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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c20.s3: Andhagavahṇi

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c20.s3

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Andhagavahṇi

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It is mentioned that king Andhagavahṇi¹ was the lord of Soriyapura²; he also reigned in Bāravai (see under Bāravai).

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¹ For other traditions regarding Andhaka-Vṛṣṇi see *Vedic Index*, II, pp. 289 f and *P.H.A.I.*, p. 118, also *Ghaṭa Jātaka* (No. 454).

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² *Kalpa Ṭī.* 6. p. 171
3. *Vasu* pp 77, 78 ff, 110 f, 357 f; *Uttarā Ṭī.*, 22 1 ff 2 pp 37, 39, 45a; *Anta.* 3, pp. 8, 22; *Kalpa. Ṭī* 6, pp. 172-178, *Nirayā* 5
4. It should be noted that Haribhadra identifies Andhagavahṇi with Samuddavijaya, the father of Aritthanemi and Rahanemi (*Das.* 208. *Ṭī.*), although in *Uttarā.* (22.4) Aritthanemi is described as the son of Samuddavijaya.

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The following is the genealogical tree of the Yādava clan according to the Jain tradition³:—

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Asoga

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Candagutta is mentioned as the first king of the Mauryan dynasty. His son was Bindusāra and his grand-son was Asoga. They all ruled over Pāḍaliputta. The Mauryan dynasty is compared with a barley grain which is thick in the middle and thin at both ends. It is stated that Chandragupta was less powerful in army and equipment. Bindusāra was more powerful than his predecessor and Asoga still more, whereas Samprati is described as the greatest of all. After Samprati the Mauryan dynasty began to decline⁵

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⁵ Brh Bhā 1 3278 f. For other traditions regarding Aśoka see P H A I, pp 4, 249 also, Law, some-ancient Indian kings, Buddhistic studies, pp 205 ff.

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Balamitta

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It is said that Balamitta and Bhānumitta were two brothers, the former was ruling over Ujjeni. It is said that Balabhānu, the sister's son of Balamitta, was ordained by Kālaka ācarya as a result of which Kālaka had to quit the town. According to another tradition, Balamitta and Bhānumitta were the sons of Kālaka's sister⁶

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⁶ Nisī cū, 10, p 630 ff. For the identity of Balamitta and Vikramāditya, see Vira Nirvāna aur Jain Kāl Gananā, N P, p 141.

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Bhambhasāra, Bhimbhasāra or Seniya

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King Bhambhasāra or better known as Seniya finds an important place in the Jain Canons. It is said that during the reign of king Pasenai, the city of Kusaggapura was a frequent prey to fires. Once through the carelessness of the cook, the king's palace caught fire when all the princes left the house in a confusion. At this time prince Seniya took a drum (bhambhā) and came out and since then he came to be known as Bhambhasāra⁷

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⁷ Āva cū, II, p 158. cf Paramatthadīpanī, the com. on the Udāna, p 104 where it is said Seniya possessed a great army or he belonged to the Seniya gotta and so he was known as Seniya. He was called Bimbisāra because he was of golden (bimbi) colour.

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Seniya was a contemporary of Mahāvīra and is said to have asked a number of questions to the Teacher which are recorded in the sacred books of the Jains. Seniya is referred to as "lion of kings" (rājasīha) in the Uttarādhyayana Sūtra,⁸ and is said to have belonged to the Vāhiya clan.⁹

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⁸ 20 58

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⁹ Āva. cū. II, p. 165.

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HIS QUEENS

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The Antagadadasāo¹⁰ gives the following names of twenty three queens¹¹ of Seniya: Nandā, Nandamaī, Nanduttarā, Nandaseniā, Maruyā, Sumaruyā, Mahamaruyā, Marudevā, Bhaddā, Subhaddā.

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¹⁰ 7, p. 43 f.

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¹¹ According to Buddhist literature, Seniya had five hundred queens (Mahāvagga, VIII·1·15)

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Sujātā, Sumanā, Bhūyadinnā, Kālī, Sukālī, Mahākālī, Kanhā, Sukanhā, Mahākanhā, Virakanhā, Rāmakanhā, Pīsenakanhā and Mahāsenakanhā

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It is said that Seṇiya had all the virtues of a prince, but his father would not give him the kingdom, so Seṇiya was frightened and fled away to the city of Bennāyada, where he married Nandā, the daughter of a merchant In course of time, Nandā or Sunandā became pregnant, and Seṇiya left for Rāyagaha Later on, Sunandā’s father took her to Seṇiya where she gave birth to Abhaya, who, later on, was appointed as a Prime Minister to Seṇiya ¹² Dhāriṇī was another queen of Seṇiya, who gave birth to Meghakumāra Prince Abhayakumāra was present at the time of Meghakumāra’s birth ¹³ Cellaṇā was the third queen of Seṇiya It is mentioned that Cellaṇā was the youngest of the seven daughters of king Ceḍaga of Vesālī, who was kidnapped by Seṇiya secretly Abhayakumāra was present at the time of this secret escapade ¹⁴ Apegatagandhā is mentioned as still another queen of Seṇiya ¹⁵

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¹² *Ava cū*, p 516, *A.a Ti*, Harī p 417a Nandā or Sunandā of the Jains may be identified with Ambapālī of the Buddhists Abhayakumāra was her illegitimate son by king Bimbisāra (*Vinayavastu* of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Gilgit Manuscript Vol III, pt 2, pp 20 f) According to another tradition, Abhava was the son of Padumavatī, a courtesan of Ujjenī, the com on the *Therīgāthā*, pp 39-41

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¹³ *Nāyā* 1

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¹⁴ *Ava cū* II p 165 f Cellaṇā, also known as Vaidehī, and her elder sister Sujeṭṭhā of the Jains are identical with Celā and Upacelā of the Buddhist tradition Both were the daughters of Siṃha, the commander-in-chief of the Lecchavis and the nieces of Goṇa, the chief minister of Bimbisāra For the full story, see *Vinayavastu* of the Mūlasarvāstivāda, pp 12 f In Pali literature Kosaladevī (*Jātaka*, III p 12 f) and Khemā (*Theragāthā-purāṇa*, the com on the *Anguttara* I, p 342) are mentioned as other queens of Seṇiya The former is said to have been the mother of Kūṇika, otherwise known as Ajātaśatru

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¹⁵ *Nisī cū*, Pi, p 16

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HIS SONS

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According to the *Avaśyaka cūrṇi*, Seṇiya had a number of sons.¹⁶ The *Anuttarovavāiya sutta*¹⁷ records the following ten names of his sons: Jāli, Mayāli, Uvayāli, Purisasena, Vārisena, Dībadanta, Latthadanta, Vehalla, Vehāyasa and Abhayakumāra Out of these the first seven were born of Dhāriṇī, Vehalla and Vehāyasa, also known as Halla and Vihalla, of Cellaṇā, and Abhayakumāra of Nandā ¹⁸ The same work records the following thirteen names of Seṇiya’s sons Dīhasena, Mahāsena, Latthadanta, Gūḍhadanta, Suddhadanta, Halla, Duma, Dumasena, Mahādumasena, Sīhasena, Mahāsīhasena and Puṇṇasena All of them are said to have joined the ascetic order and attained salvation ¹⁹ Kāla, Sukāla, Mahākāla, Kaṇha, Sukaṇha, Mahākaṇha, Virakaṇha, Rāmakaṇha, Senakaṇha and Mahāsenakaṇha²⁰ are mentioned as other sons of Seṇiya by the queens Kālī, Sukālī, Mahākālī, etc mentioned above. It is mentioned that these ten princes fought in a battle with Kūṇika against Ceḍaga.²¹ Nandisena and Kūṇiya are said to have been other sons of Seniya. We are not told much about the former except that he controlled Secanaka, the pet elephant of his father.²² Later on, he joined the ascetic order.²³ Kūṇiya, Halla and Vihalla were born of Cellaṇā, Kūṇiya being the eldest. There was a great war between Kūṇiya and his younger brothers.²⁴ Halla and Vihalla entered the ascetic order under Mahāvīra.²⁵

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¹⁶ II, p 167

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¹⁷ 1.

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¹⁸ *Ibid.*

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¹⁹ Ch. II.

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²⁰ *Niryā.* 1.

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²¹ Pauma, Mahāpauma, Bhadda, Subhadda, Mahābhadda, Paumasena, Paumagumma, Naliṇigumma, Ānanda and Naṇdaṇa are mentioned as the ten sons of Kāla, Sukāla, etc. (ibid 2)

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²² Ava cū II, p 171.

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²³ Ibid, p 559.

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²⁴ See under 'Kūṇiya'.

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²⁵ Ava cū, II, p. 174.

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About Abhaya, it is said that once he asked Mahāvīra, "who will be the last royal sage." The latter declared "The last royal saint is king Uddāyaṇa and after him the crowned kings will not take a vow." Thereupon, prince Abhaya, fearing that his taking a vow would be impeded, refused to accept the throne. Once king Seniya went with queen Cellaṇā to worship Mahāvīra. When they were coming back, queen Cellaṇā saw a great hermit standing in a meditation and enduring the torture of cold. The queen felt very sorry for the hermit. She went and slept at night in her bed. In course of the night, her hand slipped out of her blanket and became cold. She was immediately reminded of the hermit and wondered how would he get through the night. The king heard her speech and became doubtful about her chastity. Next morning Seniya ordered Abhaya to burn down the harem, and himself went to Mahāvīra to ask whether queen Cellaṇā was the wife of one or many. Mahāvīra replied that she was devoted to only one husband and he explained what had happened. The king returned to the palace full of remorse. In the meantime, prince Abhaya set on fire an empty elephant stable and went to worship the Jina. Later on, Abhaya renounced the world and joined the order, and Seniya made up his mind to give the kingdom to Kūṇiya.²⁶

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²⁶ Ibid. p. 114 f.

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It seems Seniya also had daughters. We are told in the *Avasayaka cūrṇi*²⁷ that he married one of his daughters to the son of Kayapuṇṇa of Rāyagiha, who is said to have saved his pet elephant Secanaka from the jaws of a crocodile. The same work also mentions a sister of king Seniya, Seṇā by name. She was given to a Vijjāhara in marriage, but she was killed by the Vijjāharas. Seṇā had given birth to a daughter who was sent to Seniya after the death of her mother and was given to Abhaya-kumāra in marriage.²⁸

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²⁷ P 468.

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²⁸ II, p. 160. According to the Buddhist tradition, Seniya Bimbisāra ruled for fifty two years (Mahāvamsa II. 28 f) For a full account, see Law's some ancient Indian kings, Buddhistic Studies, pp. 186 ff

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Bhesaga (Bhīsmaka)

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It is said that Bhesaga ruled at Kundinī. His son Rukmin (or Ruppi) along with the king Candacchāya of Anga, Paḍibuddhi of Sāgeya, Sankha of Kāsī, Adīnasattu of Kuru and Jīyasattu of Pañcāla,²⁹ was invited to Kampillapura to attend the marriage of Dovai. Rukmiṇī was the sister of Rukmin who was given to Sisupāla in marriage, but Kaṇha Vāsudeva kidnapped her (see Koḍinna).

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²⁹ Nāyā 8

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Bhoga (Bhogarāja)

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Bhogas are enumerated with Ugra, Rājanya, Ksatriya, Jñāta, Kaurava and Iksvāku. The Bhogas held the position of a guru.³⁰ According to the *Dasaveyāliya cūṇṇi*, Bhoga was a particular class of the Khattiyas, and Ugrasena is said to have been born in this class.³¹ In the *Dasaveyāliya sutta*³², Rājimati calls herself the daughter of Bhogarāja and Haribhadra Sūri in his commentary identifies Bhogarāja with Ugrasena.

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³⁰ Bṛh Bhā Vr, I 3265

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³¹ P 88

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³² 2 8.

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Candagutta

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According to the Jain tradition, Candagutta was the son of a daughter of the chief of a village of peacock-tamers (moraposaga), which belonged to the Nandas.³³ It is said that when Cānakaya was insulted by the last Nanda in Pāṭaliputta he went to this village and took charge of Candagutta. Candagutta grew and in course of time, Cānakya, together with the boy, laid siege to the city of Pāṭaliputta but was vanquished by the army of Nanda. Nanda's horsemen pursued Cānakya and Candagutta, who were forced to run away. Later on Cānakya went to Himavantakūḍa and entered into an alliance with the king Pavvaya,³⁴ promising him half of Nanda's country if he would aid him to subdue Nanda. They waged war against Nanda in which he lost and consequently was allowed to leave his kingdom, carrying with him all that he could place in one car. Accordingly he put his two wives and a daughter in his carriage and loading it with some treasure he drove off. While Nanda was going, his daughter saw Candagutta and fell in love with him, whereupon Nanda allowed her to go and marry Candagutta. But when she was getting into Candagutta's chariot, nine spokes of the wheel broke. Candagutta would have turned her out, but Cānakya prevented him saying that the new dynasty would flourish for nine generations. Later on, the kingdom of Nanda was divided between Candagutta and Pavvaya. when the latter, along with his share also took the ‘poisonous’ girl (visakannā). Pavvaya enjoyed with her and in course of time died, and thus Candagutta got possession of both kingdoms.

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³³ The Buddhist tradition also testifies the connection between Moriya (Maurya) and mora (peacock). It is said that the city which the Mauryas founded had buildings of blue stone like the neck of the peacocks, *Mahāvaṃsa Ṭīkā*, p 180. Aelian informs us that the tame peacocks were kept in the parks of the Maurya palace at Pāṭaliputra (P H A I, p 216)

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³⁴ Compare the Buddhist account in the *Mahāvaṃsa Ṭīkā*, pp. 181 ff, according to which Pabbata was an heir of Dhanananda, the last Nanda

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But Cānakya was not satisfied with this. He wanted to exterminate the entire family of Nanda. One day he saw a weaver, named Naladāma, who was burning out the holes of ants (makhoda). Being queried, the weaver answered that his son had a bite from an ant and so he would destroy their whole species. Cānakya was pleased to find out such a person of resolute mind and he employed him to destroy the family of Nanda. Thus Cānakya was successful in overthrowing the Nanda dynasty and anointing Candragupta on the throne of Pāṭaliputra.³⁵ We are told in the commentary on the Bṛhatkalpa Bhāṣya that when Candragupta ascended the throne some Kṣatriyas did not obey his commands, because he was the son of a peacock-tamer. When Cānakya knew this, he started incognito as a Kārpaṭika and by burning out the whole village to ashes, punished the offenders.³⁶

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³⁵ Uttarā Ṭī pp. 57 ff; Āva. cū, 563 f. Also cf. the tradition recorded in the Kathāsaritsāgara, Vol I, Bk. II, ch V.

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³⁶ I 2489, Piṇḍa Bhā 44 ff p 142. For other tradition regarding Chandragupta, see P.H.A.I., pp. 216, 295, 242n.

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A Jain tradition related in the Rājavalikathe observes that Candragupta was a Jain and that, when a great famine occurred, he abdicated in favour of his son, Simhasena, and repaired to Mysore where he died. Two inscriptions on the north bank of the Kāverī near Seringapatam of about 900 A.D., describe the summit of the Kalbappu Hill, i.e. Candragiri as marked by the foot-prints of Bhadrabāhu and Candragupta Muni-pati (Rice, Mysore and Coorg from the inscriptions, pp. 3-4).³⁷ However, it should be noted that the earliest literary form of this tradition is found in the Bṛhatkathāko’a (131) by Hariṣeṇa, dating from about A.D. 931, according to which Bhadrabāhu had the king Candragupta as his disciple.

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³⁷ P.H.A.I., p. 241 f.

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