Ajatashatru

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Ajatashatru

Discover the historical significance of Ajatashatru, an influential figure in ancient India, through our comprehensive guide. Uncover the life and reign of this great ruler, exploring his achievements, political strategies, and lasting influence on the Magadha Empire. Gain insight into his military campaigns, political alliances, and contributions to the cultural and social landscape of his era. Explore its association with notable figures, including its relationship to Buddhism and figures such as Gautama Buddha. Whether you’re a history buff or interested in the prominent figures of ancient India, our guide offers an in-depth exploration of Ajatashatra’s reign and sheds light on his key role in shaping the historical, cultural, and political narrative of ancient India.

Ajatashatru

Historical FiguresAjatashatru
Birthdate512 BCE
ReignApprox. 492–460 BCE
DynastyHaryanka dynasty
CapitalRajagriha (modern-day Rajgir, Bihar, India)
SignificanceExpansion and consolidation of Magadha conflicts with the Licchavis of Vaishali and association with Buddhism
Ajatashatru

Introduction

Ajatashatru, a famous Indian king, belonged to the Harayanka dynasty of Magadha. His father was Bimbisara, a contemporary of Lord Buddha and Mahavira. He forcibly imprisoned his father, Bimbisara, and enthroned the kingdom of Magadha. Kosaladevi was his mother, a queen also called Vaidehi, so he is known as Vaidehiputra. We can find his story in the Buddhist Tripitaka and the Jain Agamas. According to Jain tradition, Ajatashatru was born to Bimbisara and Queen Chela, and Buddhist tradition records that Bimbisara and Kosala Devi were his parents.

Family of Ajatshatru

  • (i) According to the Nirayavaliya Sutta, Ajatashatru was born to King Bimbisara and Queen Chellana, who was the daughter of Chetak, King of Vaishali, who was the brother of Queen Trishala, the mother of Mahavira. Ajatashatra had eight wives.
  • (ii) According to Digha Nikaya, Ajatashatru was born to King Bimbisara and Queen Kosala Devi, who was the daughter of Maha-Kosala, King of Kosala, and sister of Pasenadi, who later ascended the throne. Ajatashatru had 500 wives, but the main consort was Princess Vajira. The city of Kasi was given to Bimbisara as a dowry to Maha-Kosala. After Bimbisara’s murder, Prasenajit took back the city. This resulted in a war between Ajatashatru and Prasenajit. The war ended with a peace treaty in which Prasenajit married his daughter Vajira. Ajatashatru later had a son named Udayabhadda, or Udayabhadra.

Conquered Lichchhavi Kingdom

The attack on Vaishali was a major historical incident in the life of Ajatashatru. The conquest of the Lichchhavis of Vaishali made him a powerful king in Indian history. Before attacking the enemies, Ajatashatru created a system to depress the enemy. For example, before attacking the Lichchhavis, he sent his ministers to the Lichchhavis to understand their strengths and weaknesses. In the second step, he ordered a new fort to be built near the Lichchhavi territory so that it could be attacked conveniently. This created the structure of the new capital of Pataliputra, which became the famous center of ancient Indian political affairs. The third imbued soldiers with new techniques on the battlefield and gave them powerful and new weapons. Thus, the Lichchhavis attacked from all sides. However, the war continued for sixteen years, and eventually, Vaisali was annexed to the Magadha Empire.

Reign of Ajatshatra

From 492 BC to 460 BC, he was the ruler of Magadha. Ajatashatru followed in his father’s footsteps. He was an ambitious expansionist during his reign.

Conquest of Ajatashatru

Ajatashatru ascended the throne because of his hardness, but his aspirations did not stop there. He desired greater dominion for himself. The conflict between Ajatashatru and Prasanajita saw their fortunes swing back and forth. When Ajatashatru was defeated and captured without protection, the elder Prasanajita spared his life and returned the city of Kashi to him. Prasanajita was soon driven out by his own son, and Ajatashatru returned to attack the Kosala kingdom with all his might.

Now that Prasanajita had left, he quickly conquered Kosala and all its riches. Ajatashatru attacked Vaishali with all his might. This time, he improved his offensive approach by creating two new and unusual battle machines. After a brutal battle, Ajatashatra defeated the united forces of the Vrijjis, which they managed to rally at the last minute.

He conquered kingdoms and incorporated them into his growing empire. During this period, the mythology of Amrapali, a famous Vaishali prostitute who dated Ajatashatru and subsequently became a follower of Gautama Buddha, emerged. The fight with the Vrijs lasted for a long time, and Ajatashatru is said to have fought with them for 16 years.

Ajatashatru then turned his attention to Avanti, the most powerful kingdom in the Indian subcontinent at the time, with its capital at Ujjain. After some time, the fighting stopped, and the Pradyota dynasty of Avanti finally capitulated to the Magadhan Empire under the Sisunaga dynasty.

Administration of Ajatashatru

Ajatashatru ruled from his Rajagriha palace, like his father Bimbisara, but during the protracted Licchavi campaign. He also built the fortified city of Pataligrama along the Ganga River, which subsequently became the capital of Magadhan Pataliputra. Rajagriha was guarded on all sides by five hills, and Ajatashatru made it impenetrable by filling the spaces in the hills with stone walls. He inherited his father’s administrative structure as well as four army divisions of chariots, infantry, cavalry, and elephants. They also retained some naval units after the Angou takeover.

Religion of Ajatashatru

According to both Jain and Buddhist traditions, Ajatashatru followed their paths. Realizing that he had executed his own father, Ajatashatru went to see Gautama Buddha. He also supported all other religions that arrived in his Magadha empire at that time. In terms of religious tolerance, Ajatashatru seems to have followed in the footsteps of his father, Bimbisara, who promoted different religions by reducing or removing taxes for ascetics. With the rise of Buddhism and Jainism in Magadha under Ajatashatra, the Brahminical faith seems to have receded into the background there, and the Brahmins looked down on Magadha, as evidenced by the literature. Soon after the Buddha’s death, Ajatsatru convened the first Buddhist council at Rajgir, held in a conference hall he built outside the Sataparna Guha or Sattapani caves, cementing his place in Buddhist history.

How was Ajatashatru known as Kunika?

Queen Chelna was very keen to eat her husband’s flesh and drink alcohol during her pregnancy. This was known by Prince Abhaya Kumara, son of Bimbisara and Queen Nanda, who brought a heart-shaped wild fruit and gave it to Queen Chelna. Later, she felt humiliated and thought that the desire came because she was expecting an unborn child. So she intended that an adult child could fatefully move into the family. After a few months, the queen threw the child out of the palace. The child fell into the garbage dump. Meanwhile, the cock bit his little finger, and it started bleeding. As soon as the news was received, King Bimbisara ran out of the place and found the child in the garbage. He took the child in his arms and massaged the bleeding little finger until it stopped bleeding. His wound tastes sore, so the child is nicknamed Kunika, which means sore finger. He later became emperor and focused on expanding the kingdom. On the way, he conquered the ancient republics of Vaishali and Kosala. When Ajatashatru became emperor, the ancient city of Kashi declared its independence from Maghada. Once Kashi was given as dowry to Bimbisara. The fierce Ajatashatru occupied Kashi and the surrounding kingdoms and allied with Magadha. His conquests made him a powerful emperor in northern India.

Ajatshatru’s Terrible Mistake

One day, Ajatashatru was holding his newborn son on his lap and eating food. He suddenly urinated a few drops onto his plate. The king soon wiped away the bubbles with a cloth and resumed eating at the same weight. Then the king looked proudly at his mother, Chelana, and asked who could show such affection to their sons. Chelana told the story of his father, Bimbisara, sucking his finger. This narration touched the hearts of Ajatashatru and awakened their love for his father. He immediately took the ax and rushed to the prison to break the chains and free Bimbisar. But Bimbisara misunderstood that his son would come to kill me. So he thought killing himself was better than ending his life at the hands of his son. Therefore, he swallows Talaputa poison from his ring and ends his life. Shocked, Ajatashatru moved his kingdom to Champa to forget his terrible mistake.

Death of Ajatashatru

The account of the death of Ajatashatru recorded by historians dates from 461 BC. The account of his death varies widely between the Jain and Buddhist traditions. Other accounts point to c. 460 BC as the year of his death.

Ajatashatru in popular culture

  • (1) A fictionalized account of Ajatashatru, depicted as a physically abusive and tyrannical figure who delights in committing atrocities and massacres, appears in Gore Vidal’s novel Creation.
  • (2) A film on his life, titled Ajatashatru, was released. He also appears as the protagonist in the 1966 film Amrapali, starring Sunil Dutt and Vyjayanthimala.
  • (3) Subba Rao wrote a book on his life called Ajatashatru.

Conclusion

The era of Ajatashatru was significant in Indian history not only for empire building but also for the presence of people like Gautama Buddha and Mahavira Vardhaman living at the same time, as well as many other ascetics with their different philosophies. He also saw the spirit of asceticism and exploration of the wider mysteries of the world.

Videos about Ajatashatru

Ajatashatru

(FAQ) Questions and Answers about the Ajatashatru

1. Who was Ajatashatru?

Ans. Ajatashatru was a king of the Magadha kingdom in ancient India. He reigned in the 6th century BCE and is known for his significant contributions to early Indian history.

2. What is Ajatashatru known for?

Ans. Ajatashatru is known for his role in expanding the Magadha kingdom and strengthening its power. He is also remembered for his interactions with Buddha and his pursuit of military campaigns.

3. How did Ajatashatru expand his kingdom?

Ans. Ajatashatru expanded his kingdom through military conquests. He successfully conquered several neighboring territories and integrated them into the Magadha kingdom.

4. What was Ajatashatru’s relationship with Buddha?

Ans. Ajatashatru had a complex relationship with Buddha. Initially, he was skeptical of Buddha’s teachings, but over time, he became a patron of Buddhism and supported the growth of the Buddhist community.

5. What are the famous events associated with Ajatashatru’s reign?

Ans. One of the significant events of Ajatashatru’s reign was the construction of the fort at Pataliputra (modern-day Patna). He also played a role in the First Buddhist Council, where the teachings of Buddha were codified.

6. How did Ajatashatru die?

Ans. The exact circumstances of Ajatashatru’s death are not clear. It is believed that he was assassinated, possibly by his own son, Udayabhadra.

7. What is the historical significance of Ajatashatru?

Ans. Ajatashatru is a prominent figure in early Indian history as he expanded the Magadha kingdom and played a pivotal role in the development and spread of Buddhism in India.

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