Udayin
Udayin
King of Magadha from c. 460 BC to 444 BC
Udayin (c. 460-444 BCE) also known as Udayabhadra was a king of Magadha in ancient India. According to the Buddhist and Jain accounts, he was the son and successor of the Haryanka king Ajatashatru. Udayin laid the foundation of the city of Pataliputra at the confluence of two rivers, the Son and the Ganges. He shifted his capital from Rajagriha to Pataliputra due to the latter's central location in the empire.
| Udayin | |
|---|---|
Sculpture of Udayin | |
| Ruler of Magadha 3rd Haryanka Maharaja | |
| Reign | c. 460 – c. 444 BCE |
| Predecessor | Ajatashatru |
| Successor | Anuruddha [1] |
| Died | 444 BC |
| Dynasty | Haryanka |
| Father | Ajatashatru |
| Mother | Vajira |
| Religion | Jainism, Buddhism |
According to the Buddhist accounts, the successors of the Magadha ruler Bimbisara were Ajatashatru, Udayabhadra (Udayin), Anuruddha, Munda and Nagadasaka.[2] The Jain tradition mentions Udayin as the son and successor of Ajatashatru.[3] Kings Bimbisara (c. 558 – c. 491 BCE), Ajatashatru (c. 492–460 BCE), and Udayin (c. 460–440 BCE) of the Haryanka dynasty were patrons of Jainism.[4] However, the Puranas name the successors of Bimbisara as Ajatashatru, Darshaka, Udayin, Nandivardhana and Mahanandin.[2][5] The Matsya Purana names Vamsaka as the successor of Ajatashatru.[6] Since the Buddhist texts were composed at a later date, the Hindu purans seems to be more reliable.[2] The Nagadasaka of the Buddhist chronicles is identified with the "Darshaka" of the Puranas.[7]
Professor H. C. Seth (1941) identified Udayin with the king Udayana mentioned in the Sanskrit play Svapnavasavadatta.[6] The Chinese traveler Xuanzang states that the last descendant of Bimbisara built a sangharama (monastery) at Tiladaka. Seth theorized that this last descendant was Darshaka, and Udayin established a new dynasty, as signified by his transfer of the empire's capital from Rajgriha to Pataliputra.[8] Liladhar B. Keny (1943) criticized Seth's theory as incorrect. According to him, the Udayana of Svapnavasavadatta was a different king, who ruled Vatsa kingdom with his capital at Kaushambi.[6]
R. G. Bhandarkar notes that the name of Darshaka (Dasaka) is prefixed with the word "Naga" in the Buddhist chronicles, which may signify his detachment to his successors and his attachment to the Nagas of Padmavati . This implies that he may be from a different family and had become the king approximately three generations after Ajatashatru, not immediately succeeding him.[9]
The Buddhist traditions state that Udayin was Ajatashatru's favourite son, and was alive during the reign of his grandfather Bimbisara. When Ajatashatru met Gautama Buddha, Udayin was a young prince.[7] Udayin ruled during c. 460-444 BC.[10] he established his capital at Pataliputra at the confluence of the Son and the Ganges rivers.[11] His father had built a fort here to repulse a potential Pradyota invasion from Avanti. Udayin moved his capital to Pataliputra, probably because it was at the centre of his growing kingdom.[3]
He defeated Palaka of Avanti multiple times but was ultimately killed by him in 444 BC.[12] The Puranas mention Nandivardhana as the successor of Udayin. However, the Sri Lankan Buddhist chronicles state that he was succeeded by Anuruddha. These Buddhist chronicles also state that all the kings from Ajatashatru to Nagadasaka, including Udayin, killed their fathers.[3] Jain texts mention that Udayin was killed by an assassin of rival kingdom.[11] Being childless, he was succeeded by Nanda who was selected by his ministers.[11]
Citations
- V. K. Agnihotri, ed. (2010). Indian History. Allied Publishers. p. A-168. ISBN 978-81-8424-568-4.
- Glasenapp, Helmuth von (1999). Jainism: An Indian Religion of Salvation. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 978-81-208-1376-2.
- Upinder Singh 2016, p. 273.
- Bhandarkar, Devadatta Ramkrishna (1918). "Lectures on the ancient history of India, on the period from 650 to 325 B. C." University of Calcutta. pp. 71–72.
- R.S. Sharma (2006). India's Ancient Past. Oxford University Press India. p. 158. ISBN 978-0-19-908786-0.
- Natubhai Shah 2004, p. 42.
- Kailash Chand Jain 1972, p. 102.
Sources
- Jain, Kailash Chand (1972), Malwa Through the Ages (First ed.), Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-0805-8
- Keny, Liladhar B. (1943). "The supposed identification of Udayana of Kauśāmbi with Udayin of Magadha". Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. 24 (1/2). Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute: 60–66. JSTOR 41784405.
- Singh, Upinder (2016), A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century, Pearson PLC, ISBN 978-81-317-1677-9
- Shah, Natubhai (2004) [First published in 1998], Jainism: The World of Conquerors, vol. I, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-1938-2
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | King of Magadha c. 460–444 BC |
Succeeded by Anuruddha |