Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c12.s4.11

c12.s4.11

The shrewd policy of Bimbisāra enabled him to devote his undivided attention to the struggle with Aṅga which he annexed after defeating Brahmadatta.¹ The annexation of Aṅga by Bimbisāra is proved by the evidence of the *Mahāvagga*² and that of the *Soṇadaṇḍa Sutta* of the *Dīgha Nikāya* in which it is stated that the revenues of the town of Champā have been bestowed by King Bimbisāra on the Brāhmaṇa Soṇadaṇḍa. We learn from Jaina sources that Aṅga was governed as a separate province under the Magadhan Crown Prince with Champā as its capital.³ The king himself resided in Rājagṛiha-Girivraja.⁴ Thus by war and policy Bimbisāra added Aṅga and a part of Kāśi to the Magadhan dominions, and launched Magadha to that career of conquest and aggrandisement which only ended when Aśoka sheathed his sword after the conquest of Kaliṅga. We learn from the *Mahāvagga* that Bimbisāra's dominions embraced 80,000⁵ townships.