Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c7.s6.t2.1

c7.s6.t2.1

Various kinds of offences are mentioned in the Jain texts, amongst which robbery, adultery murder and non-execution of the king's order are the chief. Robbery was considered a regular art (*vijjā*) in ancient India.¹⁴ Various types of thieves are mentioned: thieves (*āmosa*), robbers (*lomahaka*), cut-purses (*ganthibheya*) and burglars (*takkara*)¹⁵ The Jain canons describe a number of robbers of fame, who resided well-guarded in the robber-settlements known as *corapalli*. The *Vivāgasuya* gives a graphic description of a *corapalli* known as Sālādavī situated in the north of Purimatāla in a forest. The *corapalli* was located in an unapproachable mountain-ravine; it was further guarded by a wall and bamboo-hedges (*vamsyāli*) and surrounded by a trench (*pariha*) formed by inaccessible water-falls (*pavāya*) of the mountain. It had one gate but there were many secret passages and it had its own water supply.¹⁶ Sīhaguhā is mentioned as another *corapalli* in Rāyagiha.¹⁷