Historical Geography of Ancient India c8.81

c8.81

Throughout Jaina literature Kūṇika Ajātaśatru is represented as a king of Aṅga, but the fact is that he was only the viceroy of Aṅga, which formed a part of the kingdom of Magadha.¹ The annexation of Aṅga to Magadha was a turning point in the history of Magadha. It marked the first step taken by the king of Magadha in his advance to greatness and the position of supremacy which it attained in the following centuries. The *Campeyya Jātaka* records a fight between the two neighbouring countries of Aṅga and Magadha. From time to time Aṅga and Magadha were engaged in battles. Once the Magadhan king was defeated and pursued by the army of Aṅga but he escaped by jumping into the river named Campā flowing between Aṅga and Magadha. Again he defeated the king of Aṅga, recovered his lost kingdom and conquered Aṅga as well. He became intimately associated with the Aṅga king and used to make offerings on the bank of the Campā every year with great pomp.² The *Vinaya Mahāvagga* goes to prove that Aṅga came under Bimbisāra's sway.³ Immediately prior to the rise of Buddhism there were four powerful monarchies in northern India, each of which was enlarged by the annexation of neighbouring territories. Thus Aṅga was annexed to Magadha, Kāśī to Kosala, Bhagga to Vatsa and probably Śūrasena to Avantī.