Epigraphia Indica Vol 24

SR No.: 032578
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1937
Total Pages: 472
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 22 MB

Page 238

No 27.) SEVEN BRAHMI INSCRIPTIONS FROM MATHURA AND ITS VICINITY. 1$T
rest of the 60,000 fighting men, over Mahäsene and the rest of the 56,000 mighty men, over Virasene and the rest of the 21,000 warriors, over Uggasene and the rest of the 16,000 kings, over Ruppiņi and the rest of the 16,000 queens, over Apangasena and the rest of the many thousands of courtesans, and over many kings, princes, barons, (prefects, mayors, bankers, traders, captains, nerchants, and others, over the city of Bäraval and the whole of the southern half of Bhārabe-vāse.'1
In the sixteenth chapter of the Nāyādhammakahão, we are told how King Drupada sends & messenger to Dvåravati and commands him to invite to the svayarivara of his daughter Draupadi "Kanhan Vasudevar, Samuddavijaya pāmokkhe dasa Dasäre, Baladevapāmokkhe pacha mabăvire ...." The list which follows agrees verbatim with that of the Antagadadasão, merely omitting the queens and courtesans, inserting Uggasena between Baladeva and Pajjunna, and inverting the order of Mahāseņa and Virasena. A third version found in the Vanhidasão is also practically identical.
There can hardly be any doubt that the Baladevapāmokkhā pañcha mahāvīrā included in the canonical list are identical with the holy pañchaviras of the Vpishộis mentioned in the Mörä inscription, but sought for in vain in Brahmanical literature.
The question now arises : who are the other four mahāviras besides Baladeva ? The canonical list, though it does not give us their names, yet furnishes at least some negative clue for their identification, because it clearly excludes from their number several of the most prominent Vpishnis known to Jaina tradition, viz., Kpishņa, the ten Daśārbas (including Vasudeva), Pradyumna, Samba, Ugraseda, Mahasena, and Virasena. We must obviously look for four names, other than those just mentioned, which must be equally well known to the Jainas and the Brahmins. Further, considering that Baladeva, the leader of the group, is the eldest son of Vasudeva, the conjecture is perhaps not too far-fetched that the other four mahāvīras might be looked for among the brothers, or half-brothers, of Baladeva. Now the Jaina Harivamsapurāna gives a long list of Yadava princes who, under Kșishna's command, took the field against Jarasandha; the list is found, in almost identical form, in Jinasena's Harivamsapurana (48, 38-74) and in Hemachandra's Trishashtisalākā. purushacharitra (VIII, 7, 155-193). In this list no less than 47 sons of Vasudeva are enumerated. This great number is easily accounted for by the fact that Vasudeva has taken the place of Naravābanadatta in the Jaina version of the Brihatkathā, the so-called Vasudevahindi, which forms also part of the Harivansapurāna. Just like his Brahmanical counterpart, Vasudeva during his "hindi” wins 26 consorts, and the Jainas apparently thought fit that with each, or at least nost of them, he should beget one or more sons. The list of the Harivamsapurāņa accordingly distributes the 47 sons among 23 mothers. Under these circumstances, it stands to reason that most of those 47 names are secondary Jain inventions not likely to be niet with in Brahmanical literature. As a matter of fact, almost all of them are either purely fantastic or, if they do occur in Brahmanical texts, their bearers are certainly no Vpishņis. The only exceptions to this--apart, of course, front Krishna and Baladeve--are four names, viz., Akrūra, Anādhfishti, Sāraṇa, and Vidfiratha. These four are well-known Vpishņi princes expressly denoted as such in the Mahabharata'.
That the Harigamapuräna list of Vasudeva's sons should include, besides Kșishna, Baladeve and neither more por lose than just four younger brothers of his who are recognised as Vrishoi princes in the Mahabharata is no doubt a very remarkable coincidence. It can certainly not be regarded as & cogent evidence, yet I think we may feel justified in assuming that the “ five great
Oriental Transl. Pund, N. 8.-Vol. XVII, p. 13f. · Vide Sörensen's Index to the Names in the Mahabharata