Essay name: Vasudevahindi (cultural history)
Author:
A. P. Jamkhedkar
Affiliation: Savitribai Phule Pune University / Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute Pune
This essay is an English study of the Vasudevahindi reflecting cultural history and traditions of the life of people in ancient and medieval India during the 6th century. The Vasudevahimdi is a romantic and religious tale that revolves around the wanderings of Vasudeva (a former Jain monk) and religious teachings in the guise of love stories, a common theme of poetry in Jainism.
Chapter 2 - Political conditions
114 (of 115)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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146
one's equal, the description of battles in the Vh(P)
sow the various units in the army fighting with their
respective counterparts. In this connection, the story
of Vasudeva Tivitthu is illustrative.
Entrusted with the
work of lessening the fear of lions in the mind of the
subjects, Tivi峁弓hu entered the forest in a chariot.
Seeing that the lions have no chariot or the weapons, he
gave up both these as it was against the ethics of a
khattiya to fight with one less equipped. In his combat
with the lion he tore the latter into two虏.
It was held to be against the code of behaviour
for a warrior (khattiyadhamma) if many warriors collectively
attacked a single warrior鲁.
The idea of khattadhamma appears prominently
also in the Vh(H).
according to the code, a warrior was
at
not expected to strike his enemy when he was sleeping 4,
or was less equipped than himself 5, or running away in fear
1. X. Vh(F), 207, 365.
2. Ibid.; 311.
3. Vh(P), 365 ; of course, such codes were never observed
by bands of warriors or the defending travellers. Both of
them employed tricks, Vh(F), 45-46.
4. Vh(m), II. 45a.
5. Vasudeva's fight with a lion without weapons Vh(M), II.48.
Similar fight with a demon; Vh(A), II,
II, 6a.
