The State in Ancient India: A Study in the Structure and Practical Working of Political Institutions in North India in Ancient Times c11.47

c11.47

Śaiśunāga dynasty founded by Śiśunāga or Śiśunāka about the middle of the 7th century B.C.¹ His kingdom is said to have included 80,000 villages, each under a chief or headman.² The Cullavagga records an incident pertaining to Bimbisāra’s administration, and showing that the king had a number of Mahāmattas or ministers who were expected to give him sound advice. Bimbisāra dismissed some Mahāmattas who had advised him badly, degraded some others with whose counsel he was not satisfied and promoted those whose advice he approved of.³ An incident relating to the reign of Ajātaśatru, son of Bimbisāra, shows that the state reserved forests even in those early days. A Bhikṣu’s action in taking wood from a reserved forest is noticed by Vassakāra, a minister of Ajātaśatru, and brought to the knowledge of the Buddha.⁴ The Vinaya Piṭaka shows that towns had gates which were closed at night when all entry was forbidden.⁵ Both Bimbisāra or Śreṇika and Ajātaśatru or Kuṇika are claimed by Jainas and Buddhists as adherents of their religions. Probably they patronised both the creeds and displayed that wide tolerance and appreciation of divergent persuasions which characterised so many rulers in ancient India. It is possible to form some idea of the tenure of inter-state relationships in the Buddha’s days. Bimbisāra is said to have contracted marriage alliances with the kings of several states. These, we may be sure, were quite common in ancient India. It is said that on Kośala Devī, one of the wives of Bimbisāra, the revenues of an estate in Kāśī had been settled by her father Mahâkośala. When the lady died of grief at the tragic end, of her husband, the payment was no longer made to Magadha. Thereupon, Ajātaśatru commenced a war which, with varying fortune, was closed with a marriage alliance.¹ The diplomatic relations of states already extended over nearly the whole of India. Ajātaśatru is said to have fortified his capital Rājagṛiha against an apprehended attack from Ujjayinī.² Ajātaśatru actually came into conflict with the Vajjian confederacy. He is represented as saying, "I will root out these Vajjians, mighty and powerful though they be, I will destroy these Vajjians, I will bring these Vajjians to utter ruin." He built a fort at Pāṭaliputra (Pāṭaliputta) on the Ganges on the frontier, treacherously sowed dissensions among the Vajjians, at last overran their territory, destroyed Vesālī and butchered its people.³