320 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [Sept., 1914. 



Puranas agree that the latter was a descendant of Romapada 

 of the Ramayana, though they differ as to the degree of his 

 descent. Adhiratha was a charioteer of the Kauravas. 1 In 

 his expedition to secure tributes for the Rajasuya sacrifice of 

 Yudhisthira, Bhlma after the conquest of Magadha fought 

 with Karna (king of Ahga), defeated him and brought him 

 under subjection." 



The 6th century before the Christian era forms one of 

 the greatest epochs in the history of the religious ideas of the 

 Hindus. Mahavlra, the last Tirthankara of the Jainas, and 

 Buddha, the founder of a new sect, flourished during this 

 period. The theories of salvation and doctrines of morality 

 as propounded by them prevailed over those of other reformers 

 who arose at that period. The kings and nobles at that time 

 rolled in riches and revelled in luxury; parricide, 3 murder and 

 deception were not deemed as offences; morality was at its 

 lowest ebb ; Brahminism was reduced to a mere form,* liberation 

 of the soul was associated with the performance of sacrifices and 

 merit was considered to depend upon the number of animals 

 sacrificed; 6 priestcraft was in the ascendant, the people were 

 steeped in superstition and self-enjoyment was the order of 

 the day. There was a reaction: self-culture, self-restraint, 

 kindness to all living creatures and elevation of thoughts were 

 promulgated as the only means of liberation from re-birth. 

 The Tirthankara and the Tathagata were contemporaries: 

 Mahavira was older than Buddha by eighteen years. The 

 former died m 569 b.c. at 72 years of age, and the latter died 

 in 543 b.c. when he was 80 years old. 6 



Ahga was then one of the sixteen great kingdoms of 

 India. At the latter end of the 7th century and beginning of 

 oth century B.C., the country was governed' bv Dadhivahana, 



1 Mbh.,i, 137. 



1 -Moi., l, 137. 2 ibid., ii, 30. 



3 Kautilya's ArthaSastra, ch. xvii (Protection of Princes): Bharad- 

 aja quoted. v ' 



• quoted. 



* Kassapa-sihanada Sutta (Dr. Rhys Davids : Dialogues of the Bud- 



„<><■ -l I 66 I F" t . ad < inta Srtia. Though this Sutta is a sarcastic travesty, 



yet it describes the ordinary practices and rituals at real Vedic sacrifices : 



And lurther, O Brahman, at that sacrifice [of King Maha-Vijita] 



neither were any oxen slain, neither goats, nor fowls, nor fatted pigs, 



nor were any kinds of living creatures put to death. * * * And the 

 Slaves and messengers and workmen there employed were driven neither 

 oy rods nor fear, nor carried on their work weeping with tears upon 

 tneir taces In another place it is said : " And a hundred bulls and a 

 h^K 1* j? d a hundr ed heifers, and a hundred goats, and a 



hundred rams had been brought to the post for the sacrifice.'' 



n ij .t. , COr , dmg to the Ceylonese f*- •-— ' ---- T — 



Uoldstucker s Panini, pp. 231-233- 



^'Z-W-.S.b.E., xvii, 146 note. 



Mamdhft kw^ /r a t kin g d °ms (Maha-Janapadas) were: Ahga 



U^'^^^h^h^^^^ Vamia, Kuru, P*»eh«la 



