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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c20.s4: Ceḍaga

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c20.s4

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Ceḍaga

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Cedaga³⁸ belonged to the Haihaya clan and was a ruler of Vesāli. He was the most eminent among the Licchavi princes and an influential leader of eighteen confederate kings (gaṇarāja) of Kāsī and Kosala, who were his vassals. Cedaga’s sister, Tisalā, was the mother of Mahāvīra and his seven daughters are said to have been given in marriage to various kings and rulers. His daughter Pabhāvatī was given to Uddāyaṇa of Vībhaya, Paumāvatī to Dadhivāhana of Campā, Migāvatī to Sayāniya of Kosambī, Sivā to Pajjoya of Ujjenī, and Jetthā to Nandivaddhana of Kundaggāma; Sujjetthā renounced the world and the youngest Cellanā married Seniya of Rāyagaha³⁹

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³⁸ According to the Bṛhatkathākośa (55-165), Keka was Cedaga’s father and Yaśomatī his mother.

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³⁹ According to the Brhathathākosa (97 36), Cetaka's queen was Subhadrā, who gave birth to seven daughters

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It is mentioned that after Abhaya renounced the world, king Seniya gave a pair of divine garments (devadūsajugala) to Nandā, and his famous elephant, Seyanaga, and a huge necklace of eighteen strings to his twin sons, Halla and Vihalla It is said that the value of the elephant and the necklace was as much as the whole kingdom of the king. It is stated that Kūniya, the eldest son of Seniya, after usurping his father's throne, at the instigation of his wife, Paumāvaī, demanded from his younger brothers the return of both gifts On this Halla and Vihalla demanded half of the kingdom, which was refused to them Thereupon Halla and Vihalla fled away to their grand-father, Cetaka, in Vesālī. Kūnika sent an embassy to Cetaka asking him to hand over his younger brothers with the gifts, but the latter refused to do so, saying that if Kūnika was prepared to give half of his kingdom, then only some settlement could be made Thus having failed peacefully to obtain the extradition of the fugitives, Kūnika waged war against his grand-father, Cetaka.

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Kūnika made preparations to attack Vesālī with a huge army together with the ten princes viz, Kāla, Sukāla, etc., and passing through Videha, reached Vesālī On the other side Cedaga called together the nine Licchavis and nine Mallakis, i e the eighteen confederate kings of Kāsī and Kosala, and asked them whether they would satisfy Kūnika's demand or go to war with him, when the latter course was adopted

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King Cedaga was a skilful archer and he never missed his aim. But since he was a sāvaga he had taken a vow not to shoot more than an arrow a day When Cedaga killed ten princes, viz, Kāla, Sukāla, etc. within ten days, Kūnika's mind was distracted with fear Later on, he is said to have made use of two wonderful engines of war, mentioned before

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The eighteen confederate kings returned to their cities and Cedaga to Vesālī Kūnika laid siege to Vesālī and waited for the city to fall. Thus much time passed, but still Kūnika could not succeed Halla and Vihalla joined the order under Mahāvīra Later on, Kūnika is said to have brought the courtesan, Māgahiyā, and the ascetic Kūlavālaya together, which brought about the fall of the city of Vesālī No sooner this was done, than Kūniya entered into the city and destroyed it. King Cedaga is said to have suspended an iron image (lohapadimā) in his neck and plunged into a well The citizens of Vesālī are said to have been carried away to Nepāla (Nemālavattinam) by Mahissara.⁴⁰

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⁴⁰ Nirya I; Ava Cū II, pp 164-174, Bhag. 7 9, Ija Bhā 10 535 f For the Buddhist tradition regarding the war between king Ajātasattu and the Licchavis, see Digha., Mahā-parinibbānasutta, and its Com.

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Dadhivāhana

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It is mentioned that king Dadhivāhana ruled at Campā with his queen Paumāvaī. It is said that when the queen was pregnant, she went to sport in a forest on an elephant along with the king. But the elephant ran away into the forest, when the king caught hold of the branch of a banyan tree and the queen was carried away to a far off place, whence she reached Dantapura and entered the ascetic order. In course of time, the queen Paumāvaī delivered Karakandu, who ascended the throne of Kāñcanaura and later on waged war against his father, Dadhivāhana. At this time the nun Paumāvatī is said to have appeared on the scene and prevented bloodshed. Later on, Dadhivāhana transferred his kingdom to his son and entered the ascetic order⁴¹

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⁴¹ Āva Cū, II, p 205 ff; Uttarā. Ṭī. 9, p. 132a.

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Another reference to Dadhivāhana is made in the *Āva-kaya Nuyukti*. When king Sayāṇīya of Kosambī invaded Campā, a great confusion arose and Vasumatī, the daughter of Dadhivāhana, and her mother Dhārinī fell into the hands of a royal officer (*uṭṭiya*), who wanted to make Dhārinī his wife. Later on, both were brought to Kosambī where Dhārinī died and her daughter Vasumatī was sold to a merchant, Dhanavaha. After some time the merchant's wife, Mūlā, became jealous of her and having cut her hair, put her into custody. Vasumatī or better known as Candanā, is said to have offered food to Mahāvīra and joined his rank as a nun.⁴²

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⁴² Āva Nir, 520 f; Āva. Ṭī, p. 294 f;

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Damadanta

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It is said that Damadanta ruled at Hatthīsīsa. Damadanta and the Pāṇḍavas of Hatthināura were not on good terms with each other. Once when the former went to visit the king Jarāsandha of Rāyagaha, the Pāṇḍavas are said to plundered and burnt the city of Hatthīsīsa. Later on, Damadanta besieged Hatthināura and the Pāṇḍavas shut themselves in their palaces in fear.⁴³

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⁴³ Āva Cū p 492.

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Damaghosa

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It is mentioned that Sisupāla was the son of Damaghosa, who was invited to attend the marriage of Dovaī in Kampillapura. He was ruling in Suttivai with his five hundred brothers.⁴⁴ Maddi, the daughter of Andhagavahṇī, was the mother of Sisupāla.⁴⁵

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⁴⁴ Nāyā. 8. p. 178.

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⁴⁵ Sūya. p. 79.

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Dandagi

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It is stated that Daṇḍagi ruled at Kumbhakārakaḍa. He married the daughter of Khaṇḍaga of Campā (see under Daṇḍakāraṇṇa, Section V).

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Dandaki is identical with Dandakya of Kauṭilya and Daṇḍaka of the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata.⁴⁶

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⁴⁶ P B I, p. 57 ff

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*Dasāra*

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The ten Dasāra kings are mentioned as the sons of Aṇḍagavahṇi; Samuddavijaya was the chief amongst all (see Aṇḍagavahṇi). It is said that first they were reigning in Mathurā but from fear of Jarāsandha, migrated to Bāravai and began to rule there.⁴⁷ It is mentioned that the description of the Dasāra kings was given in the fourth chapter of the *Bandhadasā*, which is now lost.⁴⁸

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⁴⁷ Das. cū, p 41, Dasārahas are mentioned as a group of Khattiyas (Samyutta, II, p. 266f). According to Buddhaghosa, they were so called because they took one-tenth of the corn (Com. II, p 167), also see Mahābhārata (II·40 5)

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⁴⁸ Thā. 10·755

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*Dhruvasena*

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Dhruvasena ruled at Ānandapura. It is said that when his son died, after 980 or 993 years of Mahāvīra's death the *Kalpasūtra* was recited.⁴⁹

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⁴⁹ Kalpa. Ṭī, p. 8a.

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*Dhundhumāra*

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It is said that Dhundhumāra ruled at Sumsumārapura. His daughter Aṅgāravatī was an adherent of the Jain faith. It is stated that in order to get her, Pajjova laid seige to the city.⁵⁰

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⁵⁰ Ava. Cū., II, p. 199 f.

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*Dīha*

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Dīha ruled at Kosala. In Pali literature he is represented as Dīghati.⁵¹ (See Bambha).

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⁵¹ See Mahāvagga, pp. 342 ff.

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*Dummuha or Jaya*

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It is mentioned that king Dummuha, otherwise known as Jaya, who was born in the Hari family, ruled at Kampillapura. Once a great diadem (*mahāmauda*) was unearthed from the ground, which was put by the king on his head. By its magic power the king is said to have become two-faced (*dummuha*), and hence he came to be known as Dummuha. It is said that Pajjoya had an eye on this diadem and so he demanded it, but Dummuha replied that if Pajjoya was prepared to part with his elephant, Nalagiri, his chariot, Aggibhīru, his spouse, Sivā and his letter-carrier, Lohajaṅgha, then only he would part with his diadem. On this, Pajjoya declared war against Dummuha, in which the former lost and was taken prisoner. Pajjoya was brought to Kampillapura where he fell in love with the princess, Mayanamañjarī, and married her.

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It is said that once there was a great festival in honour of Indra in Kampillapura. Dummuha beheld the banner of Indra falling down and thenceforth he renounced the world.⁵²

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⁵² *Uttarā Ṭī* 9, p 135f, cf the cause of his renunciation according to the Buddhists, see *Kumbhakāra Jātaka*. For other traditions, see also *P B I*, p 48, *P H A I* pp 61, 70, 114

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