Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

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STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SOTRA [Ch. III to the port on the Ganges and to control the whole lower Gangetic trade.
So it was very necessary for this rising state to establish its political suzerainty over the northern side of the Granges by conquering its most powerful neighbour, the Republic of Vaisāli.
Now, it is to be observed how far these two states followed the principles of foreign policy with regard to their inter-state relations during their long-drawn political struggle.
It has already been discussed in connection with the ethics of war' that king Kūņikal sent his ambassador thrice to the court of king Cețaka to demand the peaceful extradition of the
agadhan state elephant, Secanka and the neclace of eighteen strings of pearls secretly taken away by his younger brothers, Halla and Behalla to their maternal-grandfather
On the failure of his policy of peace and conciliation to obtain those precious objects from Vaiśālī, the Magadhan king resolved to root out the Vajjians (Vaiśālians) by waging war against them, which was the last resort of the four means of statecraft to achieve its objectives.
So he entrusted his prime minister, Vassa kāra' with a secret mission to sow seeds of dissension (Bheda) among the Vaisālians. This policy of Bheda (dissension) bore fruits after three years when king Kūņika marched with his well equipped army strengthened by the introduction of two new war-engines, Mahā filākantaka and Rathamusala against the confederate forces of Vaisāli, nine Mallakis, Kāśi, Kośala and their eighteen ganarājas (republican chiefs) to settle the issue on the battlefield by war (danda). After a long drawn contest continuing for more than sixteen years he won the final victory over those states by inflicting a crushing defeat on their combined forces with his two new weapons.
This event of the political struggle between Vaifāli and Magadha throws light upon another side of the principles of inter-state relations.
1 Nirayāvaliya Sutta-1. 2 Digha-Nikāya (Mahāparinirvāna Suttanta),