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Sec. fl]
611
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SÜTRA
SECOND SECTION
Historical value of the work
The BhS is of great historical value, for it throws important light upon various aspects of history, such as, political, social and economic conditions, education, religious evolution, heterodox sects and their systems of thought, different personalities, kings, clans and tribes of its period, etc., in general and the development of men and the society in particular, as they appear in its incidental references.
It reveals that there was no political unity of India under one sovereign ruler during the time of Lord Mahāvīra. The country was divided into a large number of independent and semi-independent monarchical and non-monarchical states as evidenced by the fact of the mention of sixteen great states viz. Anga, Vanga and others' and also that of Sindhu-Sauvīra and other sixteen small states.
Thus it refers to the kingdom of Magadha with its capital at Rajagrha ruled over by king Seņiya, Anga with its capital at Campā governed by king Kūņika, the kingdoms of Kāší and Košala with their respective capitals at Vārāṇasī and Srāvasti respectively lying to the west of Magadha, that of Hastināpura ruled over by king Śiva and his son Śivabhadra in succession, Vatsa under the rule of king Udayana, having its capital at Kaušāmbī lying to the south of Košala on the Yamunā, the united kingdom of Sindhu-Sauvīra with its capital at Vītībhaya ruled over by king Udāyana and his nephew, Keśīkumāra after his abdication, that of Avantī under the kingship of Mahāsena in central India and the republic of the Licchavis with its capital at Vaiśālī under the presidentship of king Cetaka and that of the Mallakis of Pāvā and Kusinārā in the north of the Ganga.”
Of the above mentioned states the kingdoms of Kaśī, Košala and Magadha and the republic of Vaišāli followed a policy of aggrandisement and expansion for establishing their respective
1 Vide, Ch. III & VIII.
2 Vide, Ch, VIII.
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