[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.jain-1947) › c19.37 # Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c19.37 Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c19.37 - **Language:** English ### [c19.37](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.jain-1947.c19.37) Magadha, which occupied the district now called Bihar, is a very old kingdom and was counted among the sixteen \*Janapadas\* in the \*Bhagavatī\*,²¹ the rest being Anga, Vanga, Malaya, Mālavaya, Accha, Vaccha, Koccha, Pāḍha, Lādha, Vajji, Moli, Kāsī, Kosala, Avāha (?) and Sambhuttara (Suhmottara). It was a great centre of activities of Mahāvīra and in fact it was after the name of this country that the language in which Mahāvīra is said to have preached his religion was called Ardhamāgadhī. Magadha was a holy place for Jains although the Brāhmanas were not allowed to enter this country, except on a pilgrimage. A Jain pilgrim has aptly remarked that according to the Brāhmanas, if a crow died in Kāsī, it would attain salvation, but if a human being died in Magadha he would be born as a donkey.²³ - [Previous: c19.36](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.jain-1947.c19.36) - [Next: c19.38](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.jain-1947.c19.38) - [Up: c19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.jain-1947.c19) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.jain-1947.c19.37](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.jain-1947.c19.37) · Pramāṇa