Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

Page 523

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STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
[Ch. VIII
King Cetaka
In the Bhs Cețaka, the president-king of Daisāli figures as the father of queen Mrgāvatī, the wife of king Satānīka and the mother of king Udayana of Kaušāmbī as already mentioned in the beginning of this section.
According to the Bșhatkathākoša* he was the son of Keka and Yasomati and was the scion of the Haihaya clan. It is recorded in the Mahāpurāņa that he was the maternal uncle of Lord Mahāvīra.
In the political struggle of the confederacy of Vaišāli with Magadha, Cetaka sustained defeat together with his allies at the hands of king Kūņika due to the superior technical military strategy and skill planned and demonstrated by his military experts with the introduction of the two war-engines - Mahäšilakantaka" and Rathamusala", combined with the forces of treachery of the ascetic, Kulavālaya and the courtesan, Māgahiyā. The city of Vaiśāli fell to the hands of the Magadhan king after a long drawn war and a siege laid by him; Cetaka committed suicide by throwing himself into a well with an iron image suspended on his neck to avoid the surrender and capture, torture and dishonour at the hands of his enemy, king Kūņika-Ajātaśatru. King Satānīka and king Udayana
The BhS throws some light upon the dynastic history of king Udayana of Kaušāmbī by giving a genealogical list of his family.
Thus it is recorded that king Udayana was the son of king Satānīka and queen Mrgāvatī, the daughter of king Cetaka,
1 BhS, 12, 2, 441. ? Brhat Kathakosa, 55, 165. 3 Mahāpurāņa - Puşpadanta. Vide, Life in Ancient India :
Dr. J. C. Jain p. 382. • Nirayāvatiya Sutta - 1; BhS, 7, 9, 300.. 6 Bhs, 7, 9, 301. * Avašyaka Cūrni II. pp. 164 ; Bhs, 7, 9, 300, 301 ; Vyavahāra
Bhāsya - 10-535 f. See, Digha Nikāya-Mahāparinirvana Suttanta & its comm.