Tribes in Ancient India c50.92

c50.92

Kūṇika Ajātaśatru is represented throughout Jaina literature as a king of Aṅga who reigned in Campā. But the fact is that he was only the Uparāja or Viceroy of Aṅga which formed part of the kingdom of Magadha. While Viceroy of Aṅga, Kūṇika-Ajātaśatru picked a quarrel with the Vṛji-Licchavis of Vaiśālī over the possession of a mineral mine on the boundary of the two territories. The Pāli commentatorial tradition indicates that Ajātaśatru was jealous of the Vṛji-Licchavis on account of their national solidarity and numerical strength. Accordingly, after he had ascended the throne of Magadha, he became bent upon destroying them and uprooting their power. He deputed his minister Varṣakāra to wait upon the Buddha and learn his opinion regarding the future of the Vṛjis. On coming to know that the Buddha laid much stress on unity as the source of their national strength, Ajātaśatru employed two of his ministers, Sunīdha and Vassakāra, to build a fort at Pāṭaligāma with a view to repelling the Vṛjis.² He also proceeded to weaken them by treacherous means, and eventually succeeded in conquering them.³