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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c7.s1.t4: Succession by Primogeniture

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c7.s1.t4

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Succession by Primogeniture

c7.s1.t4.1

It has been pointed out that as a general custom, the kingdom descended directly to the king's eldest son and all was right if the king had an heir, but if he died heirless, it was a great problem for the ministers.¹⁷ Under such circumstances, finding no other alternative, the heirless kings were often advised by their ministers to beget sons through the medium of the monks. If the monks did not agree to the proposal they were brought to the palace under the pretext of hearing religious discourses or being asked to worship some holy image. Of the monks those who were full of youth and energies were forced to cohabit with the inmates of the palace under the threat of execution; those unwilling were even beheaded.¹⁸ The *Brhatkalpa Bhāṣya* refers to another interesting practice of succession. It is said that a certain king had three princes who joined the ascetic order. In course of time, the king died and it so happened that the three ascetic princes arrived in the city and sojourned in a garden. When the ministers came to learn of the arrival of the princes, they approached them along with the royal insignia and requested them to come back and accept the sceptre. The first prince succumbed to temptation as he could not stand the ascetic life, the second did not move from his resolve, whereas the third was concealed by his preceptor in some nunnery.¹⁹

c7.s1.t4.2

¹⁷ Cf *Naya*, 14, p. 153 f

c7.s1.t4.3

¹⁸ *Brh. Bhā*., 4. 4948, also cf *Kusa Jātaka* (No. 531, V, 278 ff); also cf. the evil results a monk visiting the king's harem (*Anguttara*, V, p 81ff).

c7.s1.t4.4

¹⁹ 3. 3760-71, also *cf* *Vya Bhā*, 3 192, p 40

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