AJATASHATRU

There is not a great deal known about Ajatashatru. What is known is that he became a King of Magadha and the adjoining areas by murdering his father,Seniya/Bimbisara. Also, he was a contemporary of Buddha, was a patron of the then-new religion of Buddhism, and he let the Sangha function in his Kingdom.

Some details of his life are given in the earliest Buddhist scriptures of the Pali Canon. In the Sutta, Gautama Buddha said that if Ajatasattu hadn't killed his father, he would have attained sotapannahood, a degree of enlightenment. But because he had killed his father he could not attain it. This is also recorded in the Buddhist scripture, the Contemplation Sutra.

Kingdom

He was a great warrior, who conquered 36 republican states surrounding his kingdom and firmly established the predominance of Magadha in Eastern India. The most important war waged by Ajatashatru to gain supremacy over his neighbours was that with the powerful Lichchhavi Republic, ruled democratically by a group of noblemen.They had a powerful leader in Chetaka, in whom Ajatashatru found a formidable adversary. So strong was the Lichchhavi republic that Buddha himself is known to have pronounced it invincible, provided the citizens retained their unity, their liberal and democratic ways and their respect for tradition and elders. He also pursued a sixteen-year war against the Vriji confederacy of Vaishali, what is today north Bihar and Nepal.After the death of his father he enjoyed the revenues of the Kashi which was given to his mother as a dowry in marriage. But his maternal uncle, Prasenjit immediately confiscated the revenues of the Kashi. This resulted into hostilities between two. Next, Ajatashatru, undertook the annexation of the kingdoms of Kosala and Kashi. In return, Ajatashatru married Vajira, the daughter of Prasenjit. Legends say that the one who masterminded Ajatashatru's usurping of the throne was the schismaticmonk Devadatta, the reasons being that Ajatashatru was said to have been convinced by Devadatta to help fund his schismatic sangha. Ajatashatru employed two of his ministers, Sunidh and Varshakara, to build a fortress at the village of Patli(called Patligama or Patligrama) as a bulwark to repel attacks of the licchavis and other clan of North Bihar on Magadha, later he shifted his capital toPatligrama which was later known as Patliputra.

Later life

Years of restless yearning, war and violence tormented Ajatashatru's soul and his profound sorrow ultimately brought him to the feet of Lord Buddha, where he found peace. So completely was Ajatashatru converted to the faith that he was chosen as the chief claimant of Buddha's relics after the latter's death. Ajatashatru subsequently built stupas all over the capital and renovated 18 monasteries in memory of Buddha. Later, he convened the first Buddhist General Council.

Legacy

According to some historians, Ajatashatru was responsible for building Pataliputra and strengthening the defences of the Magadhan capital, Rajagriha.

Assassination

Ajatashatru also suffered the same miserable fate as his father, being put to death by his son Udayi-Bhadda/UdayiBhadra in 459 B.C.