Bimbisar was a powerful king and an able military general, wielding imperial dominance over the Indian subcontinent. However, his kingdom was not strong enough to conquer substantial empires like Koshala and Vaishali. So, he chose a bloodless way out by setting up matrimonial alliances with Koshala and Vaishali. King Bimbisar was a contemporary of Lord Buddha However with time the shrewd and power loving king was attracted towards the principles of Buddhism and took refuge at Buddha’s feet. He preferred Buddhist principles of egalitarianism than empire building. King Bimbisar became an avowed Buddhist and practiced and propagated Buddhism all his life. He is also known for his cultural achievements in the city of Rajagriha, which is modern Rajgir in the state of Bihar, famous in Buddhist writings. Then things changed, Bimbisar’s son Ajatashatru denounced Buddhist principles of nonviolence and was misguided by peers who persuaded Ajatashatru to usurp the throne through a coup. There are varied adaptations of the legends available in Jain and Buddhist documents, about the tragic end of king Bimbisara. Some say when Ajatshatru overtook the throne, he imprisoned his father Bimbisar and finally assassinated him. Others believe, Bimbisar took his own life due to fear of being killed at his son’s hands. It seems after his father’s death Ajatshatru reconsidered and supported Buddhism. Long before we learned all the above from history texts, and Wikipedia, Rabindranath Tagore, the first nonEuropean Nobel Laureate in literature, introduced King Bimbisar and his dedication to Lord Buddha through his unforgettable poems to most of us in our adolescent years. A self-confessed disciple of Gautam Buddha, Tagore was a believer and a worshipper of humankind, and had strong admirations for Buddha and his humanitarian doctrines. The enlightened and humane attributes of Lord Buddha’s ideologies ignited the spiritual visions in Tagore. Tagore considered the principle of egalitarianism found in Buddhist philosophy particularly appealing to his own concept of spirituality in man and acclaimed the immortal qualities of Buddhism through his literary work. Lord Buddha advocated the principles of universal love 2,500 years ago and passed down the message to his disciples. Tagore had similar missions in his heart when he travelled all over the world and declared with all the emphasis his reverence for one of the greatest preachers, Buddha through his writings. Tagore UPAHAAR 2021 উপহার ১৪২৮ 27
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