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 SÚTRA
Ch. III
to harness the chief elephant, (called) Udāyin and to equip his army consisting of four parts furnished with cavalry, elephants, chariots and infantry. At his command all the forces were very quickly mobilized by his officials according to varieties of very skilful designs and actions of forming ideas of intelligence derived from the instruction of technical experts of war, and then the total mobilization was at once reported back by them to the king.
After having performed the auspicious ceremoney, king Kūnika, being surrounded by his well-equipped army consisting of four parts furnished with cavalry, elephants, best chariots and infantry and followed by a large body of his officers, such as Bhata, Cațakara, etc., went to the war Mahāśilākanțaka.
King Kūņika fought this battle with his terrific war-engine and drove away the united forces of nine Mallakis, nine Licchavis, Kasi, Kośala and their eighteen republican chiefs from one direction to another. Their best heroes were killed, trampled down and struck, so their war-flags marked with wheel, etc., fell down in the thick of fighting.
In that Mahāśilākantaka Sangrāma' whoever was there, whether a horse or an elephant or a soldier or a charioteer was killed by a grass or a leaf or a wood or a stone, knew thus "I am killed by Mahāśila (big stone)". For that reason this war was called Mahāśilākantaka Sangrāma.' It was a terrible war in wliich eighty-four lakhs of people were killed. But the victory of king Küņika does not appear to be a decisive one in the first phase of this struggle between the two contending parties.
So another scene of the BKS describes the second great war called Rathamusala Sangrāmas, as known and remembered by Lord Mahāvīra, which also took place between king Kūņika and the confederacy of nine Mallakis and nine Licchavis under the leadership of Cetaka, the Vaiśālian king. But this time Kāśi, Kośala and their eighteen republican chiefs do not appear on the scene of the theatre of this second struggle.
1.2 Bhs, 7, 9, 300.
9 I5, 7, 9, 301.