| According to
others, however,Kundaligram in Monghyr district is the birth-place of Mahavira Vardhamana.
The third theory is that Mahavira was born at Kundalpur, near Nalanda, in Patna district.
Whichever be the place of birth of Lord Mahavira, there is no doubt that Vaisali was the
chief seat of Government of the Vrju Lichchavis in Mahavira's time and
Vanijagrama,adjoining Vaisali, was the centre of trade and commerce. While describing
the historicity of this glorious place, Dr. Radha Kumud Mookerji in his article
"Vaisali in Indian History and Culture" mentions: "Vaisali was then at the
height of its prosperity with its three districts containing, according to the Tibetan
tradition, houses numbering 7000, 14000 and 21000 respectively, and, according to a
Jataka, was encompassed by three wallswith their separate gates and watch-towers.
According to the Mahavastu, the citizens of Vaisali were
distinguished as Adhantara Vaisalikas, the cockneys of the city, and Babira Vaisalikas,
the citizens of Greater Vaisali outside the Metropolis and their total number was
"twice 84000" i.e. 1,68,000. |
