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According to the Buddhist tradition, the name of Kunika's queen was Vajirā. She was the daughter of Prasenajit, King of Kosala. The name of Kūnika's son, according to the Buddhist tradition, Udayibhadra. He was born of Padmavati, according to the Jaina tradition, and of Vajira, according to the Buddhist tradition. In being born of Vajirā, however, there aris es one inconsistency, viz., that whereas, as per the Buddhist tradition, Udayibhadra was born on the dame day on which Bimbisara died (150), Vajirā was married after Bimbisāra's death(151).
Death of Kūnika
The account of the death of Ajātasatru Kūņika is widely different in the two accounts. According to the Jaina account, Kūņika asked Bhagavān Mahāvira,
"Bhante! Where do the world-monarchs go after death"?
- "A world monarch dying while in office goes to the
seventh hell"
- "Where shall I go after my death"?
- "You will go to the sixth hell".
- "Then am I not a world monarch"?
- "No, you are not".
This made Künika anxious to become a world monarch. He created 12 artificial jewels and set out for the conquest of the six regions of the world. When he reached the Timisra cave, however, he was stopped by a god who said,
"Only a world monarch can pass through this cave, and already there have been 12 world monarchs". On this, Kūņika said,
"Then, count me as the thirteenth".
