Ajatshatru Kunik

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The name of Ajatshatru Kunik, the son of King Shrenik Bimbsar of Magadh, finds mention in Indian history as a highly ambitious emperor who reigned some 2500 years back. He was highly impressed by the life and preaching of Bhagavan Mahavir. He even had a high degree of reverence for and faith in Bhagavan Mahavir. But the history he created under the overpowering drive of his unbridled desires presents him as a ruler with excessive imperialistic ambitions. In Jain literature he is mentioned as Ashokchandra Kunik and in Buddhist literature as Ajatshatru Kunik. In this story incidents from the life of Ajatshatru have been compiled from various Jain sources. This biographical sketch inspires the reader to control his desires and ambitions.