Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c20.s3.54

c20.s3.54

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.