Indian art and culture is filled with tales of several musicians and
dancers, many of who left an indelible mark on the very psyche of this vast
and diverse nation.
Amrapali is one such character. She was one of the best ever court
dancers that India has produced. She ruled the roost for many years, till
one day, she decided to give it all up to lead the life of a celibate.
Amrapali, also commonly referred to as Ambapalika or Ambapali, was the
famous royal courtesan or nagarvadhu of Vaishali. Vaishali was a republic of
ancient India, dating around 500 BC. An extremely attractive woman and one
of the greatest dancers that ever lived, she ruled her field till she
finally decided to give up her luxurious life; follow the Buddha and became
an arahant.
Here is the story of the alluring Amrapali.
Early Life
Amrapali was born around 600-500 BC. There is no proper record of her birth,
parents and early life. She was given this name because she was found under
a mango tree in the royal gardens of Vaishali. Etymologically speaking, the
name is derived from the two roots, "Amra" (meaning mango) and "Pallawa"
(meaning tiny sprouts or leaves). Incidentally, her legend originated in the
Jataka Tales, which were penned about 1500 years ago.
A person named Mahanaman found her when she was a child. Lured by her great
beauty, he abandoned his own kingdom and set up residence in Ambara village,
a small hamlet in Vaishali.
Amrapali Becomes the Nagarvadhu
Amrapali grew up to be a woman of extraordinary grace and charm. She became
famous in the entire city of Vaishali for her looks and was declared as the
most
beautiful
girl in the region at the tender age of 11. As she grew older, many young
nobles desired to spend time in her company. In order to avoid any
confrontation with her suitors, she was then bestowed the status of being
the state
courtesan
of Vaishali.
Manudev, the King of Vaishali, once watched her performance in the city and
wished to have her for himself. Arrogant and inconsiderate about her
feelings, he decided that he had to "own" her. Amrapali, in the meantime,
had a childhood love, by the name of Pushpakumar. They were deeply in love
with each other and planned to wed each other.
The Legend of Amrapali - An Enchanting
Saga Buried within the Sands of Time
Not wanting to lose Amrapali, Manudev killed Pushpakumar on the day of their
wedding. Wanting to possess her completely, he then declared that Amrapali
was the "
bride
of Vaishali", that is, the Nagarvadhu.
In accordance with his wishes, Amrapali was made the nagarvadhu and Vaishali
Janpath Kalyani (the most beautiful and talented girl in the kingdom). This
post of Janpath Kalyani would last for seven years. During this period, she
had the right to choose her lover and also choose the person with whom she
wished to maintain physical relations. She also remained the
court
dancer of the Vaishali democracy.
Tales of her beauty and talent soon reached far and wide. King Bimbisara,
ruler of the neighboring hostile Magadha region, was enamored by these
stories and wished to see her. He attacked Vaishali and then took refuge in
Amrapali's own residence. He was an excellent
musician
and would often sing to her. In due course of time, the two fell deeply in
love with each other.
It was only a few weeks later that Amrapali learned of Bimbisara's true
identity. Angered, she asked him to call off the war and leave immediately.
Totally smitten by Amrapali, Bimbisara readily agreed to her wishes. He did
not care that it made him seem like a coward in the eyes of the residents of
Vaishali. In the next few months, Amrapali bore him a son, who she named
Vimala Kondanna.
Bimbisara Meets His End
There are several versions of how Bimbisara met his end. One of them relates
that he was poisoned by Ajatashatru, who was getting tired of waiting to
take over the throne. Ajatashatru was Bimbisara's son by Queen Chelna. He
was a contemporary of both
Mahavira
and
Gautama
Buddha. A powerful and arrogant character, he imprisoned his own
father and forcefully took over the rule of Magadha from him.
Here are a few other versions of the story:
The Jaina Version
According to the
Jaina
version, Ajatashatru was one day eating his meal with the rest of the
family. Holding his newborn son on his lap, he proudly asked his
mother,
Queen Chelna, if she had ever seen a devoted father as he was. His mother
then narrated several incidents from his
childhood,
where his father had showered all his love and devotion on his son.
An emotional and guilty Ajatashatru immediately decided that he would free
his father from imprisonment. He hurried to the dungeon with an axe, in
order to pry open his chains with it. When Bimbisara saw his son approaching
him with an axe, he misread the situation and thought that he was going to
murder him with it. Not wanting to die at his son's hands, he decided to
take his own life, by consuming the Talaputa poison present in his ring. He
said a last prayer and almost immediately breathed his last.
Ajatashatru repented much for the loss of his father. However, none of it
was of any use. Finally, he moved his headquarters to Champa and made that
city his capital.
The Buddhist Version
The
Buddhist
version of the story narrates how cruelly Ajatashatru kept tormenting his
father in prison. He ordered that Bimbisara be given no food and also
tortured him physically, injuring his body.
Queen
Kosala kept finding different ways of reaching food to her husband. However,
when she was caught, she was altogether stopped from visiting her husband.
Bimbisara gradually started growing weak, but derived comfort by looking at
a distant mountain from his cell window. The mountain was then inhabited by
Gautama Buddha and his
disciples.
When Ajatashatru realized this, he ordered his people to block the window
and make his room dark.
One day, the Buddha and his disciples visited the city. An overjoyed
Bimbisara got to see him through the holes of his prison door. Incensed that
his father got a chance to be happy again, Ajatashatru ordered his henchmen
to skin his feet. After this incident, Bimbisara could no longer move
around. Ultimately, he kept getting weaker and weaker.
Then one day, Ajatashatru was sharing a meal with his mother, Kosala Devi.
Wanting him to see sense and free his father, she told him how much
Bimbisara had sacrificed so that his son could be happy in his life. Hearing
all the stories and being touched by his father's kind heart, he decided to
free Bimbisara.
The news spread all around the city and everyone was talking about
Bimbisara's release. However, Bimbisara suspected that his son had an
ulterior motive behind this move. Not wanting to die at his son's hands, he
decided to take his own life.
Ajatashatru Wages War over Vaishali
Soon after his father's death, Ajatashatru decided to invade all the hostile
regions around Magadha. He then waged war against Vajji, which was then
ruled by the Lichchhavis, also conquering Vaishali, Kosala, Kashi and many
other neighboring regions.
Ajatashatru Meets Amrapali
Having conquered Vaishali, Ajatashatru was roaming the streets in triumph.
He had heard much about Amrapali and wished to have an audience with her. A
short search led him to her residence. Seeing her, he immediately fell for
her beauty and charm. She too liked him and, gradually, grew to reciprocate
his
love.
The residents of Vaishali, however, were against their relationship and
demanded that Amrapali be imprisoned for her promiscuous behavior. Seeing
her imprisoned and helpless, he became so upset that he burned down the
whole of Vaishali. Several hundreds of people died in the huge massacre and
the city was almost completely ruined. But he saw to it that his love
Amrapali was safe all the way through. When she came out of prison, she was
aggrieved seeing the amount of damage the invasion had caused to her
motherland. Disgusted with Ajatashatru, she walked away from him for good.
Interestingly, it is not clear if Amrapali knew that Ajatashatru was her
lover's son; or that he had killed his own father, who was also the father
of her own child.
Ajatashatru Becomes a Monarch
Ajatashatru eventually became the monarch of a vast kingdom, which spanned
almost all areas of present-day North India, including Chandigarh,
Uttarakhand, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh,
West Bengal, a bit of Jharkhand and a fourth of Madhya Pradesh as well.
Ajatashatru was considered to be one of the most powerful rulers of North
India at that time.
With the help of his two ministers, Sunidha and Vassakaara, he built a
massive
fort
by the banks of the
Ganga,
in order to further strengthen the security of Magadha. He named this place
Paatali Grama, which later became popular as Pataliputra (modern-day Patna).
The Mahaparinirvana Sutta states that, when Pataliputra was being built, the
Buddha happened to pass through and praised the city for its beauty. He
however pointed out that three things could prove detrimental to the city,
namely, water, fire and general discord amongst the people living there.
Ajatashatru's Death
Accounts of Ajatashatru's death differ vastly in Buddhist and Jaina
traditions. However, it is generally believed that he was brutally murdered
by his own son, Udayabhadra, around 535 BC. The latter was greedy and wanted
to take over his kingdom. Ajatashatru was then reborn in the hell called
Lohakumbhiya.
According to yet another version, he is believed to have passed through many
births, till finally, he was born as a wise prince, who later became a monk
and attained nirvana (liberation).
In spite of his horrible deeds, Ajatashatru enjoys a respectable position in
both the Jaina and Buddhist traditions. According to the Aupapaatika Sutta,
he had the highest regard and respect for Mahavira. He took great care to
look after the latter and appointed several officers to fulfill all of
Mahavira's needs.
According to Buddhist legend, he was closely associated with the Buddha.
After repenting for all his past deeds, he completely surrendered himself to
the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. He became an avid follower of the
Buddha and even erected a massive Stupa, built on the bones and ashes of the
Buddha, after his funeral. Further, he was also present at the first
Buddhist council at the Sattapanni (Saptaparni)
caves,
Rajgir.
Amrapali Becomes a Bhikkhuni
In the meantime, Amrapali had heard a lot about the life and teachings of
the Buddha and wished to see him and serve food to him. Though the general
public of Vaishali was against this, Buddha accepted it, as it was a direct
invite from the ruling aristocracy. A thrilled Amrapali received the Buddha
with due respect and offered meals to him and his retinue.
One version of the story narrates that Amrapali was so taken in by the
Buddha's presence and his innate peace that she decided to renounce her
position as courtesan and chose, instead, to follow in his footsteps, as a
Bhikkhuni (female monk or nun). Throughout her life, she actively supported
Buddhism.
The Monk Who Converted Amrapali into a Bhikkhuni
There is yet another interesting version about Amrapali becoming a
Bhikkhuni. This version relates that Amrapali happened to fall in love with
one of the Bhikkhus (male monks) from Buddha's retinue. Spotting him from
her terrace, she was immediately smitten by him. She then not only invited
him for a meal, but also asked him to stay on for the next four months, till
the ongoing monsoon season got over.
Sworn to a life of celibacy, the young monk replied that he would agree to
her wishes only if the Buddha gave him permission to do so. The other young
Bhikkhus came to know of this and became jealous of him. They reached the
news to the Buddha's ears, much before this young monk could request an
audience with him. The other monks were hoping that the Buddha would become
angry and throw him out of the order.
To the surprise of all present, though, Buddha merely smiled and gave him
permission to stay at Amrapali's residence. The Bhikkhu stayed there for 4
months, as was required of him. Everyone was convinced that the monk would
have had a physical relationship with her during that time.
After the said time period elapsed, the
monk
returned to the monastery, with a saffron-clad Amrapali in tow. Much as the
Buddha had expected, he had successfully converted her into a Bhikkhuni.
Amrapali told everyone present that she had tried to seduce the young monk
many times, but had utterly failed in all her attempts. In the end, he had
spiritually seduced her; making her renounce her highly materialistic life
and join the Buddhist monk order.
She then requested Buddha to take her into his Sangha as a Bhikkhuni.
Initially, he refused to grant her the wish, saying that there were only
Bhikkhus in the Sanghas and that there was no arrangement for Bhikkhunis to
join in. Amrapali boldly questioned his stand. The Buddha patiently tried to
explain that a woman could end up tempting the Bhikkhus, making them break
their vow of celibacy. Amrapali hotly debated that as well, saying that if
the monks were spiritually strong enough, they would not be swayed by a mere
woman. Finally, Buddha gave in to her wishes and accepted her into his fold.
In due course of time, Amrapali, who became deeply involved with the Dhamma
and the Sangha, achieved enlightenment and remained as one of the main
disciples of the Buddha. She was also posted as the head of the Bhikkhuni
Sangha. A few years later, her son Vimala Kondanna too joined the order and
became a Buddhist monk.
Amrapali is mentioned in the ancient Pali and Buddhist texts; particularly
her association with the Sangha; with the Buddha and his monks staying at
her mango grove. She eventually donated this Ambapali vana (garden) to his
order. Here, he preached the famous Ambapalika Sutta.
Amrapali: A Brave; Truly Spiritual Soul
The tale of Amrapali is truly inspiring. It is the tale of a
woman
who successfully dethroned a megalomaniac ruler and emerged as a powerful
character, who dared to rise and go beyond the order of the day. As a
courtesan, she was expected to remain a mere object of sexual desire - one
who was born only to please the
kings
and
emperors.
She, however, had the courage to fight the society and surfaced as one of
the most commanding and influential women in the history of that era.
A Braveheart; a Warrior
She was a woman of unknown parentage - someone that was found under a mango
tree. However, so strong was her personality, that she is remembered, even
today, as someone who verily changed the course of history. She is known not
only for her incomparable beauty, but also for her excellence in the arts
(especially in dance and music); her sharp political acumen; her bravery to
overthrow chauvinistic rulers; and her compassion towards society,
especially towards downtrodden women. She tirelessly worked to improve
society and actively involved herself in constructing schools, roads and
temples.
Breaking Away from a Life of Dreams
Hers was a life that seemed like one that dreams were made of. She had
thousands of male admirers and commanded respect wherever she went. Yet, she
felt imprisoned within her own life. Her room was called "Swapna Kakshika"
(the room of
dreams).
She spent her nights pleasing royalty, in exchange for a few gold coins.
Though she satisfied the men that visited her, she was left utterly
dissatisfied with her own life and yearned to break away from it.
The Turning Point
Looking outside one day, Amrapali saw a moth struggling to come out of its
cocoon. Watching it, she compared it to her own
life
and her own struggle to break free from the oppressive society that she was
in. That thought went on to become the turning point in her life. Deep in
her mind, she knew that she was made for a much higher purpose and had to
work towards achieving that mission.
Amrapali in Popular Culture
In the year 1962, Vimala Raina penned a work of historical fiction, titled
"Ambapali". This narrates the life of the beautiful courtesan of Vaishali,
who went on to become a follower of the Buddha.
Amrapali features in several other books, including "Vaishali Ki
Nagarvadhu", penned by Acharya Chatursen; "The Legend of Amrapali: An
Enchanting Saga Buried within the Sands of Time", penned by Anurag Anand;
and so on.
Several biopics have been filmed on her life and times. Most famous among
them is the film, "Amrapali" (1966), starring the gorgeous Vyjayanthimala in
the title role and the dashing Sunil Dutt as King Ajatashatru.
A serial named "Aamrapali" was telecast on the Indian national television
network (Doordarshan) in 2002. Later, popular Bollywood actress Hema Malini
produced, directed and starred in a TV series, called "Women of India". In
this series, she featured the story of Amrapali.