Political History Of Ancient India

SR No.: 032292
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hemchandra Raychaudhari
Publisher: University of Calcutta
Publication Year: 1950
Total Pages: 714
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

Page 125

96 POLITICAL HISTORY OF ANCIENT INDIA
1. Anga
9. Pādha (Pandya or Paundra) 2. Banga (Vanga)
10. Lādha (Laţa or Rādha) 3. Magaha (Magadha) 11. Bajji (Vajji) 4. Malaya
12. Moli (Malla) 5. Mālava (ka)
13. Kāsi (Kāsi) 6. Achchha
14. Kosala 7. Vachchha (Vatsa) -- 15. Avāha 8. Kochchha (Kachchha ?) 16. Sambhuttara (Sumhottara ?)
It will be seen that Aiga, Magadha, Vatsa, Vajji, Kāsi, and Kosala are common to both the lists. Mālava of the Bhagavati is probably identical with Avanti of the Anguttara. Moli is probably a corruption of Malla. The other states mentioned in the Bhagavati are new, and indicate a knowledge of the far east and the far south of India. The more extended horizon of the Bhagavati clearly proves that its list is later than the one given in the Buddhist Anguttara. We shall, therefore, accept the Buddhist list as a correct representation of the political condition of India after the fall of the House of Janaka.
Of the sixteen Mahājanapadas Kāsi was probably at first the most powerful. We have already seen that Kāsi probably played a prominent part in the subversion of the Videhan monarchy. Several Jatakas bear witness to the superiority of its capital Benares over the other cities, and the imperial ambition of its rulers. The Guttila Jatalca? says that the city of Benares is the chief city in all India. It extended over twelve leagues whereas
1 Mr. E. J. Thomas suggests (History of Buddhist Thought, p. 6) that the Jaina author who makes no mention of the northern Kambojas and Gandhāras but includes several south Indian peoples in his list, "wrote in South India and compiled his list from countries that he knew." If the writer was really ignorant of the northern peoples his Mālavas could not have been in the Pañjāb and must be located in Central India. In that case his account can hardly be assigned to a very early date.
2 No. 243.
3 "Dvādasa-yojanikam sakala-Bārānasi-nagaram"--Sambhava Jataka, No. 515 ; Sarabha-miga J., 483 ; Bhūridatta J., 543.