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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c20.s21: Uddāyana (Udāyana)

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c20.s21

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Uddāyana (Udāyana)

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Udāyana was a very powerful monarch of Sindhu Sovīra. It is said that Udāyana ruled at sixteen janapadas, viz., Sindhu sovīra, etc. and sixty three cities, viz., Vībhaya, etc., and he was the lord of the ten crowned (maudabaddha) kings, viz., Mahāsena, etc. Udāyana was a devotee of the Tāvasas. His queen Pabhāvai gave birth to Abhitikumāra. It is mentioned that once Udāyana thought of paying a visit to Mahāvīra, who was in Campā at that time. It is said that the latter knew his thoughts and came down to Vībhaya in order to ordain him. Udāyana anointed Kesīkumāra, his sister's son, on the throne and joined the order under Mahāvīra.¹⁴⁶ Uddāyana came to be known as a royal sage (rājarisi) and was the last king to renounce the kingdom with a crown on his head. After him no king was allowed to renounce the world wearing the crown.¹⁴⁷

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¹⁴⁶ Bhag. 13.6.

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¹⁴⁷ Āva. Cū., II, p. 171f.

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It is mentioned that at the behaviour of his father, Abhitikumāra felt very much disappointed. He went to king Kūnika in Campā and began to live there.¹⁴⁸

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¹⁴⁸ Bhag. 13.6.

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Udāyana was sojourning in Vībhaya when he was poisoned by his sister’s son and died.¹⁴⁹

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¹⁴⁹ Āva. cū, II, p 36. Cf Divyāvadāna (ch xxxvii). According to the Buddhists, king Rudrāyana was reigning in Roruka with his queen Candraprabhā, Sikhaṇḍi was his prince. It is said that an image of Buddha was sent by king Bimbisāra to king Udāyana to acquaint him with Buddhist religion. In course of time, Candraprabhā joined the order and died. Later on, Rudrāyana also followed her. The Buddhist writers do not mention anything about the sister’s son of Rudrāyana and so here the prince Sikhaṇḍi succeeds his father. It is mentioned that king Sikhaṇḍi was misguided by his wicked ministers. When Rudrāyana knew of this, he came back to give advice to his son, when a plot was hatched up and the monk Uddāyana was put to death. See also Muni Jinvijayaji’s article in P. A. I. p 208 ff.

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