Spy in the Śiśupālavadha

Poet Māgha was well versed in politics. In the Manusaṃhitā and the Arthaśāstra Manu and Kauṭilya discussed about the qualities importance, classification and compulsory duty of spy. Māgha also reflected this political thoughts in his Kāvya Śiśupālavadha likewise. Māgha is a poet. It is natural that his political thought will be reflected in his Kāvya. We come to know the political knowledge of Māgha through his Kāvya.

We come to know that Māgha had clear conception about the spy according to Manusaṃhitā and the Arthaśāstra. The technical terms mentioned in the Manusaṃhitā and the Arthaśāstra are praṇidhi, upajāpa and ubhayavetana which are found in the epic Śiśupālavadha canto two (pranidhi-2/112, upajāpa and ubhayavetana–2/133) in the contex of spy. He used these technical terms according to context. So, Māgha had vast knowledge about these terms in the light of ancient scriptures.

The vast knowledge of the poet about spy is reflected in verse number one hundred and fourteen of second canto.

“upeyivāṃsi kartāraḥ purīmājātaśātravīm |
rājanyakānyupāyajñairekārthāni caraistava ||” 2.114 ||^[1]

“By spies skillful in performing actions, the circle of kings having the same object is view with you should be made to assemble at the city of Ajātaśatru (Indraprastha)”^[2]

‘Śrīkṛṣṇa should so manage that their expert spies going to the kingdoms of the host of kings having a common objects in view may induce them to be present at the sacrifice of Yudhiṣṭhira. This will in the long run be conductive to our purpose.

We come to know that Māgha had clear conception of the spy according to the Manusaṇhita and the Arthaśāstra. The technical terms praṇidhi (2/111), upajāpa (2/99), ubhayavetana, bhedyāḥ (2/133) and cara (2/114), cāra (2/82) are found in his epic Śiśupālavadha bearing the same meaning which are used by Manu and Kauṭilya. So, Māgha has vast knowledge about these terms in the light of ancient scriptures.

The Śiśupālavadha of poet Māgha is also well known like Bhāravi’s Kirātārjunīya, Śiśupālavadha is an epic, not political scripture. It is not expected from an epic the detailed description of politics. Māgha had also no such intention.

In the present discussion it is similarly applicable about spy. The poet mentioned relevantly the importance and utility of spy. Māgha mainly wanted to compose his epic basing on political facts and stories which is related with Śrīkṛṣṇa of the Mahābhārata.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Haridas siddhantavagisha: op. cit., p.101.

[2]:

Sitanath kavyaratna & Madhab Das Sankhyatirtha: Op. cit., (2nd canto), p. 342.