from the action of poison in future.
Durdharā, the pregnant queen of Chandragupta also was taking the same together with her husband, but she could not stand the poisonous effect and died instantly. Canakya, having observed this unfortunate incident, immediately operated her womb and extracted the child to save him,