The State in Ancient India: A Study in the Structure and Practical Working of Political Institutions in North India in Ancient Times c10.94

c10.94

The political conditions reflected in the Jâtakas display the same feudal tendencies and the same tenure of foreign relationships as the Epics. The size of a state was, as usual, small but the ever-present tendency towards expansion led to complications. A king would sometimes attack another without any provocation (II, 95). They raid each other's frontier (I, 263 et seq.). Another king finds his city surrounded by numerous potentates because astrologers have predicted universal dominion for his daughter's son. He has to fly to the forest (IV, 230). We are told of a single sovereign capturing a thousand "kings" and seeking to make a sacrifice of them (III, 159 et seq.). Elsewhere we hear of ten brothers slaying on the wheel thousands and thousands of conquered 'kings' (IV, 84). The passion for war is well caricatured in the Cullakalinga Jâtaka. A king of Dantapur in Kalinga, gifted with enormous personal strength and commanding a fine army, could find none willing to fight him. 'I am longing to fight,' said he to his ministers, "but can find no one to war with me." On the suggestion of the ministers he sends his four daughters, bedecked with jewels, round about so as to be able to declare war on potentates who might be tempted to take any one of the damsels into their harem (III, 3 et seq.). Victory in war did sometimes lead to annexation. Thus, the king of Kâsî conquers, annexes and plunders Kosala (III, 116, 153; V, 425). We read of another king whose territory is annexed and who himself is captured and suspended head downwards on the lintel of the door (III, 13). But sometimes the defeated rulers were suffered to retain their dominions on acknowledgment of suzerainty.