Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c12.s5.5

c12.s5.5

The traditional account of the **war with Vaiśālī** is preserved in part by Jaina writers. King Seṇiya Bimbisāra is said to have given his famous elephant Seyaṇaga (*Sechanaka*, the sprinkler), together with a large necklace of eighteen strings of jewels, to his younger sons Halla and Vehalla born from his wife Chellaṇā, the daughter of *Rājā* Cheṭaka of Vaiśālī. His eldest son Kūṇiya (Ajātaśatru), after usurping his father’s throne, on the instigation of his wife Paūmāvaī (Padmāvatī),³ demanded from his younger brothers the return of both gifts. On the latter refusing to give them up and flying with them to their grandfather Cheṭaka in Vaiśālī, Kūṇiya, having failed peacefully to obtain the extradition of the fugitives, commenced war with Cheṭaka.⁴ According to Buddhaghosha’s commentary the *Sumaṅgala-vilāsinī*,⁵ the cause of the war was a breach of trust on the part of the Lichchhavis in connection with a mine of precious gems or some fragrant material near a port on the Ganges over which a condominium was exercised by Ajātaśatru and his northern neighbours.