Materials for the Study of the Early History of the Vaishnava Sect c8.151

c8.151

The Ghata Jātaka⁸ gives the Buddhist version of the story of Vāsudeva just as the Daśaratha Jātaka gives the Buddhist version of the legend of Rāma. It describes Vāsudeva as a scion of the royal family of “Upper Madhurā”.⁹ but does not give the name of the family. But it is not difficult to find out that the Vṛishṇi family is meant. The Jātaka says that the family of Vāsudeva perished for their irreverent conduct towards Kaṇhadīpāyana.¹⁰ The Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstra refers to this incident but substitutes “the corporation of the Vṛishṇis” for the family of Vāsudeva :—