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Cūrni and others, there is nothing either in the Jaina or any other tradition to prove that he was anything other than a Jaina. Under the circumstances, it may be claimed that he was a Jaina.
His family
Tris'alā, Mahāvira's mother was the sister of Cetaka. All the daughters of Cetaka were settled in marriage with the principal kings of the time, and were themselves wellknown. They were: Prabhayati married to King Udayana of Vitabhaya, Padmāyati married to King Dadhivahana of Anga, Mrgāvati married to King Satānika of Vatsa, Sivā married to King Canda-pradyota of Ujjain, Jyesthā married to Mahāvira's elder brother, Nandivardhana, and Celana
ed to King Bimbisāra of Magadha. One of his daughters, Sujyesthā, was initiated in the order of Mahāvira.
Vaiśāli Republic
The kingdom of Cetaka was well-known as the Vaisali Republic, which consisted of many small and big kingdoms. (238). Together, these kingdoms constituted a 'fede on or 'confederacy'. According to the Jātaka Atthakathā, (239), the confederacy had 7707 members. All the members of the confederacy were called 'kings'. King Siddhārtha, Mahāvira's father, has been stated to be a member of this Confederacy(240). According to Panini, (241), these kings were coronated in the usual manner, and enjoyed full autonomy in their own territory. It was customary to call a coronated king as 'Rājanya'. We have it in the Lalitavistara (242) that the Licchavis did not recognise any difference in status between one king and another, and each had a feeling, 'I am a king'. Each king had his own vassals, commanders, store-keepers, etc. Each member of the Confederacy maintained a palace, guest-house, etc., at the metropolis of the entire confederacy, Vaisāli. The Assembly of the 77 07 kings was called the Confederate Assembly and the entire Confederacy was called Vajjī or Licchavi Confederacy.
The Republic had two Committees consisting of nine members each. One looked after the administration of justice and the other took care of the external relations.
