Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c7.s6.t6.5

c7.s6.t6.5

Another reference to prison is made in the Nāyādhammakahā. It is mentioned that once for some slight fault, the merchant Dhanna of Rāyagiha, referred to above, was arrested and was put into prison where the robber Vijaya was undergoing imprisonment. Both were put together and their feet were bound in the same wooden frame The wife of the merchant used to send her husband a sealed tiffin box (bhoyana-piḍaga) every day through her servant. Vijaya requested Dhanna to share his food with him but the latter always refused saying that as he had murdered his daughter he preferred giving it to crows and dogs or he would throw away on dung-hills but he would never share it with a murderer of his own child. Once Dhanna wanted to go to attend the call of nature. He asked Vijaya to accompany him to a place where he could be at ease. But Vijaya refused saying that he had taken plenty of food and drink and hence it was natural for him to go for excretion whereas he had nothing to eat. The merchant again requested the robber and ultimately agreed to share his food with him. In course of time, through the influence of his relatives and friends, and after paying money to the king, Dhanna was released from prison. He immediately left for a hair cutting saloon (alaṅkāriyasabhā), he bathed in a lake and having offered oblations (balıkamma) to the deities, he came home. The robber Vijaya, however, died in the prison and never came out.⁶⁸ We are told about the imprisonment of king Seṇiya who was given hundred lashes every morning and evening; neither food and drink was allowed, nor anybody was permitted to interview the king. Later on, his queen Cellanā was allowed to see him, she concealed food in her hair and offered it to her husband.⁶⁹