Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c7.s6.t5.6

c7.s6.t5.6

People giving rise to the slightest degree of suspicion in the minds of the kings, were punished heavily and often were deprived of their life. We hear of Kappaya, the minister of Nanda, who was once preparing for the wedding feast of his son. The ex-minister of Nanda, who was a rival of Kappaya, informed the king that Kappaya was making preparations to establish his son on the royal seat. The king, without making much inquiry, is said to have ordered Kappaya and his whole family to be cast into a well.⁴⁸ The same plot was devised by Vararuci against his rival Sagaḍāla, the minister of the ninth Nanda. When Sagaḍāla came to know that he was suspected by the king and being anxious to prevent the ruin of his whole family, he persuaded his son to put him (Sagaḍāla) to death.⁴⁹ Cāṇakya too is said to have met the same fate at the hands of his master. It is said that once Subandhu, who was jealous of Cāṇakya, approached the king and reported that the latter had killed his (king's) mother.⁵⁰ The king inquired of the maid-servant, who confirmed the report. Next day when Cāṇakya visited his master, he did not receive him properly. Cāṇakya felt that now his life was drawing to its close. So being indifferent to worldly interests, he retired to the jungle to starve himself to death, and was consumed in the flames.⁵¹