Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c4.t7.26

c4.t7.26

The figure of the *Coraghātaka* is as distinct as it is cruel. A hatchet (*pharasu*) on his shoulder, and a thorny rope (*kaṇṭakakasan*) in his hand, dressed in a yellow robe (*Kāsāyanivāsano*) and adorned with a red garland (*rattlamā-lādharo*) he accompanied the horrible procession and prepared himself for his cruel task.¹ There in the place of execution (*āgāṭam*) the condemned person was placed within the fatal circle (*dhammagaṇḍikam*) and the axe did its deed.² Such savage sentences were a prominent sign of those early days when society and government were not so well organised and well advanced as to deal with all such problems in a proper manner. They may have survived in the Middle Ages, but have greatly been lessened in their severity with the march of progress in modern times. The main force in giving such harsh and inhuman punishments in those days is set forth by Bertrand (now Lord) Russel while discussing the current movements towards the betterment of society. Says he: "Severity of punishment arose through vindictiveness and fear in an age when many criminals escaped justice altogether, and it was hoped that savage sentences would outweigh the chance of escape in the mind of the criminal."³