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 247

218 POLITICAL HISTORY OF ANCIENT INDIA
of Kaušāmbi was at this time annexed to the realm of Pālaka of Avanti, the son of Pradyota and was governed by a prince belonging to his family. The two kingdoms, Magadha and Avanti, were brought face to face with each other. The war of nerves between the two for ascendancy probably began, as we have seen, in the reign of Ajātaśatru. It must have continued during the reign of Udāyin. The issue was finally decided in the time of Śišunāga, or of Nanda as Jaina tradition seems to suggest.
Udāyin's successors in the Purānas are Nandivardhana and Mahānandin. According to the Jainas he left no heir. The Ceylonese chroniclers place after Udāyi the kings named Anuruddha, Munda and NāgaDāsaka, This tradition is partially confirmed by the
1 For a traditional account of the conflict between Udayin and the king of Avanti, see IHQ, 1929, 399.
In the opinion of Dr. Jayaswal one of the famous "Patna Statues" which, at the time of the controversy, stood in the Bhārhut Gallery of the Indian Museum (Ind. Ant., 1919, pp. 29ff.), is a portrait of Udāyin. According to him the statue bears the following words:
Bhage ACHO chhonidhise.
He identifies ACHO with king Aja mentioned in the Bhāgavata list of saišunāga kings, and with Udāyin of the Matsya, Vāyu and Brahnānda lists. Dr. Jayaswal's reading and interpretation of the inscription have not, however, been accepted by several scholars including Dr. Barnett, Mr. Chanda and Dr. R. C. Majumdar. Dr. Smith, however, while unwilling to dogmatize, was of opinion that the statue was pre-Maurya. In the third edition of his A soka he considers Dr. Jayaswal's theory as probable. The characters of the short inscription on the statue are so difficult to read that it is well-nigh impossible to come to a final decision. For the present the problem must be regarded as 'not yet definitely solved. Cunningham described the statue as that of a Yaksha. According to him the figure bore the words "Yakhe Achusanigika," Mr. Chanda's reading is : Bha (?) ga Achachha nivika (the owner of inexhaustible capital, i. e., Vaisravana). See Indian Antiquary, March, 1919. Dr. Majumdar reads : Gate (Yakhe?) Lechchhai (vi) 40. 4. (Ind. Ant., 1919).
2 Ind. Ant., II. 362. 3 Parisishtaparvan, VI. 236.