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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.t7: Choice by Divine Will

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c7.s1.t7

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Choice by Divine Will

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There was another custom of choosing a successor to the vacant throne. It was the choice by the horse²³ which was made to roam about the town. The commentary on the *Uttarādhyayana* refers to prince Mūladeva of Pādaliputta who was consecrated on the throne of Bennāyada in this manner. It is said that when the king died heirless, the five divine articles (*kakuha*) were prepared and were taken out in a procession. At last the royal officers reached a place where Mūladeva was sitting under the shade of a tree. Seeing him there, the elephant trumpeted, the horse neighed, the pitcher sprinkled water, the chowries fanned and the parasol placed itself above him. Then the people pronounced the cries of victory and Mūladeva was mounted on the elephant and was taken to the town where he was declared sovereign by the ministers and tributary kings (mantisāmanta).²⁴ Then we are told about the prince Karakaṇḍu who succeeded to the throne of Kañcanapura. In this case, the horse came as usual and after moving round the prince stopped in front of him. The citizens noticed specific marks on his body, the cries of victory were uttered and the musical instrument nandi was beaten. At this time the prince got up from his slumber and was taken to the town where he was consecrated on the throne.²⁵ Then the Āvaśyaka Cūrṇi refers to Ṇhāviyadāsa Nanda, who sat on the throne of Pāḍaliputta. It is said that the horse turned his back (patthim aḍḍeti) towards him and he was declared sovereign.²⁶ Further we hear of the robber Mūladeva, who was being taken by the police officers for execution, but at this time, luckily the king died heirless and as customary the horse was taken around the town, which turned its back towards Mūladeva who succeeded to the throne.²⁷

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²³ In the *Kathākośa* (trans. Tawney. p 4 and note) an elephant with a pitcher of water roams about for seven days and chooses a person.

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²⁴ 3 p. 63 a The Ovā. Sū, II, p 44 mentions sword (khagga), umbrella (chatta), crown (upphesa), shoes (vāhana) and chowries (vālaviāna), as the five insignia of a king, cf Milindapañha, p 330

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²⁵ Uttarā. Ṭī., 9 p 134

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²⁶ II p. 180

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²⁷ Vya Bhā, 4 169 In the Darīmukha Jātaka (III, No 378, p 239) this ceremony is called the phussaratha or the festal car ceremony Seven days after the death of an heirless king, the Purohita let a festal car, the phussaratha, be driven accompanied by four-fold army amidst the beating of many hundred drums It was expected to go to man destined to be the king The man whom the car singled out by stopping near him was made king, also Mahā-anaka Jātaka (No. 534, VI, p 39), also see Kathāsaritsāgara, Vol V, Ch. lxv, pp. 175-7, note on Pañcadvyādhavāsa, J A O S, Vol 33, pp. 158-66.

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