t,

CHAUKHAMBHA ORIENTAI- RESEARCH STUDIES

,

NO.6

.'

STUDIES
IN

GUNADHYA
By

'

S, N,

"l

':{I

PRASAD
M. A., D. Phil.

Brla Institute of Tec-hnology ond Science

plani

t!

CHAUKIIAil| BH A

OIDilTilI,Iil

A lfouse of

Orietal and Antiquarian Eooks

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DELITI

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PREFACE
The present rvork has been my dream for about
a decade. When I was working on the cuitural
study of Somadeva,s Katlsarilsgara which earned.
me the D. Phil degree of the University of Alla.
habaci,l f started collecting data on the celebrated
poet Gulr.Jhya rvhose significance and genius in

many ways may be considered equal to that of

Valrniki and Vysa.2 But unfortunately, the
Paidachi language, which our poet had chosen for
his I|yhatkatlt-a ( The Great Tale ),3 had been no
longer in vogue for the last nine hundred years.
lVe know .his iile and ,work now only as a legend.

The loss of the Byltatkath has made it difficult lor

literary historians to place him in the classical

literary tradition. Not much can be said about

him with sufficient degree of certainty. There
exists a lacuna, the need for filling it has long been
feit by scholars, Flere, for the first time, an attempt
has been made to place before the scholars an
integrated and coherent picture of this famous but
1. This work is published from Chaukhambha Orientalia,
Varanasi, 1976 under the title, Kathasaritsagara and

Indian Culture.

2.

Felix Lacote, Es,sai Sur GunaShya et

Paris, Ernest Leroux, 1908, p. 10.

3.

K. s. s.,

1.10.

la

Bthatkatha,

(vii)

(vi)
lttle known poet of the Epic Triad,l ancl to
reconstruct the possible theme of the original
Bhatkathd from the several versions available.

Owing to the loss of the original Byhatkathd

of Gur.r{hya, the author had no way out but to
rely upon the later versions of the BThatkatha which
have been handed Cown to us. They are the
Brhatkath-Jlokasamgrh of Budhaswmi ( 5th century A. D. ), Vasudeaa HiAdo of Dharmadsagali
( 700 A. D. ), Byltatkathmajari of Kemendra
and the Kaasaritsgara of Somadeva ( llth century A. D. ). As one goes through these versions
one is deeply impressed by the work and the variety of stories presented in them. One cannot but
be filled with admiration for what the original
Byhatkatlra of Gufr{hya should have been. At the
same time one is greatly pained at the colossal
loss to the classical Indian literature suffered
owing to the extinction of such a priceless treasure
of Indian fiction which served as a model to
classical Indian fiction writers right from the begin.
ning of the Christan era down to the early mediaeval age. There is no room for doubt that the
Brlatkathd, of Gul{hya existed at least during
the time of Somacleva ( llth century A. D. ) and
that Somadeva had profusely used it in his sum1.

Vlmiki, Vysa and Gun{hya form rhe famous Epic

of the classical Indian literature.

Trad

mary of the Bfhatkatha.l The glory of Gup{hya

was not confined to India alone but encompassed
all the South Asian countries. We have a definite
and irrefutable proof of it in the inscriptions of
Cambodia ( Kambujadea ) of king Yaiovarman
( 9th century A. D. ). Where Gu+{hya has been
mentioned thrice and is depicted as the 'Fri'end of

I
I

tlte PrakTta Language.'

greateful to Dr. Ludwik Sternbach

( Paris ) for his valuable suggestions and encour'
gement and to Dr. A. L. Basham, Professor and
Head of the Department of South East Asian
History, NationalUniversityCanberra, Australia,
who was first to encourage me and who advised
me to consult Dr. Ludwik Sternbach. I am
also beholden to Prof. J. W. de. Jotg, Professor,
College de Paris, who had invited me to read rny
paper on "The Time af the Byhatkathd'." I cannot
adequately express my sense of obligation to my
Guruuara Dr. U. N. Roy of Allahabad University,
to whom I owe my love for classical Indian literature and its study. I am also obliged to Dr. R. C.
Sharma, Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social
Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science,
Pilani, who constantly inspired and encouraged
me while the work was in progress.

I am

l.

Kathasaritsgara,

l,

3.

( viii

I take this opportunity to express my gratitude

towords Kaui-uidaad-bandhaaa I)r. Ram Kumar Rai
( Banaras Hindu University
) for his love and
affection and to the proprietor of the prestigious
Chaukhambha Orientalia, Varanasi, for gladly
offering to undertake the publication of, the
book.
Above all, I record my deep gratitude to my
parents, Sri Chandrika prasad ji and Srimati
Chandravati and to Ndrs. Kiran prasad, M. A., the
Sahadharmili but for whose love and affection
this work could never have been completed. My
thanks are specially due to professor S. K. porwal,
for going through the manuscript before sending it
to the press, to Mr. U. K. Bhargava for seeing
through the press work, and to Mrs. S. Santani for
preparing the index. In the end I, must acknowledge my debt.to Mr. C. H. Tawney and N. M.
Penzer whose ,'The Ocean of Storlt' in Ten Vols.
have been profusely used in his monograph, as no
scholar in this field can do withqut their monumental work.

v. s. 2034

S. N. Prasad

ABBREVIATIONS
A. S. I.
4."R. A. S. l.

: Archaeological Survey of India.

: Annual Report of the Archaeological
Survey of India.

A. B. O. R.

I. :

Annals of

the Bhandarkar Oriental

Research Institute.

: Bhatkath.
: Brhatkathmajari.
B. S. O. A. S. : Bulletin of the School of Oriental and
B.

B.

K.
M.

K.

C. I. I.
Essai

:
:

African Studies.
Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum.
Essai Sur Gu4{hya et la Brhatkatha'
paris.

E. I.
H. I. L.,
I. A.

: Epigraphia Indica.
HlL. : History of Indian Literature.
: Indian Antiquary.
: Indian Culture.
I. C.
: International Congress of the OrientI. C. O.
alist.

: Indian Historical Quarterly.

: Journal of Asiatique.
J. A.
: Journal ol the Asiatic Society, Bengal.
J. A. S.
J. R. A. S. B. : Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of
I. H. Q.

Bengal, Calcutta.
J. R. A.

S.

J. B. B. R. A.

:
S. :

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society,

London.
Journal of the Bombay Branch of the
RoYal Asiatic SocietY.

(
J. B. O. R.

S, :

Journal

of the Bihar and Orisa

Re-

search Society.

J. G. N. J. R.

I. : Journal of rhe Ganga Nath Jha Research Institute.

J. O. R.

: Journal of the Oriental

I.

In

J.

U.

P.

H.

S. :

st

CONTENTS
Research

itute.

Journal of the UttarPradesh Historical

Society.

K. S. S.
M. Bh.
M. J.

Ocean.
R. V.
V. G. A,
V. S.
Z. D. M, G.

: Kathsaritsgara.
: Mahbhrata.
: Mythic Journal.
: The Ocean of Story.
: Bg Veda.
: The Vktak Gupta Age.
: Vikrama Samvat.
:

Preface

Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenlandischen Gesellschaft.

v-vlll

Abbreviations

I. Historicity of Guq{hYa
II. BiographY of GuqhYa
III. Original Home of Guq{hYa

48

lV.

On the Bhatkath
( a ) Date of the Bhatkath

56

( b ) Nature of the Bfhatkatha

( c ) Language of the Bhatkath
Bhatkath and its later versions

70

V.

3
8

56
77
83

Appendix
( A ) Chronolbgical Bibliography of works
on the Bhatkath and its chief
recensions

il3

125
( B ) The Bghatkath and Indian Fiction
( C ) Some aspects of Indian Culture as
gleaned from the Kathsaritsgara

of Somadeva
Bibliography
Index

131

150
15s

CHAPTER

HrsToRrCrTY OF GUI.{HYA
The Brlatkatha of Gundh ya is the

earliest

regular collection of fables known to

mankind.
But, unfortunatel to us it is only the
name of
Gugdhya and his Bthatkatlza that have
survived.
His life and work have almost become legend.
He
was placed third in the Bpic
Triad consisting of

Valmiki, Vysa

and Guq{hya

Goverdhana

salutes them

all in a strain and compares their poe'

try to a river with three branches.z He
feels that
Gul{hya was Vysa incarnate.B Dandin
mstances
rtasa class of Katha.a Daar,pa names the
Bhatkatlta and Dhanika calls it the source
of Muar.
rkhsasa and quotes two verses as,
Bghatkalhym. 5
Poets.like ,Govardhana, Subandhu, 7
Br.ra,8 Hlare

l. Lacote, Essai, p. 10.

2, Saptasati,696.
3. Ibid., 33.
4. Kavyadarsa, I,.39.
5. Avaloko, IV, 34.

6. Goverdhana, Saptasati ( of the Ravya

Mala
compares_him wirh Vysa ( lbid,
33 ).
7. gar+uiorfs {ro*Tf{fl n, v iru

),

696. He

oi*, o.

8. Samuddipitakanderp Kftagauriprasdhana
.
Haralileva lo Kasya Vismayaya 'Brhatkath.
.
Ka.clambar ( peterson
p. 5!,

9.

Int. 18.

),

s, Iior{o"orta i

See also KumnrsambhvaryIL'2.

Gatha Saptaafi.

Frall>

(4)
Udyotansuri,l Dhanikarz Bhoja,s Somadevasuri,a
Kemendrar6Dhanapla,G Hemachandrar? Somadevars Trivikramaabhagars etc', have referred
to the Byhtakatha in their writings' Besides these
strong ancient literary sources, there are certain
significant epigraphic evidences-the copper plate
oi Kollutto and the Kambuj inscription of the
Mahrja Yaovarman.u

l.

KuvalaYa Mal Ktha,3, Linc 22'

2. Avaloka,IV,34.

3. Sarasl.ati KanhabhraPa, YI,19'

4. Yasasatilaka Champa,lV. 7' ll' p' 113,
5. B. K. M.,2.216-t7.

stri gt*qtrc etgnrqa irgm

-'a.t*rr
cfrfld Eqd: n Tilakamajari'
t

6.

7. Ch. VIll, Skta 8'

8. K. S. S., 1-3 and PraSasti'
9. NalachamP,I- 14.
10.

ARASI, lgl2, pp.35-69; Indian Antiquary, XLll'

204; JRAS

( 1913 ), 389'

Lvi, Le Nepal,1,328,203-2t4,387-388'
K;-b Insciiption of Yalovarman ( Bergaigne' /ns'

S
11.
-

fax'Nos' LVI-LX)'
Gun{hyah
i.Vfrf C. i5; "pradah sthirakalyno nyakktabhprktpyah anitiryyo Vilksas Suro

5')

The Kambuja inscription mentions Gu4{hya

as 6a friend of the Prakrit language.' These are
enough to prove that a poet named Gur.r{hya ex'
isted but the loss of the Byhatkatlta has made it
difficult for literary historians to place him in lite'
rary tradition.
Neplamhatmya draws a parallel between
Vlrrki and Gur.rdhya. "Both come to Nepl
Valmki, because Nrada, instructed by the gods,
points out to him, to the north of the hill of Changu-Narayar.ra, the confluent of the two branches
of the Virabhadra as the sacred spot worthy to be
the cradle of a poem as pure as the Ramayrya
Gul{hya, because Siva has imposed upon the
demi-god of whom he, Gu{r{hya, is the human
incarnation, as condition of his deliverance' after
the composition of the Bthatkath, the erection of
a lingam on a sacred spot difficult of access; both
before leaving NepI, Vlmiki, to return to his
hermitage, and Gu!{hya to heaven erect commz

2
Sanscriie de lam pa et du C ambodge,

makah.

LI.x.B.,26

guqqivitas tiqlhatu dusito Pi

tnorppito

gunahyah gado py aln

haraprayuktah kim utru1tnsu'

i"uu puour

"roviU^f,uunya
c.,9 z

L VllI.
iva
Yasya Kietter gup{hyy dyullarighavarayd
dik
Kamgambhiryyadhairya
p",iiu bhusamudrdirin

Nepia'Ma hatmya' Skandapuraqe himavatkhane nep'

lmhtmya Ch. XXVll, 50, 51. 52,53,54,64.
Gugdhya iti tanuma pthivym prathitam tad paplha sakala vidy mune vykaragdikh sa sarvStr'
avettbhud gunhya guqasamyutah Ch. XXVIII' 6,8,
ll, 14, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30,32,35, 36, 38, 56, 57, 59-

ch.
ch.

xxtx, l. 3.
xxx, 2,8, 13, 14, t9, 54,62.

(6)
emor.ative lingams,

the

Valmiki3vara

and

Bhrugsvara.1

gunmfteeg

In the copper plates discovered at Kolar dated

40th year of King Durvinita ( early parr of the 6th
Century A. D. )z it is said :
{r:{r{fl Ksur *rrqqtqqEEeqq fl*<m

.rgE{Tqffiqr gfil{rqe.

...

$ft

An inscription from Cambodia of the Maharaja

Ya3ovarman of 9th Centnry A. D. mentions Byltat.
kaa: "That inscription is one of the five steles
of the Thnal Baray, consecrated to the eulogy of

King Ya$ovarman.3
cKqent,-qfoil gurt6q:
^^T
slfrdl

(7)

the

{tilq:

****Frilrfrq+:

ts qrlrfrl h wqr@r

rrqai qrc frpoua qug:

(ft matters not

if

fr'gererg:

a virtuous man is ever

because he was'really a virtuous

man. Guq{hya

was reinstated in his place; even the poison that s

closely united

with Sirru ,.ru.s

sufficiently as a
graceful ornament; what to say of the moon !'

M. Krishnamachariar
qcq

suspects

third alluslon :1

gqrarql qHrturq

urcnrgarff{ qqrrrrrfr +q. I I

LVnI. C.9.
These are enough evidences to prove that a
wrter named Gul{hya existed n ancient perlod-

'A Paradah out of which the Kalyqa subsists

( willing to help bur atways happy
) Guar{hya
who did no like rhe Prakrit ( rich in virrue bur

).

Vi$laksa a stranger to the

niti ( with big eyes but without the rormenr of

exile ). He was Sura having humbled Bhimaka,.
Mr. Barth
l.

has pointed out another allusion.

Lacote, Essai,p. 14.

S. Lvi, Le Npal, I. 32g, 3g7.

2. J. R. A. S. ( 1913 ), 389.

3. Bergaigne Insc. Sanscrtes de Camp

2 e. fasc. Nos.

LVI-LX.

et due

tt

vilified

LVIII. C. 15.

not loving harshness

Cambodge

l. History of Classical

Sanskrt Literotue,

p.

414,

(e)
CHAPTER

II

BIOGRAPHY OF GUI\.{HYA
Gu+{hya, the well-known author of the Byha'
tkatha the earliest regular collection of fables,
was placed in the same pedestal as Vlmiki and
Vysa.l Indian Classical literature has suffered
much because of the loss of the Bhatkaa. Therc
is enough to prove that a poet named Gufr{hya
existed but the loss of the Bghatkath has made it
difficult for literary historians to place him in literary tradition.z But to us it is only the name that
has survived and he has become almost mythical.
Not much can be said about him with any amount
of certainty and owing to a complete lack of auth.entic biographical details a colourful network of
myths and legends has surrourided his name. Howver, an endeavour has been made here to write
an authentic biography with the help of the works
derived from the Byltatkaa.

Ministerof Chandra Gupta

Maurya, who was equal in ability to Brihaspati,
Chaqrakya, the Prime

1.

Felix Lacote, Essai Sur

GnpaQhya

Et la

BfhatkathA,

( Paris, Ernest Leroux, 1908 ), p. 10.

2. S. N. Prasad, Further Note on the Orginal Itrome of
Gu4Qhya, J. A. 5,, VoL XlI, ( 1970 ),l-4. p. 100.

considering that all his objects had beeq accompli'

shedas hehad wreaked his vengeance on Ygananda
( a king of Nanda dynasty ), despondent through
sorrow for the death of his sons, retiredt o the Vn'
dhya forest.r He said, "Now as my curse has spent
its strength, I will strive to leave the body and
O Kafrabhuti do you remain here for the present,
until there cornes to you a Brhma{ra named

Gul{hya, who has forsaken the use of three lan'

guages,z surrounded with his pupils, for he, like
myself, was cursed by the goddess in anger, being
an excellent Gar.ra, Mlayavna by name, who for
taking my part has become a mortal. "To him
you must tell this tale originally told by '$iva, then
you shall be delivered from y(ur curse, and so shall
he."3 Having said this to Katabhti, that Var'
aruchi set forth for the holy hermitage of Badarika
in order to put off his body. As he was going
along he beheld on the banks of the Ganges a

vegetable eating hermit, and while he was

looking on, that hermit's hand was pricked with
Kua grass. Then Vararuchi turned his blood,
as it flowed out, into sap through his magic
for another version of this
story ( Wilson, Hindu Theatre, Yol.ll ). He remarks

1. See the Mudr Rakshosa

that the story is also told differently i, tbe Puraas ),

2. Sanskrit, Prakrit and his own native dialect.
3. The Ocean, Vol. I, p. 58.

'

(10)
power, out of curiosity,

in

order to test his

egotism; on beholding that, the hermit exclaimed:

ttHa

! I have attained perfection;" and

he

became puffed up with pride. Then Vararuchi

laughed a little. and said to him, 6I turned your
blood into sap in order to test you, because even
now, O hermit, you have not abandoned egotism.
O hermit, endeavour to acquire Knowledge by for.
saking egotism." Having thus read that hermit a
lesson, and having been praised by him prostrate
in adoration, Vararuchi went to the tranquil site
of the hermitage of Badarnth. There he, desirous of putting off his mortal condition, resorted
for protection with intense devotion to that goddess
who only can protect, and she, manifesting her
real form to him, told him the secret of that meditation which arises from fire, to help him to put
off the body. Then Vararuchi, having consumed his
body by that form of meditation, reached his own
heavenly home; and henceforth that Kalabhuti
remained in the Vindhya forest, eager for his
desired meeting with Gur.radhy.t
Then that Mlayavn wandering about in the
wood in human form, passing under the Gul{hya,
having served the King Stavhana, and having
in accordance with a vow, abandoned in his prel.The

Ocean,

Vol. I, pp. 58-59.

11 )

sence the use of sanskrit and

two other

languages,

with sonowful mind came to pay a visit to Durg,

the dweller in the Vindhya hills; and by her orders
he went and beheld Kapabhuti. Then he remem.
bered his origin and suddenly, as it were, awoke
from sleep; and making use of the Pai3acha language, which was different from the three languages
he had sworn to forsake, he said to Ka?abhuti,
after telling him his own name: .Qgickly tell me
that tale which you heard from Pushpadanta, in

order that you and I together, my friend, may

escape. from our curse.', Hearing that, Kar.rabhuti bowed before him, and said to him in joyful
mood : "I will tell you the story, but great curio.
sity possesses me, my lord; first tell me all your
adventures from your birth; do me this favour.,,
Thus being entreated by him, Gu{hya pro.
ceeded to relate as follows :Storlt of Gurya/a :

In Pratishhnar there is a city named Supratishftita; in it there dwelt once upon a time an
l. Pratishthna ( the modern Paithan

is celebrated

as

the capital of Salivahna ( a late form of Stavhana,).

It is identiable with Peytan on the Godvari, the Bat.
hana or Paithana of Ptolemy, the captiat of Siripolemaios. Wilson identifies this name with Selivahana,
but Dr. Rost remarks that fassen more correctly iden.
tifies it with thar of Sri pultmn ( pulumayi ) of the

Andhra Dynasty, who reigned a Pratishfhna after

(12)
excellent Brhman named Soma$arman, and he,
my friend, had two sons, Vatsa and Gulma and he
had also born to him a third child, a daughter

named $rutrth. Now in course of time that

Brhman anC his wife died, and those two sons of
his remained, taking care of their sister. And she
suddenly becarne pregnant. Then Vatsa and
Gulma began to suspect one another, because no
other man came in their sister's way : thereupon
Srutrth, who saw what was in their minds, said
to those brothers:'rDo not entertain evil suspicions:
listen, I will tell you the truth. There is a prince
of the name of Kirtisena, brother's son to Vasuki,
the king of the Ngas;1 he saw me when I was
going to bathe, thereupon he was overcome with
love, and after telling me his lineage and his name'
made me his wife by the Gndharva maffiage;z
he belongs to the Brhma4 race, and it is by him
that I am pregnant." When they heard this spee'
r'What
ch of their sister's, Vatsa and Gulma said :
confidence can we repose in all this !" Then she
the overthrow of the house of Salivahana about 133
A. D. See also the latest theory expounded by the pre'
sent author in J, A. S. -B., Vol. XIl, ( 1970 ), Part 1*4'
p. 99 ff.

For details of these serpent-demons see Appendix I at

the end oThe Ocean, Vol. I.
2.For a note on this form of marriage lbid.' N. M'
Penzel, pp. 87, 88.
1.

(13)
silently called
I
I
I
1

I
I

to mind that Naga prince,

and

immediately he was thought upon he came and said

(eln truth I have made your
to Vatsa and Gulma :
sister my wife. She is a glorious heavenly nymph
fallen down to earth in consequence of a curse,
and you, too, have descended to earth for the same
reason; but a son shall without fail be born to your
sister here, and then you and she together shall
be freed from your curse." Having said this

he disappeared, and in a few days from that time

a son was born to $ru6rth; know me, my friend
was
as that son.1 At that very time a divine voice
(rThis
child that is born is
heard. from heaven :
an incarnation of virtue,z and he shall be called
Gu+{hya,3 and is of the Brhmar.r caste'" There'
upon my mother and uncles, as their curse had

died' and I for my part became

inconsolable. Then I flung aside my grief' and
though a child I went in the strength of my sel
reliance to the Deccan to acquire knowledge'
Then, having in course of time learned all the

spent its force,

to C. H. Tarvney that tvam in Dr' Brockhaus'

text must be a misrint for tam'
gaqa' Dur'
2. Here Brockhaus has confounded gula and
the trans'
thus
word,
correct
the
has
gaprasad's text
of this
one
of
incarnation
:
Iation should be "an
ga4as.o'-N. M. P.
-tvleans
rich in vittues and good qualities'
.
1.

lt

seems

(15)

(14)
and become famous, I returned to my
native land to exhibit my accomplishments; and
when I entered after a long absence into the city
sciences,

of Supratishhita, surrounded by my disciples, I

saw a wonderfully splendid scene. In one place
chanters were intoning according to prescribed
custom the hymns of the Sma Veda; in another
place Brhmagrs were disputing about the interpre.
tation of the sacred books; in another piace gamb.
lers were praising gambling in these deceitful words:
"Whoever knows the art of gambling has a treasure in his grasp"; and in another place, in the
midst of a knot of merchants, who were talking to
one another about their skill in the art of making
money.

Witnessing strange scenes of this kind at every

stepr I reached the palace of the king, which was
like the court of Indra. And then I entered it,
with my pupils going before to herald my arrival
and saw the King Stavhana sitting in his hall of
audience upon a jewelled throne, surrounded by
his ministerr, uruuuurman and his colleagues, as

Indra is by the gods. After I had blessed him and

had taken a seat, and had been honoured by the
king, Sarvavarman and the other minisiers praised
me in the following words : "'Ihis man, O king,
is famous upon the earth as skilled in all lore, and

therefore his name Gur.r{hyar is a true index of

his nature." Stavhana, hearing me praised in
this style by his ministers, was pleased with me,
and immediately entertained me honourabl and

appointed me to the office of Minister. Then I

married a wife, and lived there comfortably, looking after the king's affairs and instructing my
pupils.

Once as I was roaming about at leisure on the

banks of the Godvar out of curiosit I beheld a
garden called Devikti and seeing that it was an
exceedingly pleasant garden, like an earthly Nandana,z I asked the gardener how it came there,
and he said to me: 6rMy lord, according to the
story which we hear from old people, long ago
there came here a certain Brhmaqr who observed
a vow of silence and abstained from food; he made
this heavenly garden with a temple; then all the
Brhma4ras assembled here out of curiosity, and
that Brhma being persistently asked by them
toid his history."
f . i. e. rich in accomplishments.
2. Indra's pleasure-ground or Elysium. For a similar
Zaubergaften see Liebrecht's translation of Dunlop's
History of Fiction, p"251, and note, 325; and Gonzenbach's Sicilianische Marchen, Vol. I, p.224. To this
latter story there is a very close parallel in Jataka,
No. 220 (Fausboll, vol. ii, p. 188), where Sakko
makes a garden for the Bodhisattva, who is threatened
with death by the king if is not done.

(17)

(16)
The Magic Garden':

..ThereisinthislandaprovincecalledBakaNarmada; in that
kachchha, on the banks of the
and in former
distrct I was born as a Brhmaq'
as I was lazy as well
times no one gave me alms,
annoyance I quitted my
as poor; then in a fit of
wandering
norr"; being disgusted with life' and
to visit the shrine of
round the holy places I came
hills' and hav'
the dweller in the Vindhya
Durg,
pro"
:
ing eheld that goddess, I reflected "Peoptre
this giver of boons'
pitiate with animal offerings
beast that I
but I wiii slay myself here' stupid

am."Havingformedthisresolve'Itookinhanda
swordtocutoffmyhead.Immediatelythatgodd.
said to me :'tSon'
ess, being propitious, herself
thu art

f.rf.tt"d,

do not slay thyselfl remain near

me."Thuslobtainedaboonfromthegoddess
divine nature' From that day forth
an.J attained,

then once upon

my hunger and thirst disappeared;
there' that goddess hera time, as I was remaining
.rGo, my Son, and plant in Pratish.
self said to me :
Thus speaking' she gave
lhna a glorious garden'"
heavenly seed' thereupon
me, with her own hands,

I"u*"hereandmaclethisbeautifulgardenby
this garden you must
means of her power; and
said this' he disapp'
keep in good order'' Having
made by the
eared. In this way this garden was
goddess long ago, mYlord'"

When I had heard from the gardner ths signal

mainlestation of the favour of the goddess, f went
home penetrated with wonder.

lVhen Gun{hya had said this, K?abhri

asked ' "Why, my lord, was the king called
stavhana ?" Then Gul$hya said : ,,Listen,
I
will tell you the reason.
There was a king of,great power named Dvipikar4i. He had a wife named Saktimatt, whom
he
valued more than his life, and once upon
a time a
snake bite her as she was sleeping
in the garden.
Thereupon she died, and that king, thinking
only of
her, though he had no son, took a vow ofperpetual chastity. Then once upon a time the god olthe
moon-crest said to him in a dream : .,While
wandering in the forest thou shalt behold a boy
mounted
on a lion, take him and go home, he shall be
thy

son.', Then the king woke up, and rejoiced,

remembering that dream, and one day in his

passion for the chase he went to a distant wood;
there in
the middle of the day thar king beheld
on the bank
of a lotus-lake a boy, splendid as the
son,

on a lion;1 the
down the boy,

riding

lion, desiring to drink water got

and then the king, remem bering
his dream, slew it with one arrow.
The creature
l. Owing to the scarcity of the lion in lndia, especially
in the north, it appears litrle in folk-lore.
There arJ,

2G

(le)

(18)
a lion' and suddthereupon abandoned the form of
king exc'
enly assumed the shape of a rnan' The
Tell me'" And
laimed:,,Alas ! what means this ?
I am a
then the man answered him : "O king'

Yakshaofthenameofsta'anattendantuponthe
the daughter
God of Wealth; long ago I beheld
she too' when
of a $ihi bathing in the Ganges;
in her breast' like
she beheld me, felt love arise
wife by the gandhmyself; then I made her my
finding
;:;r"r* of mariage;l and her relatives' saylng
and me,
it out, in their anger cursed her
in Your
oYou two wicked ones, doing what is right
The hermit-folk
own eyes, shall become lions.'
end when she gave
pointed that her curse should
mne should continue
birth to offsPring' and that
thee with an arrow'
longer, until I was slain bY
lions; she in the course of
So we became a Pair of
died after this
time became Pregnant, and then
him uP on the milk
boy was born, but I brought
I am released
of other lionesses, and lo ! to'daY
having been smitten bY thee with

f,rom mY curse,
this noble son which
an arrow. Therefore recelve
long ago bY
give thee, for this thing was foretold

ofthe
however, various references
Folk-I'ore
Crooke'
of StorY. See

lion in

of

The Ocean

hermitlolk.,, Having said this, that Guhyaka,

named Sata, disappeared,r and the king taking the
boy went home; and because he had ridCen upon
Sata he gave the boy the name of Stavhana,
those

and in course of time he established him in his

kingdom. Then, when that King Dvipikarli went

to the forest, this

Stavhna became sovereign

of the whole earth.

Having said this in the middle of his tale in

answer to Kaabhti's question, the wise Gug{ya
again called to mind and went on with the main
thread of his narrative.

Then once upon a time, in the spring festival,

that King Stavhana went to visit the garden made
by the goddess, of which I spake before. He roamed there for a long time like Indra in the garden
of Nandan, and descended into the water of the
lake to amuse himself in company with his wives.
There he sprinkled on his beloved ones sportively
water flung by his hands, and was sprnkled
by them with water in return like an elephant by its
females. His wives, with faces, the eyes of which

Northetn Indi,

TawneY, but misprints

vol. ii, P. 2i0' He refers to

p. 1?8 as 78 .-N. M. P.
form of marriage on PP' 87' 88. -N.
1. See oote on this
M. P.

l.

yaksha.-For details
mythical beings see AppendixinThe Ocean,

Guhyaka here synonymous with

of

these

I.

The Guhyakas like the yakshas are attendants

upon Kuvera the god of wealth.

Vol.

(20)

(2t)

were slightly reddened by the collyriuml washed

into them, and which were streaming with water'
and with bodies, the proportions of which were
revealed by their clinging garments,z pelted him
vigorously; and as the wind strips the creepers in
the forest of leaves and flowers, so he made his fair
lost
ones, who fled into the adjoining shrubbery,

what do we want with sweetmeats in the water ?

b-or I said to you, do not sprinkle waterdrops
on me. Do you not understand the coalescence
of the words m and udaka, and do you not know

the marks on their foreheadss and their ornaments'

Then one of his queens, tardy with the weight of
her breasts, with body tender as a Sirisha flower,
not
became exhausted with the amusement; she
being able to endure more, said to ttre king' who
: c'Do not
was sprinkling water on her with water
the king
pelt me with water'drops." On hearing that'
quickly had some sweetmeatsa brought' Then the

dants laughed, the king, at once being overpowered

queen burst into laughing and said

again: "I(ing'

detailed note on the hitsory and uses of collyrium and kohl see The Ocean, Vol' I'
story of the tenth day of The
Z.
- o.pur" with the sixth
Ginevra
D.caileron, in which the clinging garments of
King
on
effect
disturbing
a
and Isotta have such
Charles.-1. M. P.
or between
The tilaka, a mark made upon the forehead
3.
--th".y"browswithcolouredearths,sandai-wood'etc''

1. For a

distinction
serving as an ornaments or a sectarial
- ( Monier Williams, S. V' )'
with udakaih ( the
4. The negative particle m coalesces
and
plural instrumental case of udaka ) into modakailr'
'modakaih (the single word) means "with sweetmeats''"
Geschichte des
The incident is reiated in Trnatha's
p'74'
Schiefnet'
von
uebersetzt
inlndien
Ai;ud(thismus

that chapter of the grammar How can you be

such a blockhead ', When the queen, who knew
grammatical treatises, said this to him, and the atten-

with secret shame; left off roaming in the water

and immediately entered his own palace unperceived, crestfallen and full of selcontempt. Then
he remained lost in thought, bewildered, averse to
food and other enjoyments, andr like a picture, even
when asked a question, he answered nothing. Thinking that his only recource was to acquire learning

or die, he flung himself

down on a couch, and

remained in an agony of grief. Then all the
king's attendants, seeing that he had suddenly
fallen into such a state, were utterly themselves
began to think what it could mean. Then Suruuvarman and I came at last to hear of the king's
condition, and by that time the day was almost at

end.

that the king was still in an

unsatisfactory condition, we immediately summSo perceiving

oned a servant of the king named Rajahansa,. And

he, when asked by us about the state oi the king's
health, said this : 6'f never before in my life saw

(22)
the king in

such a state

of

depression : and the

other queen told me with much indignation that
he had been humiliated to-day by that superficial
blue-stocking, daughter of Vish{'uakti.,, When

uruurur*an and I had heard this from the mouth

of the kingrs servant, we fell into a state of despondency, and thus reflected in our dilemrna : .,If the
king were a.ffiicated with bodily disease we might
introduce the physicians, but if his disease is mental
it is impossible to find the cure of it. For there
is no enemy in his country the thorns of which are
destroyed, and these subjects are attached to him;
no dearth of any kind is to be seen; so how has
the sudden melancholy of the king arisen !',
After we had debated to this effect, the wise Sarvavarman said as follows -(61 l6 the cause :
this king is distressed by sorrow for his own igno.
rance, for he is always expressing a desire for culture, saying, 'f am a blockhead., I long ago
detected this desire of his, and we have heard that
the occasion of, the present fit, is his having been
humiliated by the queen.', Thus we debated with
one another, and after we had passed that night, in
the morning we went to the private apartments
of the sovereign. There, though strict orders had
been given that no one was to enter, I managed to
get in with difficulty, and after *. Surrruuarman

(23)
slipped in quickly. I then sat
down near the king
and asked him this question:.,Why,
O king, ari
thou without cause thus despondent
?,, Thoogh he
heard this, Satavhan nevertheless
remained silent.
and then Suruuuur*an uttered this
extraordinary
speech :

r'King, thou didst

long ago say to me,

'Make me a learned man., Thinklng upon thatn

I employed last night a charm to produce a dream.l
Then f saw in my dream a lotus fallen frorn

heaven, and it was opened by some

heavenly youth,

and out

of it carne a divine

woman ir, *frit" gurments, and immediately, O king she entered

ihy
mouth. When I had seen so much I woke up, and
I think without doubt that the woman who visibly
entered thy mouth was Sarasvatr.', As
soon as
Sarvavarman had in these terms described
his
dream, the king broke his silence and said
to me
with the utmost earnestness : (6fn how short a time
can a man, who is diligently taught, aquire
learning ? Tell me rhis. For without learning
all this
regal splendour has no charm for me. What
is
the use of rank and power to a blockhead
? They
are like ornaments on a log of wood.,,
Then I
said : ,.King, it is invariably the case
that it takes
men twelve years to learn grammar, the gate
to
all knowledge. But I, my sovereigrr,

will teach it

1. So explained by Bhtlingk and Roth, s.

72, sl. 103.

v.;of Taranga

(25)

(24)
to you in six years." When he heard that, arvavarman suddenly exclaimed, n a fit of jealousy:

"F{ow can a man accustomed to enjoyment endure

hardship for so long ? So I will teach you grammar my prince, in six months." When I heard
this promise, which seemed mpossible to make
good, I said to him in a rage : "If you teach the
king in six rnonths, I renounce at once and for ever
Sanskrit, Prkrit and the vernacular dialect, these
three languages which pass current among men."l
Then Su*uuur*an said : 'rAnd If I do not do this,
Sarvavarman, will carry your shoes on my head
for twelve years." Having said this, he went out
f too went home; and the king for his part was
comforted, expecting that he would attain his object
by means of one of us two. Now Sarvavarman

I,

being n a dilemma, seeing that his promise was

very difficult to perform, and regretting what he,
'had done, told the whole story to his wife, and she
grieved to hear it, said to him : "My lord, in this
difficulty there is no way of escape for you except

the favour of the Lord Krttikeya."2 "It

is

sor" said Suruuuur-an, and determined to implore

him. Accordingly in the last watch of the night
1. He afterwards learns to speak in the language of the
PiSchas- goblins ogres.
2. Called also Kumra. This was no doubt indicated by
the Kumra, or boy, who opened the lotus.

out

the

shrine of the
god. Now I came to hear of it by means of my
secret emissaries, and in the morning I told the
king of it; when he heard it, he wondered
what would happen. Then a trusty Rjput called
Sinhagupta said to him: "When I heard, O king'

S^rtuturrnan

set

fasting for

that thou wast affiicted I was seized with great

despondency. Then I went out of this city, and
was preparing to cut off my own head before the
goddess Durg in order to ensure thy happiness.
Then a voice from heaven forbade me' saying :
'Do not do so; the king's wish shall be fulfilled.'
Therefore, I believe thou art sure of success."
lVhen he had said this, that Sihagupta took leave
of the king and rapidly dispatched two emissaries
ufte, Sarvavarman, who, feeding only on air,
observing a vow of silence, steadfast in resolution,
reached at last the shrine of the Lord Karttikeya.
There, pleased with his penance that spared not
the bociy, Krttikeya favoured him according to
his desire; then the two spies sent by Sifrhagupta
came into the king's presence and reported the
minister's success. On hearing that news the kin-g
was delighted and

was despondent, as the chtaka

enjoys, and the swan grieves, on seeing the cloud.l

l.

The chtaka lives on raindrops, but the poor swan has

to take a long journey to the Manas lake beyond the
snowy hills at the approach of the rainy season.

(27

(26)
Then Suruutur*an arrived, successful by the fav.
our of Karttikeya, and communcated to the king
that all the sciences, would present themselves
to him on his thinking of them. And immediately
they were revealed to the King Satavhana. For
what cannot the grace of the Supreme Lord acco.
mplish ? Then the kingdom rejoiced on hearing
that the king had thus obtained all knowledge, and
there was high festival arranged throughout it; and
that moment banners were flaunted from houses
and, they being fanned by the wind, seemed to dance. Then Suruurrur*an was honoured with abundance ofjewels fit for a king, by the sovereign who
bowed humbly before him, cailing him his spirituai
preceptor; and he was made governor of the territory called Bakakachchha which lay along the
bank of the Narmad.l The king. being highly
pleased with that Rajput Siihagupta who first
heard by the mouth of his spies that the boon had
been obtained from the six-faced god,2 made him
equal to himself in splendour and power. And
that queen too, the daughter of Vishluakti, who
was the cause of his acquiring learning he exalted
at one bound above all the queens, through affection anointings her with his own hand.
l. S. N. Prasad, The Kaasarftsagar and Indian Cuhure,
Chaukhambha Orientalia, Varanasi, 1976, Ch.
2. Krttikeya.
3. More literally, "sprinkling her with water."

XlI.

Then, having taken a vow of silence,'I came

in presence of the sovereign, and there a certain
Brhmaf a recited a loka he had composed, and
the king himself addressed him correctly in the
Sanskrit language; and the people who were
present in the Court were delighted when they
witnessed that. Then the king said deferentially
to Suruuuur-an : csTell me thyself after what
fashion the god showed thee favour'" Hearing
that, Surrruuur*ut proceeded to relate to the
king the whole story
acceptance of iiirn.

of

Karttikeya's favourable

that occasion fasting and

silent from this place; so when the journey came
to an end, being very despondent, and emaciated
with my severe austerities, worn out' I fell senseless
on the ground. Then, I remember, a man with
a spear in his hand came and said to me in distinct

I went, O king,

on

son; everything shall turn

out favourably for thee." By that speech I was,
as it were, immediately bedewed with a shower of
nectar, and I woke up, and seemed free from hun'
ger and thirst and in good mood. Then I approa'
ched the neighbourhood of the god's temple, overpowered with the weight of my devotion, and
after bathing f entered the inner shrine of the god
in a state of agtated suspense. Then that Lord
accents : "Rise up, mY

(28)

(2e)

Skandal gave me a sight of himself wthin, and

thereupon SarasvaE in visibie shape entered my
mouth. So that holy god, manifested before me
recited the stra beginning, .,the traditional doctrine of letters.', On hearing that I, with the levity
which is so natural to mankind, guessed the next
stra and uttered it myself. Then that god said
to me : "ff thou hadst not uttered it thyseli this
grammatical treatise would have supplanted that
of Palini. As it is, on account of its conciseness,
it shall be called Katuntra, and Kala.aka, from the
tail ( kalapa ) of the peacock on which I ride.',
Having said this, that god himself in visible form
revealed to me that new and short grammarrz and
then added this besides : (.That king of thine in a
former birth was himself a holy sage, a pupil of
the hermit Bharadvja, named KrishTa, great in
austerity, and he, having beheld a hermit,s daughter who loved him in return, suddenly felt the

smart of the wound which the shaft of the floweryarrowed god inflicts. So, having cursed by the

1. Skanda is another name of Krttikeya .

2. This grammar is extensively in use in the eastern parts
of Bengal. The rules are attributed to Sarvavarman, by
the inspiration of Krttikeya, as narrated in the text.
The vritti ( or gloss ) is the work of Durg Singh, and
that again, is commented on by Trilochana Dsa and

Kavirja. Vararuchi is the supposed author of an

illustration of the Conjugations and Sripati Varma of
a Supplement. Other commentaries are attributed
to Gopt Nth, Kula Chandra and ViSveSvara. ( Note
in Wilson's Essays, Vol. I, p. 183. ).

hermits, he has now become incarnate here,

and that hermits's daughter has become incarnate
as his queen. So this King Satavhana, being an
incarnation of a holy sagerl when he beholds thee
will attain a knowledge of all the sciences according to thy wish. For the highest matters are easily
acquired by great"souled ones, having learnt
in a former birth, the real truth of them being
recalled by their powerful memories."z When the
god had said this he disappeared, and I went out,
and these grains of rice were presented to me by
the god's servants. Then I proceeded to return, O
king, and wonderful to say, though I consumed
those grains on my jounrey day after day, they
remained as nurnerous as ever.
When he had related his advent,rr., Surturrurman ceased speaking, and King Satavhana in
cheerful mood rose up and went to bathe.

Then I, being excluded from business by my

vow of silence, took leave, with a low bow only,
of that king, rvho was very averse to part with me,
and went out of that town, accompanied by only
two disciples, and with my mind bent on the per1. $ishis.

2. Samskra means "tendency produced by some past

infiuence"-often ttworks in a former birth."

(31

(30)
austerities came to visit the shrine of
the Dweller in the Vindhya hills, and having
been directed by the goddess in a dream to visit
formance

thee,

of

entered for that purpose this

terrible Vin'

dhya forest. A hint given by a Pulinda enabled

me to find a caravanr and so somehow or ,other,
by the special favour of destiny, I managed to
arrive here, and beheld this host of Pi3chas, and
by hearing from a distance their conversation
with one another, I contrived to learn this
Paisacha language,l which enabled me to break
my vow of silence. I then made use of it before

you, and hearing that you had gone to Ujjayini,

I waited here until your return;on beholding
you f welcomed you in the fourth lauguage
( the speech of the Pi6achas ), and then I called to
mind my origin. This is the story of my adventure
in this birth.
When Gu+{hya had said this, Kr.rabhuti said
to him : "Hear how your arrival was made known
to me last night. I have a friend, a Rkshasa of
the name of Bhutivarman, who possesses heavenly
insight, and I went to a garden in Ujjayini, where
he resides. On my asking him when my own
curse would come to an end, he said: 'We have

l. For a note on this language, 'called Paisachi, see pp.

91, 92.-N. M. P. See also Ch. IV, Part C. S. N.
Prasad, Kathasartsagar and Indan Cutrture, Ch. IIL

no power in the day; wait, and I will tell you at

night.' I consented, and when night came on
I asked him earnestly the reason why goblinsl
delighted in disporting themselves, as they were
doing. Then Bhtivarman said to me:'Listen;
I witl relate what I heard Siva saying in a conver'
sation with Brahma. Rkshasas, Yakshas, and
Pischas have no power in the day, being dazed
with the brightness of the sun, and therefore they
delight in the night.2 And where the gods are not
worshipped, and the Brhmas, or not in due form,
and where men eat contrary to the holy law, there
also they have power. Where there is a man who
abstains from flesh, ot a virtuous woman, there
they do not go. They never attack chaste men,
heroes, and men awake.'3 When he said this on
that occasion Bhutivarman continued : 'Go, for
Guldhya has arrived, the destined means of thy
release from the curse.' So hearing this, I have
come, and I have seen thee, my lord. Now I will
relate to thee that tale which Puhpadanta told;

l. For the idea of Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act I, sc. I (tow'

ards the end), and numerous other passages in the
same author.
2. See Farmer, commentin! on Hamlet, Act. I, sc. l, 150.
In Giles' Stranger Stories from a Chinese Studio ( Vol.
l, p. 177 ) Miss Li, a female devil disappears as soon
as she hears the cock crow.
3. Brockhaus renders

it : "Fromme, Helden und Weise."

( 32

but I

feel curiosity on one point : tell me why he

was called Puhpadanta and thou Malayavan."
Hearing this question from Kalabhuti, Gul{hya
said to hinr :
Story of Puphadnta

On the bank of

the Ganges there was a royal

district granted to Brhmar.rs by royal charter,
named Bahusuvarqaka, and there lived a very

learned Brhman named Govindadatta, and he

had a wife, Agnidatt, who was devoted to her
husband. fn course of time that Brhman had
five sons from her. And they, being handsome but
stupid, grew up insolent fellows. Then a guest
came to the house of Govindadatta, a Brhmap,
Vai3vnara by name, like a second god of fire.l
As Govindadatta was away from home when he
arrived, he came and saluted his sons, and they
only responded to his salute with a laugh; then
that Brhmar.r in a rage prepared to depart from
his house. While he was in this state of wrath
Govindadatta came, and asked the cause, and did
his best to appease him; but the excellent Brhman nevertheless spoke as follows ;-(c{sll 56ng
have become outcasts, as being blockheads, and
you have lost caste by associating with them, therefore I will not eat in your house; if I did so I should
l.

(33)

Vaisvanara is an epithet of Agni, or Fire.

not be

able to purify myself by any expiatory

ceremony.,' Then Govindadatta said to him with
an oath : "I will never even touch these wicked.

of mine.,, His hospitable wife also came and

said the same to her guest; then Vaiivnara was
with difficulty induced to accept rheir hospitality.
One of Govindadatta,s sons, named Devadatta,
sons

when he saw that, was grieved at his father's stern_

ness, and, thinking a life of no value which was thus
branded by his parents, went in a state of despondency to the hermitage of Badarik to perform
penance; there he first ate leaves, and afterwards he

fed only on smoke, persevering in a long course of

austeritiesl in order to propitiate the husband of

Um.z

So Sambhu, won over by his severe austerities, manifested himself to hirn; and he craved
a boon from- the god, that he might ever attend
upon him. Sambhu thus commanded him : ..Acq-

uire learning, and enjoy pleasures on the earth,

and after that thou shalt attain all thy desire.,,
Then he, eager for learningr went to the city of
Ptaliputra, and according to custom waited on
I. For fuller details reference shoull be made to

The

Mystics, Ascetics and Saints of India, J. C. Oman; the

article "Asceticism," by F. C. Conybeare, in the Ency.
Brit.( vol. ii, p. 717 et seq. ), and that on ,,Asceticisim
( Itrindu ),,' by A. S. Geden, in Itrastins, Ency. Ret.
Eth., vol. ii, p. 87 et seq.-N. M. p.

2. Siva.

3G

({34

an ins-tructor named Vedakumbha. When he was

there, the wife of his preceptor, distracted by

passion, which had arisen in her heart, made violent love to him. Alas ! the fancies of women are
ever inconstant. Accordingly Devadatta left that
place, as his studies had been thus interfered with
by the God of Love, and went to Pratishlhana
with unwearied zeal- There he repaired to an
old preceptor named Mantrasvmin, with an old
wife, and acquired a perfect knowledge of the
sciences. And after he had acquired learning the
daughter of the King SuSarman, Sri by rame'
cast eyes upon the handsome youth, as the goddess $ri upon Vishlu. He also beheld that maiden
at a window, looking like the presiding goddess of
the moon, roaming through the air in a magic
chariot. Those two were, as it were, fastened
together by that look which was the chain of love,
and were unable to separate. The king's daughter
made him a sign to come near with one finger,
looking like love's command n fleshly form.
Then he came near her, and she came out of the
women's apartments, and took with her teeth a
flower and threw it down to him. He, not understanding this mysterious signl made by the prin1.

(35)

The method of communicating by signs made with

objects is widely distributed through the East, and has
also been noticed in different parts of Africa and Ame-

cess, puzzleC as to what he ought to do, went

home to his preceptor. There he rolled on the

rica.

The seclusion of women in the East, their ignorance of witing and the risk of conveying a letter to
an admire was quite sufficient to create a neeessity for
the language of signs, so that the maiden peeping
through her lattice of meshrebya could coove! mss.
ages quickly and discreetly to her lover or the passing
stran.ger.
Cansequently we nd the language of signs largely
introduced into Eastern fiction. A curious fact is that
the man to whom the signs are made never understands
them, but has them interpreted by a friend or teacher.
This is the case in the story of Devadafta, and also in
two stories in the Nights ( see Burton, vol. ii, p.302
et., seq., and vol. ix, p.269 ). In the first of these

stories, that of "Aziz and Azlzah,,' are numerous

examples of the sign language. The following may be
quoted :-The woman appears at the window with a
mirror and a red kerchief. She then "bared her forearms and opened her five fingers and smote her breast
with palms and digits; and after this she raised her
hands and, holding the mirror outside the wicket, she
took the red kerchief and retired into the room with
it, but presently returned and putting out her hand
with the kerchief, let is down towards the lane three
several times, dipping it and raising it as often. Then
she wrung it out and folded i in her hands, bending
down her head the while; after which she drew it in
from the lat[ice and, shutting the wicket-shutter, wen
away without a single word." The explanation is, the
sign with her palm and five fingers : "Return after
ve days; and the putting forth of her head out ofthe
window, and her,lgestures with the mirror and the letting down and raising up and wringing out ol the red
kerchief, singify, Sit in the dyer's shop till my messen.

( 36 )

ground unable to utter a word, being consumed

within with burning pain, like one dumb and
ger come to

thee." After similar other messages our

lady, but always goes to sleep while

hero meets the

waiting for her. Each time on awakening he finds she

has been, and deposited objects on his body while
asleep. On one occasion he tnds lying on his stomach
a cube of bone, a single tipcat stick, the stone of a
green date and a carob-pod. The meaning of these
articles is : "By the single tip-cat stick, and the cube of
bone which she placed upon thy stomach she saith to
thee, Thy body is present but thy heart is absent; and
she meaneth, Love isnot thus: so do not reckon thyself
among lovers. As for the date-stone, it is as if she
said to thee, An thou wert in love thy heart would
be burning with passion and thou wouldst not test the
delight of sleep; for the sweet of love is like a green
date which kindleth a coal of fire in the vitals. As for
the carob-pod, it signifies to thee, The lover's heart is
wearied; and there by she saith, Be patient under our
separation with the patience of Job."
Lane ( Arabian Nights, i,608, and Arabian So.
cety in the Mddle Ages, p.130 ) says that rhe art of
sign language was first "made known to Europeans by
a Frenchman. M. du Vigneau, in a work entitled Sec.
ritaire Turc, contenat I' Art de exprimer ses pensles
sans se voir, sans se parler, et sans slcrire.' Paris, 1688
in 12. Von Hammer has also given an interesting paper
on this subject in the ll[ines de I'Orient, No. I : Vienna,
1809 ( note to Marcel's Contes du Cheykh El-Mohdy,
1\i,327,328 : Paris, 1833 )." He gives an example of
messages answered in the sanre manner. It is well
worth quotirg : "An Arab lover sent to his mistress
a fan, bunch of flowers,a silk tassel, some sugar-candy,
and a piece of cord of a musical instrument; and she
returned for answer a piece of an aloe-plant, three.

(37)
distracted; his wise preceptor guessing what was
the matter by these love symptoms, artfully quest
black cuminseeds, and a piece of plant used in washing. His communication is thus interpreted. The fan,

being called mirwaah, a word derived from a root

which has among its meanings that of 'going to any
place in the evening,' signified his wish to pay her an
evening visit the flowers, that the interview should be
in her garden : the tassel, being called shurrabeh, that
they should have sharab ( or wine ) : the sugar-candy;
being termed sukkar _nebdt,.and nebm also signifying 'we
will pass the night,' denoted his desire to remain in her
company until the morning : and the piece of cord, tha
they should be entertained by music. The interpreta
tion of her answer is as follows. The piece of an aloeplant, which is called abbarah ( from Eabar which
signies patience-because it will live for many months
together without water ), implied that he must wai :
the three black cumin-seeds explained to him tha
the period of delay should be three nights : and the
plant used in rvsig informed him that she should
then have gone to the bath, and would meet him."
Similar sign language occurs in Swynnerton,
Indian Night's Entertainments, ).167 et seq. See also
Stein and Grierson, Hatim's Tales, 1923, pp.21,22,
where in the story of the goldsmith the lady turns her
back, shows a mirror, throws some water, a posy of
flowers and a hair out of the window. Finally she
scratches the sill of the window with an iron stiletto.
All this means that someone else was in the room, but
that he can meet hereby the water-drain in the garden
and must be prepared to file through iron railings. At
the moment she was combing her hair.
The.ancient Peruvians used knotted strings, called
quipus in a most elaborate manner, the colour chosen
usually denoting objects and the knots numbers. The

(38)

(3e)

ioned him, and at last he was with difficulty persuaded to tell the whole story. Then the clever

'"By letting drop a flower with her tooth she ffid.:

a sign to you that you were to go to this temple
rich in flowers, called Puhpadantarand wait there;
so you had better go now." When he heard this
and knew the meaning of the sign, the youth forgot his grief. Then he went into that temple and
remained there. The princess on her part also
went there, giving as an excuse that it was the

preceptor guessed the riddle, ancl said

to himl :

system is still found in the north of South America. For

full details and excellent iliustrarions see J. L. Locke,

The Ancient Quipu,Amer Mus.Nat..Hisf., New Yok, 1923.
The Australian message-stick is merely an aici to
memory when conveying a message. In China chopsticks are sometimes used as a mearis of giving instructions in code.
The language of signs has a distinct connection
with British rule in India, for it was employed by ttrre
natives at the outbreak of the trndian Ntutiny. ln 1856

mysterious chapattees, or griddle-cakes, \ ere circulated from village to village, while among the regiments a lotus-flower was passed round. Each man took
it, looked at it and passed it on. The exact meaning
of these symbols has nevar been explained. See ",Secret Messages and Symbols used in India." Journ.
Bihar and Orissa Research Soc., 1979, vol. v. pp. 451,
452, W. Crooke, the author of this article, gives
instances of the use of sticks, twings, spears, arrows,
etc., used symbolically. After referring to the Nights
he says that in India a leaf of p1na with betel and
sweet spices inside, accompained by a certain flower,
means, "I love you.o' If much spice is put inside ihe
leaf and one corner turned down in a peculiar way, it

signites 'rCome."

If

turmeric is added it means, .rI

cannot come, "while the addition of a piece of charcoal

means, "Go, I have done.with you," ( See T. H. Lewin,
TheWild Races of South Eastern lndia, p. 123. )-N.

M. P. Quoted from notes of N. M. P. in The Ocean,.

vol. i. See also Kamaslra, I Adhikarana, III Chapters,
15; P. Thomas, K:ama Kalta, Bombay, pp.77-78.
1. Cf. the first story intheVetala Ponchaviati, Chapter
LXXV of The Ocean.

eight day of the month, and then entered the inner

shrine in order to present herself aione before the
god; then she touched her lover, who was behind
the panel of the door, and he suddenly springing
up threw his arms round her neck. She exclaimed : "This is strange; how did you guess the rnean-

ing of that sign of mine !" He replied : "It was

my preceptor that found it out, not I." Then the
princess flew into a passion and said, "Let me go;
you are a doltr" and immediately rushed out of
the temple, fearing her secret would be discovered.
Devadatta on his part went away, and thinking in
solitude on his beloved, who was no sooner seen
than lost to his eyes, was in such a state that the
taper of his life was well-nigh melted away in the
fire of bereavement. Siva, who had been before
propitiated by him, commanded an attendant of
his, of the name of Panchaikha, to procure for

him the desire of his heart. That excellent Gar.ra

thereupon came and consoled him, and caused

(41

:(4CI)
him to assume the dress of a woman, and he himself wore the semblance of an aged Brhmaga.
Then that worthy GaFa went with him to King
Suarman, the father of that bright-eyed one, and.
said to him : r,My son has been sent away somewhererl I go to seek him; accordingly I deposit
with thee this daughter-in-law of mine; keep her
safely, O king.,, Hearing that, King Su3arman,
afraid of a Brhmat's curse, took the young man
and placed him in his daughter,s guarded seraglio,
supposing him to be a woman. Then after the
departure of Pancha$ikha the Brhmaqa dwelt in
woman's clothes in the seraglio of his beloved,
and became her trusted confidant. Once on
a time the princess was full of regretful longing
at night, so he discovered himself to her and
secretly married her by the gdndhara form
of marriage.z And when she became pregnant
that excellent GaTa came on his thinking of him
only, and carried him away at night without its
being perceived. Then he quickly rent off from
the young man his womanrs dress, and in the
morning Pancha3ikha resumed the semblance of a
1.'The Durgapras

better reading

_N. M. P.

.,my son ls r

somervherl."

of the marriage is taken from the Gan.

dharvas, who are spirits bf tne air, and re, ror.

2. The name

of beautiful women. Ihe marriage

is due to sexual attraction, sometimes quiie

ove-r, very foud

itself

sudden and unpremeditated.

the young man to the

King Su6arman he said: "O king, I have this day
found my son; so give me back my daughter-in-

Brhmar.ra and going with

law." Then the king, supposing that she had fled

somewhere at night, alarmed at the prospect of
being cursed by the Brhmar.ra, said this to his
ministers : *This is no Brhmar.ra; this is some god
come to deceive me, for such things often happen
n this world."
King Su3arman of his own motion said to.that
excellent Gar.ra that had assumed the form of a
Brhmapar prostrating himself before him in fear :
('Spare me. That daughter-in-law of thine was
carried off last night. She has been taken some.
where or other by magic arts, though guarded
night and day." Then the Gar.ra, who had assumed
the Brhmar.r's semblance, pretending to be with
difficulty won over to pity him, said : ,,If this be
so, king, give thy daughter in marriage to my son."
When he heard this, the king, afraid of being cursed, gave his own daughter to Devadatta; then
Panch3ikha departed. Then Devadatta having
recovered his beloved, and that in an open manner,
flourished in the power and splendour of his fatherin-law, who had no son but him. And in course
of time Su6arman anointed the son of his daughter
by Devadatta, \4ahidhara by name, as successor
in his room, and retired to the forest. Then hav-

(42)

(43)

ing

seen the prosperity of his son, Devadatta

considered that he had attained all his objects, and
he too, with the princess, retired to the forest"
There he again prpitiated Siva, a.rd having laid
aside his rnortal body, by the special favour of the
god he attained the position of a Gar.ra. Because
he did not understand the sign given by the flower
dropped from the tooth of his beloved, therefore
he became known by the name of Fupadanta in
the assembly of the Gaas. And his wife became
doorkeeper in the house of the goddess, under the
name of jay. This is how he came to be cailecl
Pupadanta. Now hear the origin of my name.

fore thou shalt be one of my Ga?as, and shalt

bear the name of Malayavna.,, Then I cast off
my mortal frame and immediately attanied the

i
t
I

holy state of an attendant on the god. And so my

narne of Malyavna was bestowed upou me by hirn
rvho wears the burden of the matted locksrl as a
rnark of his special favour. And I, that very
Mlyavna, have once more, O Katrabhti, been
degraded to the state of a mortal, as thou seest,
owing to the curse of the daughter of the mountain;
therefore do t'hou now tell me {he tale told by
Siva, in order that the state of curse of both of us
may cease.

Long ago I was a son of that same Brhmala

called Govindadatta, the father of Devadatta,
and my name r,l'as Somadatta. I left my home
indignant for the sarne reason as Devadatta, and
f performed austerities on the lHimalaya, continually striving to propitiate Siva with offerings of
many garlands. The god of the moony crest,
being pleased, revealed himself to me in the same
way as he did to my brother, and I chose the privilege of attending upon him as aGarya,not being
desirous of lower pleasures. The husband of the
daughter of the mounrain, that mighty gcd, thus
addressed me : ',Because I have been worshippeci
by you with garlands of flowers growing in trackless
forest regions, brought with thy own hand, there-

fn accordance with this request of Guq{hya

that heavenly tale consisting of' seven stories was
told by l(alabhti in his own language and
Gur.ldhra for his part using the same Pai3acha
language threw them into seven hundred thousand
couplets in seven years; and that great poet, for
'

fear that the Vidyadharas should steal his compo.

sition, wrote it with his own blood ir the forest not

ink.

And so the Vidydharas, Siddhas

and other demigods came to hear it, and the
heaven above where Kalabhuti was reciting was,
as it were, continually covered wite a canopy.
And Kalabhuti, when he had seen that great tale
composed by Gul{hya, was released from his
l. i. e. Siva.
possessing

(45)

(44)
curse and went to his own place. There werc also
other Pi6chas that accompanied him in his wand-

erigns:

they too, all of them, attained

heaven,

having heard that heavenly tale. Then that great

poet Guqr{hya began to reflect: 16I must make
this great taler of mine current on the earth, for
that is the condition that the goddess mentioned
when she revealed how my course would end.
Then how shall I make it current ? To whom
shall I give it p,' Then his two disciples who had
followed him, one of whom was called Guqadeva,
and the other l{andideva, said to him : srThe
glorious Stavhana alone is a fit person to give
this poem tci, for, being a man of taste, he will
diffuse the poem far and wide, as the wind diffuses
the perfume of the flower.,, ..So be it," said Gul.
dhyu, and gave the book to those two accompished disciples and sent them to that king with it;
and went himself to that same Pratishlhna, but
remained outside the city in the garden planted
by the goddess, where he arranged that they
should meet him. And his disciples went and
showed the poem to King Stavhana, telling
him at the same time that it was the work of Gur.rdhya. \{hen he heard that Pai5cha language
and saw that they had the appearance ofPiiachas,
that king, led astray by pride of learning, said

l.

Bhatkatha.

with a sneer : "The seven hundred thousand coup.

lets are a weighty authority, but the Paiiacha language is barbarous, and the letters are written in
blood. Away with this Pai$acha tale.,, Then the
two pupils took the book and returned by the way
which they had come, and told the whole circumstance to Gul{hya. Gul{hya for his part, when
he heard itrwas immediately overcome with sorrow.
Who indeed is not inly grieved when scorned by
a competent authority ? Then he went with his
disciples to a craggy hill at no great distance, in an
unfrequented but pleasant spot, and first prepared
a consecrated fire cavity. Then he took the leaves
one by one, and aftcr he had read them aloud to
the beasts and birds, he flung them into the fire,
while his disciples looked on with tearful eyes. But
he reserved one storyr consisting of one hundred
thousand couplets, containing the history of Naravhandatta, for the sake of his two disciplcs, as
they particularly fancied it. And while he was
reading out and burning that heavenly tale, all the
deer, boars, buffaloes and other wild animals came
therer leaving their pasturage, and formed a circle
round him, listening with tears in their eyes, unable to quit the spot.l

In the meanwhile King Satav-ahana felt sick.

And the physicians said that his illness was due
1. Compare the story of Opheus.

( 46 )

(47)

to eating meat wanting in nutritive qualities. And

when the cooks were scolded for it they said:,,The
hunters bring in to us flesh of this kind.,, And
when the hunters were taken to task they said :
"On a hill not very far from here there is a Brhmar.ra reading, who throws into a fire every leafias
soon as he has read t; so all the animals go there
and listen, without ever grazing; they never walder anywhere else; consequently this flesh of
theirs is wanting in nutritive properties on account
of rheir going without food.,, When he heard this
speech of the hunters he made them show him the
way, and out of curiosity went in person to see
Guldhya, and he beheld him, owing to his forest
Iife, overspread with matted locks that looked like
the smoke of the re of his curse, that was almost

from the mouth of Siva. Then Gur,r{hya said to

that king Satavhana : .,O king ! I have burnt six
tales containing six hundred thousand couplets; but
there is one tale consisting of a hundred thousand
couplets, take that, and these two
upils of mine
shall explain it to you.,' So spake Gundhya and
took leave of the king, and then by strength of devo
tion laid aside his earthly body and, released from
the curse, ascended to his own heavenly home. Then
the king took that tale which Gup{hya had given,
called Byhatkthd, containing the adventures of
I{aravhanadatta, and went to his own city.
And
there he bestowed on Guqadeva and Nandideva,
the pupils of the poet who composed that tale,
lands, gold, garments, beasts of burden, palaces
and
treasures. And having recovered the sense of that
tale wirh their help, Stavhana composed the
book named Kathapiha, in order to show how
the tale came to be first made known in
the

extinguished.

Then the king recognised him as he stood in

midst of the weeping animals, and after he had
respectfully saluted him, he asked him for an
explanation of the circumstances. That wise
Brhmar.ra then related to the king in the language
of the demons his own history as Pupadanta,
giving an account of the curse and all the circumstances which originated the descent of the tale to
earth. Then the king, discovering that he was an
incarnation of a Gaqa, bowed at his feet, and
asked him for that celestial tale that had issued

i
i

li
i

I
I

language. Now that tale was so full of

various interest that men were so taken
wth it as
Pai$acha

to forget the tales of the gods, and after

producing
that effect in the city it attained uninterrupteJ
renown in the three worlds.l

t. c. H.

Tawney,s translation has been used.

(4e)
III
ORIGINAL HOME oF GUIITHYA
CHAPTER

Indian classical literature has suffered much

owing to the loss of the Byhkatht of the Gul{hya,
whose significance and genius is in no way inferior
to Valmiki or Vysa.l The time of Gu{hya is
highly wrapped in obscurity. The problem is
answered differently by competent scholars.z However, the view of Btihler is generally accepted.
According to him Gul{hya flourished in the first
or second century A. D.s
1.

Felix Lacote, Essai Sur

GuaaQhya

Kemendrare Dhanapla,lo Hemachandrall Somadevarl2 Trivikramabha{ai3 etc., have referred to

in their writings. Besides these strong

ancient literary sources there are certain significant
epigraphic evidences-the copper plate of Kollarla
and the Kambuj inscription of the Maharaja
the Byhatkaffia

l.

Govardhana; Saptaati ( of the K.-avya Mla

Et La Bhatkatha

( Paris, Ernest Leroux, l90S ) p. 10.

Pischel, Grammatk Der prakrits prachen, p.
29; Macdonell, Sanskrit Literature, p. 376.

2. See e., g.

The problem is answered differently by competent

scholars :
lVeber-2nd Century A. D. in his Indische Literaturgeschichte (1826) said hesiratinCly ( p.229, n. 224).
Bhler-in detailed report of a tour in Kashmir

lst or 2nd Century A. D.

Sylvain L|vi-in Theatre Indian, lggI ( p. 317 at

the bottom ) 2nd century Le Nepal, II, 63.
Vincent Smith-in his paper on Andhra tristory,
ond coinage in Z.D. M. G., 60 or 70 A. D. ( Z.D.
M..

c. Lvt,660. ).

V. S. Agrawal, Introduction of the Kqthasarilsagar

( Bihar Rashtra Bhasa parishad, patna p. 13.

)
cit,, p.376. See also S. N. prasad, J. C.
N. J. R. I., Vol. XXIII ( parts t-4 ), p. 147; J. H. S.,
Vol. XlI, 1970, part l-4, p. 99.

3. Pischel, op.

The Byhatkath of Gut{hya is a remarkable

achievement in Indian classic literature. poets
like
Govardhanarl Subandhurz Baryar} Haiar4 Udd.
yotansuri, Dhanika,6 Bhoja?, Somad.evasuri,g

compares him wirh Vysa ( lbid.33 ).

2.

g$rqio'Re ilHrrlc

Zasvadafia.

3. Samuddipitakanderp Krtagauriprasdhan
Haralileva lkasya Vismayya Bhatkath
Kambari ( Peterson ) p.

Itrarsacarita ( Hall )

Int.

See also Kumrsambhava,

), 696. He

5I,

rr

15,

18.

yll.

7.

4. Gaa Soptoiati.
5. Ruvalaya Mla Kaha, p. 3,line 22.
6. Avaloka,IV,34.
7, Sarasvati Kanthabharaqa, yI. 19.
8. Yaiasatilaka Champu,lV. 7. II. p. I 13.
9. B. K. M.,2. 216-17.
10. gti gqrtqr*{gqKrc tirar:

le<qqr;sr: clnqlfio 64s6: l

Tilakamajar.

11. orlrrqIEgarqlcrsrqr(rake-1eq(mql r Ch.

12. K. S. S., 1-3 and PraSarsri.
13. Nalachampn,
74,
14. ARASI, tgl, pp. 35-6?.

l.

Indian Antiquary,Yol.

JRAS

4G

XLII, p. 204.

1913 ), p. 389.

VIII.

Sukta 8.

(50)
Ya3ovarman.t The Kambuj inscription mentions
Gu4{hya as 'a friend of the Prkrit language-'
These are enough to prove that a poet named
Gur.r{hya exsited but the loss of the Byhatkatha
has made it difficult for literary historians to place
him in literary tradition. Nothing can be said about
him with any amount of certainty and owing to a
complete lack of authentic biographical details a
colourful net work of myths and legends has surr'
ounded his name. In this chapter an endeavour

l.

S. Lvi, Le

Nepal,1,328,203-204,387-388.

Kambuj Inscription of Yalovarman ( Bergaigne, Ins.

Sanscrite de lampa et du Cambodge, 2 fax; Nos.

LVI-LX

).

L<VlIl C. 15 :

"pradah sthirakalyqo Gun{hyah

prktpyah anitiray ViSlksas Suro nyakktabhimakah.

LTX.B.,26

gugqivitas tiqhatu duito pi

sthnrpito yena punara gu!{hyah gadpay alama

cruvibhuanya haraprayuktah kim utrutnsu.
L. VIII. C., 9 :
Yasyakirate gn{hyya dhylaghanaraydiva t
Patitbhga mudrdina kamgmbhiray adhairyadikt t

a, Skandhapurape H imvatkhanQe,
Nepal Mahatmya, Ch. XXVII, 50, 51, 52, 53,

N epala

M ahatmy

54,64.
Guq{hya iti tanuma pthivym prathitam tad pap'
fha sakala vidy mune vykara+dikh sa sarvSg'
travettbhud gu{hya guqasamyutah. Ch. XXVIII.
6. 8. 11, 14,24r25,28, 29, 30, 32, 35, 36, 38 56, 57,
59.

cb. xxlx, l. 3.
ch. xxx, 2, 8, 13, 14, 19, 54, 62.

(51
has been made
Gul{hya.

to locate the birth-place of

Works derived fromthe Byhatkathd, are of great

help in locating the birth-placa of GuB{hya.

Somadeva's Kathsari,tsgar ( 1063-1081 A. D. )
merits special consideration. It describes the poet
Gul{hya as a native of a city named Suprati'
thita.l It is also mentioned that this city was a
part of Pratilhna region. According to V. V.
Mirashi the present Paitrhna ( near Bombay )
comprised the old Prati1hana.z Owing to the
paucity of favourable evidence this view cannot
be accepted.s He observes that the works derived

from

the Bfhatkatha were not based on the

original text of tkre Byhatkatha. Bvt a careful obser'

vation of the recensions of the Byhatkth proves

futility of his

statement.a

The

Bthatkthd.majart

and the l{athasaritsd'gara were the Kashmtri versions

of the Bfhatkath. These recensions were derived
from the original text of the Bghatkath as it is

evident from the internal evidence of the texts

and above all they off and on, refer their high
1. K. S. S., VI,8,24,65.
2. V. V. Mirashi, The Home

of

GuqaQhya, Studies in

Indology, Vol. I., PP. 65-69.

3. S. N. Pisad, Note on the orghal home
JGNJRI, Vol. XXIII. P. 148.
4. Ibid., p. 148.

of

Gwla{hya

152)
indebtedness to the original Byltatkatlz,. Therefore
it is erroneous to presume that the works derived

from it had no genetic connection with the original

Byltatkatlt^I Derived works ol the fuhatkatha
throw considerable light on the obscure problen'r
of the original home of Gul{hya in a rather inregrated manner. Somadeva,s Kalhasaritsdgara des.
cribes the poet Gul$hya as a native of certain
city named Supratihita.z The locarion of Supratithita is highly involved in dispute. From the

it

is evidently clear that Gul{hya was born in the vicinity of the city Supratithita which was the part of Pratithna regiona
Mirashi has recently opined elsewhere that present
Paithan was comprised of the old Pratithana ( in
Bomba.y ).5 In support of his thesis he refers to
certain illustrations of copper grants where Supratithita has been described as a village.G In the
Kathasaritsdgara it is a cityT and not a village.
It is probable that there might have been a different Pratithna on the confluence of the Gag,
and the Yamun, situated in the neighbourhood of
Kathdsaritsagaras

(53)
Kau3amb and that might have been the birth.place
of the celebrated Pai3achi poet Gu+{hya.l From

the accounts of the Byhatkathmajart it appears

that Kemendra a little senior contemporary of
Somadeva was ably acquainted with both pratit.
hnas and possibly he has described Gur,r{hya
a native of Pratilhnapura, which was situated
on the confluence of the Gang and the yamun.z
In the Vana Paru of the MalAblAratu four minor
centres of pilgrimages have been mentioned.B

is

one of them. This pratilhna was

situated east of the river Ganga-probably the area
calledJhusi today. The extension of prayga has
Prati{hna

been described by the author of the Matslta-purrya

also. According to the Purryas, Pratighna comprised the eastern region of the Pray.ga Mal{ala.
Jhusia today it was also known in those
days as Samudrakupa ancl was a significant minor

Known
place

as

of pilgrimage. According to the Matsya-

Purdrya the Harhsa Prapattana was situated

1. Winternitz, Hstory of Indian Lterature,

I, p. 348.
2. xiuiag T oqsrrfH flfi:
rqTTt aql fsrfr tlsilqa: r 14.335.

north of

Vol. III, part

l. Ibid., p. 148.
2.

K.

S. S.,

3. rbid.,

vI,

4.Ibid., vt.

I. 65, Vt

B.

g.

3. Mahabhara,85-76.

4. U. N.

5. V. V. Mrrashi, op. cit., p. 65 69.

6. EI., XV, pp. 30 ff.
7. K. S. S., l-65, Vl. g.

Ray, Prachn Bhar M NagraTaaNgar

p. 107. Ibid, p.100.

Jiwana,

8.

5.

Ibid., p. 100.
V. S. Agrawal, Matsya Purapa-A Stutiy, p.
Al a I sy ap u r1ta,

CYl, 3-32,

183.

(54)

(55)

Pratifhna and east of the river Gafrg.l The

swans used to settle at this place in winter after
migrating from the Himlayas. In another context Prati1hna has been mentioned in connection
with Urvaii-Ramaqra a place where Purravas
made love to UrvaSi, the divine <lamsel.z Urva3iRamala was situated on the eastern side of
Prati{hna.3

It

is evident from the Kath;arits4arao and the

Bhatkathama,jarz that the city of Supratithita
1. V. S. Agrawal, op. cit., p. 182.
2. Satapatha Brahmana,1l,5, 1. ff.2,Bhaddevat1T. M.Bh.

( crit. ed. ) 1.20. 10-22.

K[hakam, 8-i0. 3 Vish4upura7a 4.6.1966., Kathasarit-

sagar,l7,4.
3. V. S. Agrawal, op. cit., p.I82. D. D. Kosambi, Myth

Pratifhna and may be

rightly identified with the area called Jhusi in
Allahabad. It is thirty miles from the historcal
city of Kau6ambi. The main story of tbe Kathdsaritsgara ( derived from the Byhatkathd of Gur.rIt also
dhya ) deals with the kings of Kau$ambi'
corroborates that Gufr{hya's original home was
a
Jhusi ( ancient Pratilhna ). Dr' Grierson,l
great scholar in linguistics, is of the opinion that
the Paiach in which the original Byhtkathd was
written was spoken in the Vindhya region which
is not far from Jhus. It supports the view that
vicinity where Gu!'Paichi'was spoken in the
{hya was born and spent his early life'

was

in

the region

of

and Reality, p. 42.

U. N. Roy, op. ct,, p. 107.

4.

tsTtti{'Frrql$ cnilua S(t iqq: I \eg.yt\e

cr+rclq tr{: Sclf,Faotim I tt?.s.
qrcla'qfrqrcq cldsrl qqlqlil: r qn

qlte mil csi.i crrt sftqrul'.ttqq,s

Br.qq qraqErcfl

cq

ccfrBiltre s: r t.Q.r

cff,cr*Ro rqr

gqldigadqqt
a*{rsqrrqc: qsf qtqqff.rq: n q"
sfdlq ttv* crr gclf,fls r q.rv
rr(qt ga ne (qcsrd.grqq I E.?
q<rlqftgmrqsl.c"it q<rqa q.\er
r

5. Bhatkathmajari.

qvrdlsrE: gl gilqcwqq:
qqa: qqqq g6cEr qdln rr
frtqlqr: rqttdql q1fuq $:
gfraiqcoftl qrq'Tft{fut;q n so rr
I

cfrcrru

ct

qTacEr-(R{qTcE

gqrq< tf ql o fa gqtqT( ll e?. ll

gtCqsat o gorq+ tFa Fsa: t l'.Q.r'
srgni <rlnorieqtq l-et: c'{rol: r
gorrqrrt ra fleeagR: I q.?.lq

rla

to

gselqc etqtfi(clnengl lc: I q.qql

q.r gcftsrcl <ts: ilfi{: g
l.Foreword of the paper "Essai Sur GupaQhya Ella
|

Bhatkatha" by Prof. Lacote. Translated by Tabard in

English. The Mythic Journal, Vol. lV, p' 26 tr.

(5x)
be said about him
CHAPTER IV

ON THE BRHATKATH'
( A,) Date of the BThatkathd :
The problem of the dare of the B. K. of Gu?dhya is highly wrapped in obscurity. Indian classical literature has suffered mqch owing to the
los of
the B. K. of Gu4{hya, the significance and
inge.
nuity of which are in no way inferior to those of
Vysa or Valmiki.l Hla says in the .Gdhd.SattaSa: rWe salute the poets of the Rmd2arya, the
Mahabtarata and the Byhatkatha,, and he compares
the eloquence of the three writers to the flow of
three rivers. There are many sources to prove
the existence of Gur.t{hya as a celebrated poet,
-but the loss of the Byhatkath has made it difficult
for literary historians to accord him a propar
place in Indian literature.z Therefore nothing can
Felix Lacote, Essai Sur Gu4a/hya et la Br.hatkatha
( Paris, Ernesr Lerouxo 1908), p. i0.
2. Goverdhana, Saptasatl ( of the Kvyaml
), 695.
Kuvalaya m:ala Kaha, p. 3,22.
1.

Sarasvati Kanhabhara\a, yl, p. 1 13.

B. K. M., 11,216,7.
Nala-cmpu of Trivikrama Bhatta, i, stanza
14.

with any amount of certainty

and owing to complete absence of any authentict

biographical data a colourful network of myths
and legends has cropped up around his name.l In
this chapter an attempt has been made to settle the
time of Gur.r{hya. The time of the composition
of the B. K. has been a vexing problem and has
been answered differently by competent scholars.
Weber hesitatingly ascribes second century A. D.
as the plausible date for the B. K.2 Bhler in his

detailed report
centuries

of

K6mra fixes first

or

second

of the Christian era.3 Sylvain Lvi in

his famous

work

Theatre Indian (1891) assigns him

somewhere in first and second centuries A. D.4 In

1905, Sylvain Lvi has modied his previous view
point and ascribed second century A. D. for the B.

the date of the B.K.inbet'

ween 60 or 70 A. D. in a more narrow and precise

Kf V. A Smith proposes
ARASI, 1912,35-69.

I. A, XLII, 204.
JRAS ( 1913 ), 389.

l. 328, 2t3'204, 387-388.

Kambuj lnscription of YaSovarman ( Bergaigne, fns.
Sanscrite de lampa et du Cambodge, 2, Fax, Nos.
LVr-LX ).
1. S. N. Prasadn J. G. N. J. R. I., XXllI, t48; J. tr. S. 8.,
Xtl, 1970, p. 99 ff.
. Indische Literaturgeschichte ( 1876 ), p.229, n.224.
3. I. 4., Vol.l.
4.Theatre lndian ( 1891 ) p, 317.
5. Le Nepal, Il, 63,
S. Levi, Le Nepal,

(58)

(5e)

time bracket.l Speyer is of the opinion that the

B, K. can be placed by no manner before the
fifth century' A. D. Thus Guq{hya the famous
author of the B. K.is assigned to dates, ranging
over a period of five centuries. The upper limit
of his date is almost decided to a certain extent.
Subandhu quotes the B. K. in his Vsavadatta.
Therefore Gufr{hya must have lived atleast prior
to the sixth century A. D.3 But the terminus ex
quz, cannot at any rate be placed before the beginning of the Christian era. 'Ihe original B. K.
must have been posterior to Palini and Vararuchi Kty-ayana by several centuries. Both the
great grammarians have been mentioned in the
.^. ,S. S.4 Here Vararuchi is no other than Pupa.
dafita a ga+a of Siva in his human form, to which
he has been condemned hy a curse.6 From this
narrative it appears that there must be a fairly
long gap between the age of the real Vararuchi

and the writing

ri
;
I

I
I

l.

V. H. Smith, .ndhra Hlstory and Coinage,

Z.D. M. G.,

LVt,660.
2. J. S. Speyer, Studies about the Kathasarilsagara,50.
3. Speyer, ibid, 50.
Vasavadatta, Loc.
Itrar sachart

Cowt

p. 3.

ll

a,

cit.

P r as tav

K. is alluded too
p. 40.).

B.
4.
5.

ana, 6.

and Thomas, The l{arsacharita of Bana,

in

K. S. S. I, 49-57, II, IV.

Ibid, I, 57.

( tg6l

'

the Kadambari, ( Bombay ed.

20.

the
Therefore
it
is
logical
to
assign
that this
^t
Pai3achi work is earlier than first century A.D.V.A.
Smith in an articl e on
History and Conage
"Lndhra
concluded that the original 8..K. written in the
Paichi dialect was composed in 60 or 70, A, D.I
Smith has taken the help of the evidenc of the
Hathigumpha inscription of the king Kharavela
in fixing the approximate date of the B. K. of
Guldhya.z Kharavela defeated with the aid
of his chaturafigi4i sen the Satakar{ri of Western
region. From available inscriptions and literary
sources, it can be said that Simuka, Siut a or
Sindhuka had defeated Su$arm Klavyana and
.If.

il

of the legendary stories of

,9.

thus exterminated the $ungas from the political

scene of India. Therefore, it can be said that the
rise of the Imperial SatakarTi dynasty might have
taken place in between the first and third centuries of the Christian era. All available sources of
the Stavhana dynasty prove that th.:y were great
patrons of the Prakrita language. The current
poetic work is of an extra-ordinary merit. The
credit for the composition of the B. K. o Gufr{hya
also goes to the liberal patronage of the Satavhana Kings. It is significant to observe that
being a Brhmala the Stavhanas, have used the
1.

Z.D. M. G., LVI.

2. Et.,

xx.

1930.

660.

(60)
Prkrita language for their inscriptions. possibly
they have used Prkrita language for their adminis.
trative purposes because it was a language of the
common folk and to administer them in their own
language was an act of shrewed diplomacy. The
adequate impact of Prakrita on the Sanskrita lan.
guage is an established fact. Surrru,our*u, another
reputed grammarian has written the Ktantra for
the ndhra Kings. It is mentioned in the legends
that the ndhras were ignorant about the Sanskrit
langnage therefore the As{Adh2d4 of plini proved
difficult text for them.l Thus V. A. Smith holds
the view that the Satasai of Hala, the .8. K. of
Gurra{hya, and the Katura of $arvavarma might
have been written in 60 or 70 A. D.2 The work

( B.K. / is placed cerrainly before Baqa (700

A.D. ) who praised the anthology in the preamble
of his Haraacarit.3 The B. K. of Gu{hya was
written in Pai$achi dialect.a According to Grierson
Paiach was a dialect of Vindhyan region and the
province of North West frontier.s From available
sources it can be said that the B. K. was rna.gnum
ous of the Pai$ach dialcer. Judging from this back
1. K. S. S., 6, 164.
2. Z. D. M. G., op. cit.
3. Itraracharifa, Prast,van, 6

K. s. s., 1, 10.
5. I. A., XXX, 556,
M. J., IV. p.26 tr.

4.

(61

it seems that like the Sanskrit there was a

rich literature of Prakrit-Pai$ach languages.
ground

Wasiljew in his work on Buddhism mentions that

the Vaibhikas and the Sthaviras were well
versed in the Paiacht dialect.l

Later versions of the B. K. throw considerable

light on the society of the time of ndhra Kings.
Hla was probably a contemporary of the Roman
emperor Nero ( 54-68 A.D. ). Possibly the ndhra
$tavahana of the B. K.was a king of Pratilhna
( in south ). Smith has differentiated between the
legendary Satavahana who was born from the
womb of a lioness and the historical Satavhana.z
The difference between the legendary and the
historical Satavahana is also maintained in the
Paurpic geneology of the Satavahana kings.3
Therefcre Sylvain Lvi ascribes a date earlier than
tbe third century 4.D.4
The first Larhbaka of the ^f.S.S. throws light on
the relation of Gu4dhya with tbe Satavahana
king.6 Besides this several other useful materials
are to be found in the f. S. S. hither to unnoticed

l. Wassiljew, Buddhism, p. 295.

2,2,D. M.G., op. cit.
3, Matsya Purata, Ch. 723, Verse, 9.

- 4, Le Nepal, lI, 63.

5.

K. S. S.,7, 7.
M., 14.

B. K.

(63)

(62)
with the aid of which the approximate
date and
anauthentic biodata of Gul{hya maybesketched out more precisely.l There is
a mysterious
srory regarding l\agarjuna, the grear Buddhist
theologician in the later versions of
the B. K.z
Here it has been maintained that he
was born
from the Bodhisattva. He was very kind, generous, submissive, docile and above all was
alreat
theologcian. Somadeva has described him as a
Parama Bauddha. Kern has placed him in t
150
4.D.3 Taranatha maintains that he was a contmeporary of Kagipka" a Kuna ruler, because in the
fourth Buddhisr council Nagarjuna had played

a significant role. Thus our

terminus e)c qur

advances to the latter half of the 3rd century A.
D.

The tradition of chewing betel is of some help

in fixing the date of the B. K. According to Kern
the tradition of chewing betel must have been in
vogue in the time of Charaka and Suruta. Charaka was a physician of Kalika. Tambula has
been mentioned by the writers of the Gupta
period. Further Tambula as a pli word is quot.
ed by Childers from the Mahvasa. Moreover
the tradition of chewing betel after meal is men_
tioned in the Avadnasataka and Avadnarnl.
1.

K.S. S.,41,

10.

2 tbid.,4l,53.

3. Manual of Indian Buildhsm, p.

llg.

(,We will not be far from truth" writes Speyer,

('that the B. ,K. itself can be placed by no manner
before the 5th century A.,D."t The strength of his
reasoning is supported by Bapa' He mentions
Gul{hya in the introduction of the Haracharita'
Bala admires the previous works of Sanskrit and
Prakrita literature. The sentiment and spirit of

the eloquent praise of Baga rerninds of the Prastvan of Malvikagnimitram, in which the youthful
poet Klidasa appeals to the sound judgement of
his audience for his literary debut.2 Probably
here Br.ra has not eulogised the stalwarts of Sans'
krit literature but he has simply remembered the
works of his some previous ( roughly about two
centuries ) authorities of the literature' Therefore
it is quite obvious that why he has not referred to
the names of Vysa or Valmiki. Thus it proves
the existence and popularity of the B. K. ( The
great Tale ), the hero of which is Narvhandata,
the physical embodiment of the God of love in
the time of Bapa.

In this regard the Bharata Vkya of Vi6kha

Datta's Mudrdl'kpasa deserves special mention.
Probably the prince eulogised in the Bharata Vkya
belonged to the imperialGupta lineage and hasbeen
1. J. S. Speyer, Studies about the Kathasaritsgara, p. 502. S. N. Dasgupta, A Hisiory of Sanskrit Lterature,
Vol. I. p.750.

(65)

(64)
described as the protector from the certain malechPossibly it is used for Chandra Gupta II
Vikramaditya. The poetic diction is exquisite and

ana

raid.t

the style of the play is simple. Some lexicological

facts may indicate an ancient date for its compilation e. g. the use of raya for body in the forgedz
letter. The term Svrayavin3ena has beed used
in the texts of early centuries of the Christian era
and is therefore not found in the Petrop's dictionary
of Paraarya.3 It appears that possibly Vi3khadatta
borrowed the subject matter of his play from the
B. K.4 In the Ka$miri versions of the B. K. the
story of extermination of Nanda by Chandra
Gupta Maurya is described in a very concise manner. But the events that shaped the destiny of
Chandra Gupta Maurya are not mentioned. In
the JVludrrkshsa the events that happened after
Chgakya's vengeance and his conquest of the
royalty has been elaborately mentioned.s
The later recensions of the B, K. rclates a
mythical account regarding the origin of the
fmous Mauryan city Ptaliputra.G From these

l.

tl.udrr-alcasa,

Act I.

2. lbid., Act V.

lll,

Verse 10.
3. Act
4. Sylvain Lvi, Le Theatre Indien,226. Speyer, op. cit,

p.

54.

5. Mudrarakgasa, Loc. cit.

6. K. S. S., 17, 64,57,25.
B. K. M., p. 79 Verse 136, p. 541, Verse 12.

accounts the conclusion can be drawn that by the

time of Gu4{hya, the historical tradition of the
foundation of the Ptaliputra must have been for-

gotten and a colourful net-work

of myths

and

legends have grown up.

The term dinra and rtipyaka have been used

by Smadeval and Kemendraz respectvely.
It is significant to note that rpyaka has been
mentioned in the Amrka.3 The term dinra
seems to have original one used by Guq{hya. In
this regard it can be referred that Smadeva's
appears to be a trustworthy recension of the
^6.5.5.
B. K. whereas K;emendra, however, could not resist the temptation of applying his many sided genious and critical vision in the B. K. M. Therefore
his recension is not as trustworthy as that of
Smadeva's K S. ,S.a Dlnra was an ancient coin"
It is mntioned even in the inscriptions of the 5th
century A. D.5 Kuzula's successor Wima Kad"
phises issued gold coins of three denominationsl. K. s. s., 17, 64.
2. B. K. M., p. 310 verse,279
3. lbid, 2, 9,7,

4.I. A.,I.,

319.

I. C., I., part

II, p.214.

Lacote, op. cit., p. 91 ff.

Penzerr

IX,

l15.

I. H. Q., 1938.
5. J. R. A. S., 1906,

5G

90.

(66)

('67

double dinra, dinra and quarter d1nra.l During

the Vakataka-Gupta a$e onedinra (3l4thofa
tla of gold ) was sufficient for the feeding of one
anonk throughout the year-z According to the
Dialaaailana Pushyamitra Sufiga issued a decla'
ration that whoever would present him with the
head of u Sru*uqru would be rewarded with one
hundred dnras.3 In the tale of Viravara the
daily wages of that royal warrior are mentioned
as ve hundred dinras. It is clear that Soma'
deva's dInra and not the rtrpy of the B. K. M.
represents the coinage of the time of the original
B. K. From available sources it appears that
dnra was used as coins from the early centuries
of the Christian era onwards. The reference of
the dinra in the .K. S. S. proves beyond doubt

that Gu!{hya might have flourished in

the

,beginning of the Christian era.

The Tajikas has been mentioned by Sma.deva but Kemendra is silent about it. Smadeva also mentions Turuka and Chlnas who
overpowered Niachayadatta and his friends.
Smadeva is here as usual nearer to the original
l.

L. GuPta, Coins' 28,

2. C.L I., lll, 261.
v. G.4.,360.
P.

Vasudeva Upadhyaya. Bharfiya Sike, 16.

3. Div. Ed. Cowell and Neil, p.433.
4. K. S. S., 34. 37.

Turuka could occupy a place in the

historical map of India only in sixth century A. D.
It is quite probable that they occupied already
in the fourth and the fifth centuries A. D. in the

.8.

K.

eastern and northern frontiers of the Persian mon'

archy. The history of Indo-Persian contact is very

The military invasion towards India was of

Cyrus ( 558-30 B. C. ). Herodotus writes that he
conquered upto Gandhr.r He is said to have led
an expedition against India through Gedrosia, but
had to abandon the enterprise, escaping with seven
men only.z But he was more successful in Kabul
valley. We learn from Pliny that he destroyed
the famous city of Kapi3i. Arrians informs us that
{the district West of the river Indus as far as the
river Cophen ( Kabul ) is inhabited by the Astacenians ( shakas ),4 .Indian tribes. These were
:.in ancient times subject to the Assyrians, afterwords
to the Medes, and finally they submitted to the
rPessians, and paid trbute to Cyrus or Kurush, the
,son of Cambyses, as ruler of their land." Strabo
:tell us that on one occasion the Pesians summoned
-the Hydraces ( the Kshudrakas ) from India ( i. ..,
the Pafrjab ) to attened them as mercenaries,

bld.

l. Herodotus, l. 153, 177.

e H. & F., Stabo,Ill, p.74.
3. Chinnock, Arrian's Anabasis, p. 399.

Patajali,lv. II. 2.

(6e)

(68)
From the coins of the patron of Gur.rdhya
(Stavahana) it seems that the trade and commer.
ce of India had considerably increased. The
standard of living and economic prosperity of the
period is well attested from the coins issued by the
Satavahana rulers. From sca and land routes they
had started trading with Europe and Central Asia
via Rome and Syria they went to Southern Europe
or from Oxus and Caspian sea they used to go in
the middle Burope. By the land route the traders
went to Arab, Babylonia and Central Asia. Con'
temporary literary and numismatic sources go to
establish the highly developed inland and foreign
voyages during the early centuries of the Christian
era. The carts of the Srthavahas were always
at their wheels covering far and distant lands and
their ships were always leaving the Indian shores

for east and west. In the early centuries of the

Christian era maritime trade became most vigorous, especially with the West, where the Roman
Empire demanded the luxuries of the east in large
guantities.l The story of an early Jataka tells of
ship sailing from the port of Bhgukaccha to a
piace called Baveru, which must be Babylon.z
The Milindapaho ( lst Century A. D. ) mention$
the possibility of a merchant sailing to Alexandria,
A. L. Basbam,.The ll'onder that was India, p,
2. J. No. 339.

l.

226-

ilur*u, Malay or China.l The

ships

of the

mer-

The mania
chants were always roaming in the sea'
of heaping huge quantity of minerals of the traders
had not only contributed a significant epoch in
the eld of Artha ( economic prosperity ) but had
also helped in establishing the Indian culture in the
several countries of South'Eastern Asia'e The later
the stories
recensions of the B. K. mainly deal with
of daring voyages of Indian sailors' Gur.r{hya

mighthavecollecteclthesestoriesfromthesailors
who had visited the distant corners of the world
in the company of their Srthavahas' The inform'
K' and
ation received from the recensions of the 'B'
corroborated from
theGahasatusi, of Hala is further
of Yajna Sri Satakarqri' Some of his
th"
"oirs
undoubtedly
coins bear the picture of a boat whch
draws our attention towards the fact that it was
the age of evolved trade and commerce and the
high developed naval powers of the $tavhanas'3
The era whom Gup{hya inaugurated somewhere
n the beginning of the Vikrama era of India has
Sarivatsara Satra of the classi, become the Sahstra
I el literature in which the several ' Sanskrit and
Pali writers of eminent repute have enhanced with
their valuable writings. Among them mention

l. Basham, oP. cit'.,267.

2. R. C. Majnmdr t, Elindu Colones in the Far East,
Dynasty, p' 22'
. 3. Rapson, Coins of the ndhra

p' 7 '

( 71 )

(70)
may be made of Byhatkathd Koia

Sarh,gralta

of

Budhaswamy, Vasudan H:tnd., Madlyam' Vasudeaa

Hind of Dharma Das Gar.ri, Triiastiialaka Purusha
Cltrita of Hemachandra, Byhatkathmajari of
Kemendra and the Kathsarsagar of Smadeva.

createotherswiththesprayissuingfromhis

) mouth, protect you'

the
After worshipping the Goddess of Speech'

hissing ( Sitkra

lamp that illuminaies countless objects'

compose

thiscollectionwhichcontainsthepithofthe
Bthatkatha:'\

( B ) ilature of the Brhatkatlta :

' Owing to the loss of the Brhatkatlta of the celebrated poet Gur.rQhya, it is difficult to trace out
the exact nature and possible form of the Brhatkatha. Ifowever, its later versions are of great
help in order to reconstruct it to some extent. Like
the Matabhdrata and the Ram1drya,the Brhatkatlta
was undoubtedly a great classical epic of immense
significance.l The B yhatkathama,jarl of Kgemendra,
Smadeva's Kathdsarsagar and Ho.racltarit Chint,maryi of Jayaratha, throw some valuable light on
the BrhatkaA and its author. The Katltsarhsgar
begins with an invocation, "Muy the dark neck of
Si.ru, which the God of Love has, so to speak,
surrounded with nooses in the form of the alluring
looks of Prvati reclining on his bosom , assign to
you prosperity.

May that Remover of Obstacles

-

( Gafrea ),

who, after sweeping away the stars with his trunk

in the delirious joy of the evening dance, seems to
l.

The Mythc Journal, Vol. IV,

p.26 tr.

in pointing out
Somadeva was sincere enough
preci
that his flMgrurn ous i'e' Kaasaritsdgar is
which it is taken'
sely on the model of that tiom
thereisnoteventheslightestdeviation,onlysuch
abridge the prolanguage is selected as tends to
and
lixiiy of tfr" work; the observance of propriety

of the
natural connection, and' the joining together
with
portions of the poem so as not to interfere
possible kept
ihe spirit of the stories, are as far as
('I
in view. He has frankly admitted' have not
made this attempt through a desire of a repu'
facilitate the
tation for ingenuity, but in order to
tales"'z
recollection of a multitude of various
under the
"There is a mountain celebrated
Gand'
name of Himavat, haunted by Kinnaras'
of
harvas, and the Vidydharas' a very monarch
an
mighty hills, whose glory has attained such
the
eminence among mountains that Bhavn'
mother of the three worlds, designed to become
his daughter; the northernmost summit thereof
1.

2.

K. S. S., 1. 1-3.
lbid, l. lo-12.

(73)

('12)
great peak named Kaila$a, which towers
many
thousand yjanas in the air, anci, as it were,laughs

rs a

forth with its snowy gleams this boast. .,Mount

Mandaral did not became white as mortar even
when the ocean was churned with it, but I have
become such without an effort.r, ,,There dwells
Mahevara the beloved of parvati, the chief

of

things animate and inanimate, attended upon by

Gaqas, Vidydharas and Siddhas. In the up.
standing yellow tufts of his matted hair the new
moon edoys the delight of touching the eastern
mountan yellow in the evening twilight. When
he drove his trident into the heart of Andhaka,z the
King of the Asuras, though he was only one, the
dart which that monarch had infixed in the heart
of the three worlds was, strange to say, extracted.
The image of his toe.nails being reflected in the
crestj-ewels of the gods and Asuras made them
sm s if they had been presented with half moons
by his favour. Once on a time ttrat lord, the husband of Prvatl, was gratified with praises by
his wife, having gained confidence as she sat in
secret 'with him; the moon-crested one, attentive
1. This mountain served the gods

ning stick at the churning

of

and Asuras as a churthe ocean for the recofourteen other precious

vering of the AmTta and

-. things lost in the Deluge.
2. H. Jacobi, Hasting's Ency. Rel. Eth. Vol. IV, p.
et seq.

390

to

her praise and delighted, placed her on his

lap, and said : r'What can I do to please thee f"

Then the daughter of the mountain spake:*My
lord if you are satisfied with me, then tell me
some delightful story that is quite new"' And
Siva said to her: "What can there be in the world,
my beloved, present, past or future, that thou
dost not know ?" Then that goddess, beloved of
Siva, importuned him eagerly because she was
proud in soul on account of his affection.
Then Siva, wishing to flatter her, began by
telling her a very short story, referring to her own
divine power.
roIr'
"Once on a time Brahm and Nray$,

ing through the world in order to behold ffie,

came to the foot of llimavat.l Then they behold
there in front of them a great flame liiryaz in order
to discover the end of it, one of them went upr
and the other down; and when they could not find
the end of it, they proceeded to propitiate me by
means of austerities; and I appeared to them and
bade them ask for some boon. Hearing that Brahm asked me to become his son; on tbat account
he has ceased to be worthy of worship, disgraced
by his overweening presumption. Then that god
Narayar.ra craved a boon of me, saying O revered

l. Mountain Kailsa.
2. Phallus is a favourite emblem of Siva.

(74)

(75)

one, may f become devoted to your

service !

Then he became incarnate, and was born as mine

in your form; for you are the same as Nryaqa,
the power of me all powerful.,,

"Morever you were my wife in a former birth.r'

When Siva had thus spoken, prvati asked,
"Ifow can I have been thy wife in a former
birth p Then Siva related her the long story of
the Prajpati Daksha.l After narrating the story
of Prvati,s former birth, Siva asked : .,Wrat else
shall I tell you !', But the goddess, transported
with wrath, exclaimed, ,,Thou art a deceiver;
thou wilt not teil me a pleasing tale even though
I ask thee. Do I not know that you worshippest
Sandhy, and bearest Gafig on thy head l,,z
Hearing that, iva began to conciliate her, and
promised to tell her a wonderful tale : then she
dismissed her anger. She herself gave the order
that no one was to enter where they were;
Nandin3 thereupon kept the door, and Siva began
to speak. "The gods are supremely blessed, men are
ever miserable, the actions of demigods are exceed.

l.

See

the

Bhagavata Purona

was translated

for details

by Burnouf,

4 Vols,

of

this story.

paris,

It

1840-1847,

1884. Compare also with Klidsa's Kumara Sarhbhava,

Sarga V, line 86.

2. T.he Gag, the most worshipped river in the world.

attendant-a sacred white bull on

3. Siva's favourite'
which he rides.

ingly charming, therefore I now proceed to relate

the history of the Vidydharas." \{hile Siuu *u,
thus speaking to his consort, there arrived a favo.
urite dependent of Siva's, Pupadanta, best of
Gar.ras, and his entrance was forbidden by Nandin,
who was guarding the door. Curious to know
why even he had been forbidden to enter at that
time without any apparent reason, Pupadanta
immediately entered, making use of his magic
power attained by devotion to prevent his being
seen, and when he had thus entered, he heard all
the extraordinary and wonderful adventures of
the seven Vidydharas being narrated by Siva,
and having heard them, he in turn went and
narrated them to his wife Jay; fot who can hide
wealth or a secret from women ? Jaya, the doorkeeper, being filled with wonder, went and recited
it in the presence of Prvati. How cal,- a women
be expected to restrain their speech ? And then
Prvati flew into a passion, and said to Siva,
"Thou didst not tell me any extraordinary tale,
for Jay knows it also." Then the lord of IJm,
perceiving the truth by. deep meditation, thus
spake : "Pupadanta, employing the magic power
of devotion, entered in where we were, and thus
mairaged to here it. He narrated it to Jay, no
one else knows it, my belovecl.',

(76)
Having heard this, the goddess, exceedingly
enraged, caused Pupadanta to be summoned, and
cursed him, as he stood trembling before her, say.
ing, '.'Become a mortal, thou disobedient servant.,'
She cursed also the Gara Mlyavna who presumed to intercede on his behalf.,, Then the two
fell at her feet together with
Jay and entreated
her to say when the curse would end, and prvati
slowly uttered this speech : ,.A yaksha named
Supratika, who has been made a piacha by the
curse of Kuvera, is residing in the Vindhyan
forest
under the name of Kaqabhuti. When you shall
see him, and calling to mind your origin, tell him
this tale; then, Pupadanta, you shall be released
from this curse. And when Mlyavna shall hear
this tale from K{r,abhuti, then Kabhuti shall be
released and you Malyav"na, when thou hast
published it abroad, shait be free also,', Having
thus spoken, the daughter of the mountain ceased,
and immediately these Gapas disappeared instan.
taneously like flashes of lightning. Then it came
to pass in the course of time that Gauri, full of
pity, asked '$iva : ,,My lord, where on the earth
have those excellent attendants, whom I cursed,
O."t Oo..r t,, And the moon diademed god answered : "My beloved, pupadanta has been born
under the name of Vararuchi in that great city
which is called Kau6amb. ( It is now called

(77

Ksam, and is on the bank of the river Jamun

( Yamuna ), about thirty miles above Allahabad ).

Moreover Malyavna also has been born in the

splendid city called Supratishhita under the
name of Gu{hya.1 This, O Goddess, is what
has befallen them." Having given her this information, with grief caused by recalling to mind,';the
degradation of the servants that had always been
obedient to him, that lord continued to dwell with
his beloved in pleasure-arbours on the slopes of
Mount Kailaia, which were made of the branches
of the I(alpa tree.z
(C)

Language of tlte Brhatkaa

Here an attempt has been made to solve the

problem of the language of the Byhatkath. From
the later recensions of the Byhatkatha it is clear
that the language of the Byhatkathd was Pai3chi.3
This fact is further supported by other literary
and epigraphic sources.' The Pai6chi language
is highly wrapped in obscurity.s
1. S. N. Prasad, J. A. S,, Vol. XIl, 1970,I-4, p, 90 ff
2. AVee of Indra's Paradise that grants all desires.
3. B. K. I\4., lI, 216-217.
K. S. S., 1.10; 8.2; 8.40.

4, Kavyadaria,l.38.

E. t., 42.201.
J. R. A. S., ( 1913 ), 389.
5. Winternitz, lndian Lilerature, Vol.

III, p. 348.

(78)

(7e)

The sources 'regarding the Brhatkaa speak of

its high literary maturity. Hla says in his GaaSatta-Sat, "We salute the poets of the Ramalarya'
the Mahabharata and tirre Byhatkath"' and he
compares the eloquence of three writers to the

language can be easily summarised from the refe'

rence of the Prd.kfta Sraaasa of Markandeya. He
has referred the three subdialects of the Pai'
cht language. They are Kekya, Saursni and

flow of lthree rivers. From the available sources

it appear that the significance and ingenuity of
Gul{hya are in noway inferior to those of Vysa
or Valmiki.l The Prkta literature is also like
Sanskrit, rich, vast and varied. An unknown writer
of ancient India has mentioned eleven varieties of
Prkga language. Paiachi was the ancient dialect

of the Prkta language. Some noted Sanskrt

writers have reffered it in their writings' Vara'
ruchiz and Sirhha Deva Gaina3 have mentioned
Pai3achi. Namisadhu in the commentary of the
Pai'
Kaalta\afdr of Rudralha has mentioned the
ch language. Hemchandra has discussed the grar

mmatical rules applied for the Pai3ch language'

Probably Paichi was the vehicle of the express'
ion of the majority of the common folk of certain
regions in ancient India. The popularity of this
1. Lacote, Essai

le08 ). p.

Sut Guralhya et la Bhatkath,(Patis,

10.

2. Vararuchl 10.1.
3. Kramadi;vara, 5, 96.
V agabhat fil akai a, 2. 3.
4. Kavya latkar a, 2.102.

5. KavyanuSa sana,

4. 303-324

Pchla. The classification of Markandeya was

probably based on the geographical basis. Kekya
has been mentioned in the MahabharataL as well
as in the Bh.gaaataur,ryd'.2 It has been identified
with the present district of Shahpur in the Punjab.s
The Kekya territory, according to the RLmaltary,aa
lay beyond the Vipsa or Beas and abutted on the
Gandhara territory. Rje3ekhara in his Kaalanr
m.d,n3sd6 places the Kekya country in, the northern
division of India along with the Sakas, Hur.ras.
Kambjas, VhlikaS, etc. According to the Greek
historian Straboo it was extensive and fertile
having in it some 300 cities. Paini in Apladh1ay1
and Patajali in his Mahabha.qtas refer to it.
Srur.rru was the region of modern Mathura of
U. P. The affiuent economic prosperity of this
country has been aptly referred in the ancient
61.12, Vll 19. 7.
2. Bhagawatpurdpa, X. 2. 3; X. 7 5. 12; X. 84. 55; X. 86. 20.
3. Law, B. C.,Indological Studies, Pt. I, pp. 18-19.

t. Mbh, tI. 48,

13.,

Vl

4. Ramaya1a, II. 68, 19-22; VlI. 113-114.

5, Kavyammrts, 4, 303-324.
6. H. and F.'s Tr. lII, p. 91.

7,7.3. 2.
8. 7. 2. 3.

(80)
of India.l Pancala was originally the
country north and west of Delhi from the foot
of the Himalayas to the Chambal. It roughly
literature

corresponds to modern Badaun, Farukhabad and

the adjoining districts.2

It

is significant to observe that why this strange

connotation has been given to the Paiach langu-

Lakshmidhar in his Pr,kfta'.Sarauasua has

explained it.3 According to him the language of
the Pi$acha country has been termed as Paichi.
age

On the testimony of the ancient grammarians

Pndya, Kekya, Vahalika, Sahaya, Nepal, Kuntala, Gndhra were the regions known as Pacha
desh.a Piacha a.s a caste has been mentioned
in the Mahabhmn.6 Probably on ihis ground,
Bhamaha in his commentary of Vararuchi has
mentioned the language of the Piachas as
Paiachi. ( Piia,chanam bhaa Piachi).6 Perhaps on
these reasons the other popular_ term used for the
1.

XII.

78,149; XXXVII. 100; LX.

S. S., X. 105, 157;
12. Pargiter, Ancent Indian ltristorical Tradition, p. 170

K.

Law, lathurd in Ancient lndia, J. R. A. S. 8,, Letters,

Vol. XllI, No. l, 1947.
2. Cunningham, Ancent Geography of India, p. 413

1924 ed. )

Law, Itrstorical Geography of Ancent lndia, p. 51.

3 . Prlct Saravasva, 126.
4. Pishel, R.; The ltristory of the Prakrita Langugae,
121, i4.
5, Mbh,

vll,

6. rr. 65-66.

p.

54.

(Bl)
language was Bhta Bhaa.r Bhuta is the
synonym
of Piacha. It is a popular belief that they

sp.ak
from their nostrils. On this basis Cook has inferred
that the sounds of the paiSach language would have
been akin to rhe English language. This phonetic

not, however, reliable because of

paucity of favourable data. It is quite reasonable
to infer that the term (paiichi' was used in the
resemblence is

beginning because of its geographical habitat.

Like Sauraseni, Mahraslrl and Magadhi, the pai.
chi was popular in the pi3acha desha. From th
Daarpaka of Dhanajai it is clear that the
Paiach ancl the Ardha Magadhi were languages
of the lower strata of the society.2 Bhojadeva has
prohibited rhe use of the pai6achi for the upper
class o[ the society.s Vararuchi has mentioned
the Sauraseni language as the basis of the paichi.+
Hemchandra has accepted this thesis in his book
on the Prkyta V2.kararya. The paiachi language
if viewed from the phonetic grounds it has got much
resemblence with the Sanskpta, pali and pallava
dynastic land grants, Hoernale was of the opinion
that Paiiachi was the form of that ryan language
which was spoken by the Dravidians. But Senart
l.

Vasneka, 56,19,

2. 173,10.
3. 50,25.
4. I. B. O. R.

6G

S.,

Vol XXII, pp, 147-150.

(82)

has. rejected his view" According to him it was

spoken in the North-West region of India. But the
truth appears to be a different one. From the
close study of the Prakyta Saraaas2 of Lakshmidhar
it appears that the Paiachi was popular in many
regions e. g. Gandhra, Vhalka ( North'West ),
Nepal ( Nothern 'India ), Kuntala and Pandya
( Southern India ). Probably due to its extensive
popularity Gu{hya might have preferred to
select this language for his magnum opus. Pai{achi
was the language of independent status, had marked
features and was self sufficient. It could be easily

admitted as an independent language and could

be compared with the rich languages of our
countary like Sanskrit, Prkgta and Apabharafra'
Judging from the available sources on the Bfhat'
' kaait seems that like the Sanskrit there was a rich
literature of Pai3achi language.l Wassiljew in his
work on Buddhism mentions that the Vaibhasikas
and the Sthaviras rvere well versed in the Pai3achi
dialect.2

l. K.

S. S.,

VIl,

2s,

VI, l4g.

2. Wassiljew, Buddhism, p.295,

CHAPTBR V

BRHATKATH AND ITS LATER

VERSIONS

Nepli and K6mirr versions of the Byttatkatltd, are available. Nepli recension is unfortu.
nately incomplete. The Bfhatkathamajar, and
Kathasaritsdgar are known as Ka6mirl recensions.
The BTlzatkathailokasarhgraha isfamous as the Nepli
recension of the
.Byhtkath of Gutdhya, because
it was discovered from NepI. Despite these pop,
ular,well-known recensions of the Byhatkath some
other recensions have come to light but their authenticity is still a matter of controversy.l

l.

Perhaps the well known king Durvanita of Gaga

dynasty has rvritten a translation of the B,hatkatha in
6th century A. D. See I. A., yol.42,l9r3, 204; J. R.
A. S., 1913, 389. But the basis on which the date of
Gaga dynasty was assigned was a spurious epigraph.
Therefore the thesis of Narasinghachari as expressed

in Indian Antiquary, Yol.42 is still a matter of serious

examination. Perhaps those inscriptions are of great
significance where the name of the king appears. See
also Fleet, I.4., 30, 1901,222; EI, VlI, p.21, The
Tamila works Nakadai and peruiga Dai was the literal
translation of the Bhatkathd. These works are assigned to second century A. D. For detailed study
of
Tamil anJ Persian recension See F. Lacote, Esa Sur
'Gupa/hya Et la Bhatkatha; Tabard, the Mythic Journal,
Vol. lV, pp.26 fr..

(s5)

(84)
of the

Brhatkth

For a proPer understanding

it is necessary to krro* something about its later
of the
recensions. The oldest extant recension
Buddhaof
Byhatkatha is Byhatktlti'ilokasantgrha
swmi. It was written in 5th century A' - D'
to
( circa ). The author oi this text hacl tried
mould
BrhatkaftaIokasamgrah in to the

urt tfr.

also
f afr" Golden glorious Gupta Agt't It is
known as the Nepli recension of the B' K'
text
The etymological meaning of the title of the
io Sloka metre'
is that it is the edition of the B' K'
itri, tutoable MSS was discovered by M' M'
Pt.HaraPrasadSastri.zF.Lactehaspublished
it in Devangari script with French translation
there
from Paris in 1908. Though chronologically
the date
is a differenc'e of four centuries between

but so far'
of the original B. K' atthis recension
us'
it is the erliest recension of the B' 'K' known to
Lacte is of the opinion that the Bfhatkathdlokasam"
A' D'3
sraha isa work of Bth or 9th century
il; r.nit work shows that it is more near to the
Gomuorignal B- K. ofGul{hya' In this work
i1 th
as
t<fr a significani character where

he is
Byharkathdmlm'jari and the Kathasaritsgara
In the
described as an ordinary character'
role of NaravKashmiri versic.,ns of the B. K., the
1

Bihar Rastra Bhasa

V. S. Agarwal' Inlrocluction to the

gar a, P. 6.
Parshad, Patna, Kathas arits a
( 1893
2. H. P. Srstri, J' A' S' B" Vol. 62
3. Lacote, oP. cit. P. 150'

)'

245

hanadatta is of a Dhira Lalita Nayaka ( Hero ).

The main story of Narvhanadatta came in the
background and other small stories got prominence

in the BrhatkathdIokasamgrah of BuddhaswmI.

According to the Nepli recension of the B. K.
Kalingasen, the prostitute's daughter Madan
Machuka was not suitable bride for Naravhanadatta. But quite contrary to it in the Kamir
versions of the B. K,, this relationship gets recognition. The'Greek artists have been eloquently
praised in the fifth canto of Byhatkatltalnhasar
graha. In its eighteenth canto, there is a description of the daughter of a merchant whose mothef
is a native of Greece. This work shows close
aflnity of IndoGreek relationship when during
the beginning of tho Christia era the Greek artists
were much appreciated in the Northern India.
This was the age of the great Gandhra School of
Art. These surviving stories of the Bfhatkath,ilokasarngraha are indicative of the time of Gu+{hya
{ lst Ccntury A. D. ). It is really a great loss of the
Indian classical literature that only some portions
of this great work of Buddhaswmi is available.
The surviving portions of this work reveal that
the nature of the work is humorous and its author
was a gret follower

of

'eat

drink and be merry'

philosophy.l
1. Winternitz,}llL, Vol.Ill, part lll, p.

350.

(87)

(06)
Almost every aspect of human life has been
dealt in it in a very lucid style and a superb lan'
guage.l Religon, festivals and Jatras have been
discussed at various occasions. The life of the
saints of the Kaula'Kaplika sects have been mentioned'in a great detail in twenty second canto
ascetic in twentyfburth canto' The
and of

Jain

epicurean life leading by the artists have been

mentioned in the fifth canto' In the tenth canto,
Gomukha gives a picturesque description of the
life of prostitutes. He has given a beautiful des'
cription of the palatial house of Kalingasen and
her luxuriant life. The description of Buddhaswml
of the palace of Kalingasen can be compared
with the Vasantasen of the Mrchakatika ol
Sudraka.'

really quite surprising that the work of

Buddhaswmi is different from the Kmiri versions of the Byhatketha. The difference is not only

It

is

in the structure but also in the original story.s Sometimes it seems that the Kamiri recensions of the
Bhatkath are independent works. The title of the
B h atkaa i I o kasangr ah is partially correct because
Buddhaswmi had discussed those pasages in great
details which appealed to him most. He was more

K. S. 10, 60-163 Lacote, op" cit. p.290

2. Lacote, Ibid.
3. Winternitz, p. cit. P. 351.
1. B.

of wrting lokas

rather' than in theii

collection. ifhe introductory story pertaining to
Gup{hya has been found in the B. K. M. and the
lf. S. S. but it is not found in Byhatkttzaltokasar?r
graha The name of Guta{hya appears in the
whole text only once. This ignorance further
shows the affinity of the time of Gur.r{hya and
Buddhaswmi. Buddhaswmi was basically a free
lance writer and he had chosen the theme of
the "8. K. of Gur.r{hya cnly as a mere basis of
his work. The available incomplete text corrtains
lB cantos and 4539 lokas. His style is fluent, luciil
and interesting. He has occupied a significant
place in the history of Indian literature.

conscious

Perhaps either in the time of the Byhatkathdllokasamgraha within a century Salhgha Dasa
Gai has written a Prkrita version named as
Vasudeoa Hind. It is a work of Jain tradition.l
Naravhanadatta, the hero of the original Bhatkathawas the son of Udayan Vatsarja, the Kingof
Kauambi. According to Kalidasa the story of the
Vatsarja Udayan was sung among the old people
of Malawa. The story of Udayan was not only related with the dalliances of theromance of Udayan
and Vsavadatta but it would also have contained the romantic episode of his son, Naravhanadatta. He followed the foot steps of his father
- I.- V. S. Agarawal, op. cit. p. 7.

(Be)

(88)
and estblished several marital relat"ionships. Per.
haps the nature of the original B, K was of romantic story because of the various descriptions of
several marriages of Naravhanadatta. The discoveryof the workof Sarhgha Dasa Ga4i again is
undoubtedly a significant achievement for reconstructing the nature of the original Bhatkath. The
literal meaning of Hindi is travel thus the title
denotes that the Vasudan HinSt is a travelogue
of Vasudeva. Though Sarhgha Dsa Gapi had
,based the theme of his story on the original
B, K,, yet he had made certain original basic
hanges. The .8. .K. in its original form would have
contained a number of sex stories, whom Sarhgha
Dasa Gar.ri had given a religious tinge and added
several Jain stories in it. The most significant
change which he made was that he had changed

the hero of the story. The original hero of

the ,8. .If. was Naravhandatta, the son of Udayan
but the hero of Vasudeaa Hinda is the famous Vasudeva of Andhaka Vrsh{ra lineage. It contains 29
lambakas.

It

is written in the Maharstri-Prkrita

prose and contains

1l

thousand lokas. Two forms

of this book are available to us. The work of Sarhgha Dasa GaBi is the first form of it. The second
form of this book is known as Madhyama Khanda.
This second part s written about two centuries later by Dharma Dsa Gar.ri, A perusal of the

introduction of this work clearly shows that, those

themes which were omitted by Sarirgha Dasa Gapi
simply because of the fear of unnecessary increase
of the volume of the text, the author Dharma Dsa
Gati had interwoven those left portions in his
Tasadeaa Hinfli.r Vasudeaa Hind', contains seventy'
one Lambakas (cantos ) and 17000 lokas. But
unfortunately this voluminous work is still unpubli'
shed, therefore nothing can be said with certainty
but on the basis of the earlier' text this can be
presumed that the work is written on similar patt'
ern and he had added some more stories'z On the

two available versions it can also be

imagined that . in the original Byhatkathd there
would have been several stories pertaining to mar'
riage. The Vasudeaa Hind of Dharmadsa Ga4i
is popularly known as 'Madhyama Khan{a.' It
may be considered as an appendix of the earlier
text. The Vasudeaa Hinf,i of Sarirgha Dsa Gaqi, at
present, contains six Prakarar.ras. They are ( 1 )
Kathtapatti, ( 2) Dhammila Hin{i, ( 3 ) Pithik'
( a ) Mula, ( 5 ) PratimIa, ( 6 ) Sarra. Sarira
is the rnain body of the text. It contains 29 Lam'
bakas ( cantos ). The last canto is misplaced and
stories of the 19th and 20th cantos are also missing'
basis of these

l.

S.

N. Prasad, The Kathasarsdgara

p. 54, F. N. 3.
2. V. S. Agarawal, op. cit., P. 9.

andlndian Culture,

(e0)
After the

of

Kathtapatti, there is a
Prakara4a of Dhammila Hin{i in fifty pages but
this is quite clear that it is not in its proper place
because Dhmmila is a story of a son of merchant.
It is also mentioned as Dhammila Charita. While
discussing about the origin of the term Dharnmila
it is written that his mother rvas in dohad about
the concept and nature of religion and that was
why his name was given as Dhammila. But this is
not mentioned in the Kamiri recensions of the .8.
K. The theme of the Dhammila Hin{i, was taken
from the life of the rraders. Like Naravhandatta,
Dhammila while going for business trips to abroad
married thirty two times. The earliest known
usage of the term Dhammila is found in the Sanskrit
language of the Gupta period. Dhammila was a
special type of women,s coiffure of the Gupta age.
But, however, this word perhaps owes its origin
to any south Indian language and most probably
to Tamil.r Most probably oDhammil, would
have been a name of any merchant of Southern
India. The climate in which the Silpadikrama
was written was a period of vigorous mercantile
activity of India of which she had ever seen and
perhaps this word was coined in such an atmos.
phere. In Dhammil, there is a story of a trader
named Dhanavasu, the son of Dhanavati. DhanaPrakarar.ra

(,el

vasu went to Greece for trade with a huge fleet of

the traders. According to the Tamil work Silapadikrama, the Greek traders were closely associated
with the famous port of Kveripatana.l Besides

Dhammila there were six more divisions in the

Vasudeaa Hin{2. They are Kathtapatti, Pithika'
Mukha, Pratimukba, Sarira, and Upasarhhra. In
the first three divisions the story has been introdu'
ced. The whole vigorous mercantile activity has
been referred in the Pratimukha by Praduyamna.
Once Praduyamna told to Vasudeva that look,
Sa*bu got married with 108 ladies while oniy sitt'
ing in his seraglio. Vasudeva on hearing this remarked that $a-bu is like a frog of a well and who
used to be easily contented but my nature is differ'
ent. I have extensively travelled and have enjoyed the mixed pleasure of joy and sorrow simultaneously. I do frankly admit that in my life I had
seen various ups and downs. Truly from this brief
but apt remark of Vasudeva the whole culture of

the period is gleaned.z Baqa the celebrated biogra'

pher of King Hara, who has wielded his perl in
- his famous Hara Charita in order to inmortalise
the deeds of his monarch, patron and friend. He
has given a very apt description by saying that
it-seems that perhaps some ointment of distant sea
1.

1. V. S. Agarawal, op. cit., p. 9.

Ibid. p.

10.

2. lbid. p. lO.

( (92.i '

(lgs,

voyage is pasted on the feet of the merchants.l

It
was a popular belief among the merchants
that
richmen only becomes after having gone for
trade
to some distant countries by crossing the sea. The
author of the Matl purrya while protesting

to

the ocean thus embarked that O ! grat ocean

uptil now only the Rkshasha-rhe inhabitant of
Lank used to cross you and that is why your
water is full of dirt. Now you turn your waves
into rock, so that the great lord Mahadeva wants
to cross you with his family.2 The increasing vol.
ume and significance of trade can very well be
realised from the fact that a teacher in Vrlasi
could have fruits brought from Dvipntara.s
Two K3rnir versions of the Byhatkath. arc
avialable in which the Byhatkatharnajariof Kemendra is older. The literal translation of the title
of this work is the .Bud.of the Gre at Tree of the
Byhatkath.' The work was written in 1037 A. D.
( Circa ).4 Winternitz is of the opinion that the
Byhatkathnjari is a work of K;emendra's early
phase.s Kemendra appears to be interested in
l. Bqa, loc. cit., V. S. Agarawal, Introduction of patna
Ed., p. r0. I waara ltqrrq.oi rr+f
]
r

2. Matya Purarya, 154-455.

3. Uktivyaktiprakarapa. p. 19, 123.
4. Bhler, I. 4., Vol. l, 1872, p. 302; S. Levi, J.

A.,

p. 8;
Lacote, Essai Sur GupaShya Et La Bhatkatha,
5. Winternitz,HIL, Vol. IlI, part IU, p,352.

lgg5,

p.lll.

the abridgement of the original Byhatkathaand tliat

too he seems to be more interested in describing

the erotic and amorous passages-a characteristic

feature of a youth poet. Kemendra was a garrulous by nature. Unfortunately to us it is only the
name of Gul{hya that has survived and there.fore we are not in a position to comment on the

reality of Kemendra,s descritpion.l Perhaps both

the wrirers have used the original" Byhatkathd and
have moulded it according to their own tempe.
rament and interest.z But owing to the loss of the
Bghatkatha of Gup{hya, it is a matter of only
surmise that how far these recensions are honest
versions'of the Blhatkathd.s
Kemendra, surnamd Vysadsa was the son
of Praka3endra and grandson of Sindhu.a Kemen-

dra was in the court

of King

Ananta of Kamir
( 1029-1064 ). IJis Brhatkathma.jart, is divided
into eghteen lambhakas. Besides we also find in
the .8. K. M.rdouble system of subdivisions. Most
1. According

lo Lacote, Ksemendra's Bhatkathamajar

is a more real version olthe Bhatkath. But to Mono.

waski Somadeva's Kathasaritsgara is a more honest
and real recension of the llrhatkath, see Mythic Jour-

nal,Yol. VI, pp. 26 ff.

2. S. N. Prasad, J. A. S., 1970, Vol. XII, pp. 99 ff.
3. Boss, The Mythic f ournal, Vol.IV, p. 85.
4. Bhler, J. B. B. R. A. S., 1887.

( g{,)

(e5)

the accessory.tales and some of the principal

episodes of the hero's history are followed by a
colophon which resumes the substance of the talesomething like the marginal subtitles found in the
translation of the Kothsaritsagara of Tawney. It is
a kind of the index of the several incidents found
in the text, and it is most convenient for ready
reference. This method of subdivision, being found

of the I'Vol. of The Ocean of Storlt has remarked,

{tI judge from the Invocation that Somadeva, the

of

in all the manuscripts of the B. K. r14. must be

rather ancient.l The Brltatkathama,jarZ is divided
into 18 Lambhakas, They are ( I ) Kathpitka,
( 2 ) Kathamukha, ( 3 ) Lvataka, ( 4 Naravha)
nadatta Janama, ( 5 ) Chaturadrik, ( 6 ) Srya

?rabh, ( 7 ) Madana Machuka, ( B ) Vl, ( g )

aankavati, (10) Vishamaila, ( 11 ) Madirvari,
( 12 ) Padamvatt, ( 13 ) Pacha Lambataha, (14)
Ratana Prabh, (15) Alafrakra Vatr, (t6 Sfrakti
" Yaso Lambhaka, (17
) Mahabhiseka and (lS )
Suratamajari. Kemendra was the.prolific writer
of the 1lth century A. D.

The

of Somadeva is the last

recension of the Bflatkaa of

Kathsartsgara

but most significant

Gu4a{hya. ft occupies the highest place among
the story literature of not only of -[ndia but also of
the world.z R. C. Temple in his brilliant Foreword

l. Lacote, Essai,84-85.
2. V. S. Agarawal, lntroduction
the Kathasaritsagara, p. 5.

of the patna edition of

author of the original book, was a Saiva Brhmana

of Ka$mir. His real name was Soma, deaa being

to the names Brhmans, royalties

and the like. Mr. Fenzer shows that he must

a mere suffix

have composed his verses about A. D. 1070, or

about two hundred and fifty years after Vasugupta
introduced into Ka3mir the Saiva form of the
Hindu religion peculiar to Ka3mir, which subsequently spread widely by his pupil Kallaa Bha!!a.
Later on, but still one hundred years before Somadeva, it was further spread by Bhaskara, and then

in

Somedeva's owr

time made popular

by

Abhinava Gupta, the great Saiva writer, and his pupils

Kshmaraja and Yogarja. So while Somedeva
was composing his distichs for the delectation of
Sryavati, the Queen of king Ananta of Karnir,
at a time the when political situation was "one of
discontent, intrigue, bloodshed and despair," it
was also as has often happened in Eastern history
time of great religious activity."r There is no
-a
doubt that the Kthasaritsgara was written before
10Bl A. D. It.contains 21, 3BB lokas and 124
bilows. The Rajanrangivi of Kalahapa was written
slightly earlier than the .f. S. S. ft can be assumed

that Somadeva would have been inspired from the

1. Page

XII-XIII

(s7 )

(e6)
title of the

Rjatarangiry

'for his

Kaasritsagar,

'lhe K.,S. S. is the earliest collection of stories ex.

tant in the world.l Unfortunately we know nothing of Somadeva, except what he himself has told
in the short poem at the end of his work.and what
we may gather of his ideas and religious beliefs
from the work itself. Penzer remarks regarding
the title which he has chosen for his work, .,He felt
hat his great work united in tself all stories, as the
ocean does all rivers. Every stream of myth and
mystery flowing down from the snowy heights of
sacred Himlaya would sooner or later reacb the
ocean, other streams from other mountains would
do likewise, till at last fancy would create an ocean
full of stories ol. every conceivable descriptiontales of wondrous maidens and their fearless lovers,
of kings and cites, of statecraft and intrigue, of
magic and spells, of treacher trieker murder and
war, tales of blood-sucking vampires, devils, goblins and gbouls, stories of animals in fact and fable,
and stores too of beggars, ascetics, drunkards,
gamblers, prostitutes and bawds.', This is the
KathAsarilsagara, the mirror of Indian imagination
that Somadeva has left as a legacy to posterity.
Following out his metaphor he has divided the
work into one trundred and twenty-four chapters,

l.

Penzer, The Ocean

p.

XXXI.

of

Story, Vol.

I,

Introduction,

called tarangas-s;wavesD or,,billowsrr-while a

further ( and independent ) division into eighteen
lambakas .'surgesrt or.,swells,r-was made by Brockhaus. The whole work contains 22,000 distichs,
ar lokas, which gives some idea of its immense
size. It is nearly twice as long as the lliail and
Odlssel put together.l

fn

Somadeva is an honest and conscious writer.z

real sense he is a true recensionist of the B. K.

fn the very beginning of the rf. S. S., he tells

that it is not his original work, but is taken from

a much larger collection by Gua{hya known as

or the Great TaIe3

"As in the original work, so also in this

the Byhatkatlz,

one,

there is not anywhere the least omission; only the

Ianguage is more compact in order to avoid the
book becoming too large. I have endeavoured as
much as possible to choose the most suitable expressions, and while describing in the srories the
various movements of the passions ( rasas / a work
has been produced which may be considered a
piece of poetry. My work did not spring from

the

desire to secure fame or learning,

but simply
to facilitate the memorizing of that many coloured
net of myths.', I K.S.S., l. 10-12 ]-Brockhaus.
l.

Penzer,Ibid; p. XXXI.

2. Sre Chapter lV, part A.

3.

K.

S. S.,

7G

I,

3.

(,s,)

( ee_)

in the original such is the copy; it does not

deviate from it, even by one line; I simply epito'
mize the primitive work and I translate; that is all
the difference. Carefui to observe, as far as possible, the iiterary propriety, and the logical sequence, is doing my best not break off either the
narrative or the spirit of the sentiments exprcssed'
I am no less careful to arrange a portion of a
regular poem"-Lacote.

that the narne of our author was Soma-i, e. Somadeva. He was thes son of a virtuous Brrhmar.ra
named Rma. tJ:is magnum opus was written for
the amusement of Sryava, wife of King Ananta
of Kaimir, at whose court Somadeva was a poet.

'oAs

"This book is precisely on the model of that

from which it is taken, there is not even the slight'
est deviation, only such language is selected as
tends to abridge the prolixity of the work; the

of

propriety ancl natural connectoin,

and the joining together of the portions of the
poem so as not to interfere with the spirit of the
stories, are as far as possible kept in view. I have
not made this attempt through a desire of a reputation for ingenuity, but in order to facilitate the

observance

recollection of

a multitude of various

tales'"

-f!ysy.r
It is interesting to note that the short biographical poem of Somadeva was not included by
printed later from
M. S., material by Bhler.3 From this it appears

Brockhaus in his textrz but was

l.The Oceen of StorY,Vol.I, P.2.

2. I. 4., 1872, Vol.l, BombaY.
3. K. S. S., 1, 10-12.

The history of l(mir at this period is one of

great discontent, intrigue, bloodshed and despair.
The story ol Anantats two sons, Kalaa and Hara
worthless degenerate life of the former, the
but uthless lile of the latter, the suicide

-the
brilliant

of Ananta himself and resulting chaos-is all well

discussed in the Rajarurangi2tt.
The tragic history forms as dark and grim a
background for the setting of Somadeva,s tales as
did the plague ol Florence for Boccaccio's Cento
Nouelle nearly three hundred years later. One
can easily imagine that these stories were compiled
in an effort to take the mind of the unhappy
queen Sryavati off the troubles and trials which
so unremittingly beset her court.
The ff S. ,S. is nor only rendirion of the Bhatkatha, for twenty or thirty years previously
;Kshe.
mendra had writtenhis Byltatkathmajarl. If com.
pared witir Somadeva,s work it pales into insignificance, Iacking the charm of the language, elegance
of style, masterly arrangement and metrical skill of
the later production. Moreover, Kshemendrars

(100)
collection is only a third the length of the f. S. S.1
The .K. S. S. may be regarded as an attempt to
present as a single whole the essence of that rich
Indian imagination which had found expression in
a literature and art of India through the ages. It is
the most precious jewel of the Sanskrit literature'

A study of the.6. S. S. shows that it is not only a

significant work for reconstructing the past of
Indian culture and history but also an equally
valuable piece of literature. He has used through'
out his work a well'balanced literary language.
Although the K. S. S. doubtless contains phrases,
similies, metaphors and constructioris which rnay
at first strike the "Englishman unacquainted with
Sanskrit" as unusual and exaggerted, yet the
reader as he reads he will find that it is those very
'peculiarities" which are slowly creating s n'
English, but none the less a delightful, atmosphere,
and which give the whole work a charm all its
own.' The use of metres have given dynamism
to the work. Somadeva appears to be himself a
great critic of literature because he had used carefully and consciously his style, diction, rhetoric,
rnetres and figures of speech and language, perhaps
after consulting and critically examining the merits
and demerits of his previous writers' And perhaps

(: 10I

that is why in the If. ,S. ,S., there is neither the

ordinary descriptive style of Vsaaadatt. of Suban.
dhu nor the highly ornate style of Br.ra's Kadam.
bar. There is no doubt that Somadeva has occupied a place among the authors of the first rank of
the classical Indian literature.l

fn a work of this magnitude it is necessary to

say something of the arrangement of the text. A
study of the text shows that this magnum ous of
Somadeva is not well knitted. Perhaps the magnitude of the text is to be blamed for or the blind
rendering of the original B. K. of Gup{hya. No
.final verdict can be given on this issue because
of paucity of material. Whatsoever may be the
truth, the fame of Somadeva is not becarne of
style or arrangemnt or representation of the text
but he is immortal because ol preservation of several unknown yet significant stories of Indian Cul:
ture because of his interesting presentation in an

untiring manner in such a great magnitude of

work.z He had beautifully arranged the stories
of wondrous maidens and their fearless lovers, of
Kings and cities, of statecraft and intrigue, of magic
and spells, of trachery, treckery, murder and war
tales of blood-sucking vampires, devils, goblins and
1.

l. Penzer, Vol. I, P' XXXIII.

2.Penzer, Vol. I, P XXXII.

M. Winternitz, Hisory of lndian -Lterature, Vol.

p. 354.

2. Keith, History of Sanskrit Literature,

p.282.

Ill,

( ]03

( r02)
ghouls, stories

of

animals in fact and fable, and

stories of beggars, ascetics, drunkards, gamblers,
prostitutes and bawds. This magnum ous may

be rightly called the corpus of Indian

Stories.

stories are knitted. The story f his father Udayarn

and his two queens-Vsavadatt and Padam'
his faithful, intelligent and politician minister
Ygandharyara are more interesting. Though the

vati,

of

Udayana is borrowed fror'n the Buddhst

storiesl yet the original story of Naravhandatta
is different from other stories ( Buddhist stories ).2
In the art of story description, Somedeva is
unparalleled in the Indian literature and no fiction

Naravhanadatta, the main hero of the ,lf..S. S. used

to win over the hearts of maidens one after another
like Don Juan. Naravhandatta after suffering.
various pains, however either he gets the longsought beloved or he gets another beautiful wondrous

story

maiden. If it is viewed from western viewpoint,

there is nothing extraordinary for attraction because the theme of the story is not mysterious and

writer has so far reached the uency of his style.s

The general reader will continually recognise stories familiar to him from childhood. There are
well-known tales from the Paehatantr and the
Mahabhara as well strange fantastic myths of
early Rig-Vedic days. He will encounter such

of

the story is almost well-known or can

be fairly well imagined. Thus there is not an
element of curiosity which is the basic object of

the end

the western fiction writers. This western mode of

fiction is perhaps passing at present in its fancy
stage. Indian way of life is wholly motivated with
its philosophy of action i. e. 'Karma foga' and
that is why neither they are astonished to see any
new happening nor they are surprised In Indian
way of life every thing is predetermined and one
has to act accordingly. The English poet Robert
Browning has beautifully expressed this way of life
in his famous poem Rabbi Ben Ezra.L
The basic story of the

ll^. S. ^L

is of Naravhan-.

datta. And around it, the network of

l. Browning, Lnes, I-8.

several

whole series of stories as the Vctdlapauhaaimati

or cycle of Dmon stories. But apart from this the
work contains much original matter, which Somadeva handles with ease. The appeal of his stories
is immediate and lasting, and time has proved
incapable of rubbing them of their freshness and
fascination.a fndia is indeed the home of story telling. It was from here that the Persian learned the
art, and passed it on to the Arabian. From
the Middle East the tales found their way to

l. F. Lacote, M. J., Vol. lV, P,247.

2.IVinternitz, op. cit., p. 356.
3. V. S. Agarawal, op. cit., p. 21.
4.Penzer, op. cit., p. XXXIV. '

(t04)

(105)

Constantinople and Venice and finally appeared in

he pages of Boccaccio, Chaucer and La Fontaine.
Western tales owed a deep debt of gratitude to
fndia, the original home of tales. The influence of
{he Arabian J{ights on Euroean contes poulaires
must not be overlooked, nor rnust it unde deriautor
be forgotten. It is only in the early quarter of the
20th century that the Indn origin of the Alfa
Lqy\a Wa La2la has been realised and shifting of
different recensions been commenced.

There is a beautiful collection of twenty-five

stories in the Vetlaatchaaimiati or cycle of De.
rnon stories in the .tr S. S.r The cycle of Demon
,stories are also found in the Byhatkathfumafr,jarZ of
Kshemendra,z but the description in the B. K. M.
is short and inornate. There are 1206 Slokas in all.g
It seems that in the original B. K. the cycle of
-Demon stories was not included,a because there
is no connection between the cycle of Demon
stories with Naravhanadatta. The inclusion of
these stories suggest Buddhist impact on Somadeva. Several stories of the panchatantra, ate
also included in the /f.
Kshemendra has placed
^S.,S.
these stories at one place.

t. K. s. s.,75. 99.
2. B. K. M.,9. 9.19-t221.
3. S. K. Dey, Hstory of Sanskrit Literature,
4. V. S. Agarawal, op. cit., p.24.
5. Keith, op. cit., p. 335.

Somadeva has taken great interest in the stories

of fools. The several stories of fools of the /f. S. S.

are now famous in the world literature.l The
stories can be reduced to such considerable length
without losing its sense and completeness, was
only the act of the genius of Somadeva alone
and none else. For instance see the 3Storl oJ the
FooI and the Cotto;"A certain blockhead went to
the market to sell Cotton, but no one would buy it
from him on the ground that it was not properly
cleaned. In the meanwhile he saw in the bazar
.a goldsmith selling gold, which he had purified
by heating it, and he saw it taken by a customer.
When the stupid creature saw that, he threw the
cotton into the fire in order to purify it, and when
it was burnt up, the people laughed.,'z
There are several such type of amusing anecdotes. For example see the 'Staryt oJ the FooI ar'l
his Brother'-T A certain stupid fellow was talking
in a crowd of men. Seeing a respectable man
some way ofl he said: "That man there is brother
to me so I shall inherit his property, but I am no
relation to [rim, so I am not liable for his debts."
When the fool said this, even the stones laughed

at

p.

421.

him."

The chief objective

of

the Fool's stories

1. Winternitz, op. cit., p.357,

2. K. S. S,, 61. 2l-3I:, TranslationlromThe Ocean,Yol.,

V, p. 70.

(106)

(to7)

and Somadeva has achieved success

in obtaining his aim completely. The srory perr_
aining to the roguish nature is several and Soma.
deva has desscribed them with great interest.
He has succesfully tried to impart some lessons
in these stories. For instance he writs that,
Destiny produces fruit for every man according
to his resolution. So a man should be resoluten

is much to be preferred."r The Brhmala Rudra-,

soma has a similar unhappy experience.2 In the
story of "$ain's wife and the leper" $a$in said in
his grief : "Alas ! women are like torrents that flow
in a ravine; they are ever tending downwards,
capricious, beautiful at a distance' prone to trbi'

is recreation

good fortune does not select for favour a man wanting in resolution. The story of a cunning rogue
who passed himself off as a minister.l The story

great wealth without committing a very great crimq, and when he

has gained the advantage, he at once falls in ttre
same way as a man who digs a well.
teaches t}at a wise man obtains

The K. ^9. S. contains several stories of ladies

pertaining to their base character.z In 58, 64 and
65 tarangas, there are various stories of the ladies
of their bad character. The story of Dhanadeva's
unchaste wife is quite revealing. The merchant
Dhanadeva, however, reflected his grief in these

words : "Enough

of the folly of

being a family
for women in a house are a snare ! It is
always the story with them, so a life in the forest

man,

K. S. S., 66. na434.

2. K. S. S., 34.182; 0. 3; 61. 193;66.29 1t..:2;.J8; nB;
1.

124. 140.

dness, and so they are as difficult

to guard

as such

rivers are to drink, and thus my wife, though kept

in a cellar, has run ater a leper. So lbr me also

the forest is'the best thingl Outon family lif. ""

Somadeva concludes : "So attachment to womenr.
the result of infatuation, produces misery to all
men. But indifference to them produces in the disc'
erning ernancipation from the bonds of existence.'l
Besides these kinds of stories there are several
stories in the .K". S. S. regarding the pious, chaste
and faithful ladies. The story of Devasmita in
Chapter XIII of the ff. S. S. is famous in the
world literature.a The story of Upako3a has a
distinct resemblance to the tale o[Devasmit. De'
vasmit has the gallants drugged, after which they
are stripped, branded and throln into a ditch of
filth. These tales are strictly 'sl-the heroine
is a virtuous married woman, she is faithful to her
absent husband and shames the would'be adult'

l. The Ocean, Vol. V, p. 148.,

2. Ibid, p. 148.
3. Ibid, p. 150.
4. Winternitz, op. cit., p. 35a.

(10e)

(108)
erers- There once lived a king named Dharmadatta, the lord of KoSala; he had a queen named
Nagari, who was devoted to her husband and
was
Arundhati on the earth, as, Iike her., she was the
chief of virtuous women.r There are also certain
stories regarding the chaste character of the,prosti-

tutes.z Perhaps the story of the such chaste charac-

ter of ladies in If. ,S. S. owes its origin to the

Buddhist stories,s but the view of Benefy
can not
be accepted as a whole.a After some modifications
we can accept the view of Beiefy. Some of
these
stories derived their source from the Buddhist

stories. The inclusion of the Buddhist

srories

in

work of'a great Saivite author Somadeva, evidently

shows his broad mindedness and religions tole.
rance. The Buddhist stories are mainly found in
the tarangas of 27th and 28th of the Katltsari.
sdgar. The stories of Vetala are also derived from
the Buddhist legends.G Kalahaq's Rajatarangryi
too contains stories of Vetla.? The impact of
Buddhist stories can also be seen in some other
stories of the lf. ,S. S.E

l.

K. s. s.,27.80_102.
2. K. S. S.,38. 3; 58. 2.
3. V. S. Agrawala, op. cit., p. 64.
4. Pachatantra, l, p. l4g.
-s. K. s. s., xxvll, xxvlil..
6. Ibid, 3, g, 15, 33, 36, 41, 53, 56, 62,3, 65, gl, 132.
7. R. T., 4. 17.
8. K. S. S., 65. 46' Il7. 32, 50, 75, lt6, lZ0,

Somadeva has enhanced the utility

of

the text
by adding some educational stories. They imaprt
teaching of the mundane world. "Once on a
time another hermit, a friend of his, came there,
and after eating he conversed with him during
the night. And I was at that time attempting
to carry off the food, so the first hermit, who
was listening made the pot resound frequently
by striking it with a piece o[ split cane. And the
hermit who was his guest said : "Why do you
interrupt our conversation to do this !" Where
upon the hermit to whom the cell belonged ans'
wered hirn : "I have got an evening here in the
form of this mouse, who is always jumping up and
carrying off this food of mine, though it is high up.
I am trying to frighten him by moving the pot of
food with a piece of cane),' When he said this,
the other hermit saicl to him : "In truth this covetousness is the bane of creatures." Some other
teachings are worth quoting viz. n'!Ve should
hoard, we should not direct our thoughts to excessive hoarding. So, you see, covetousness does not

give pleasure; it only causes annoyane to those

who cherish it." "Full o[ love is the attachment
that subsists among friends; but attachment to
women is not approved, because it is open to
jealousy." "How a woman behaves when over'
jealously watched, for the jealousy of the husband

(110)

(nI)

teaches the wife to run after the other men.

So a
wise man should guard his wife without showing

her robe, that had sllipped aside, ,.u"ul.d her

exquisitely rnoulded limbs. His heart was
captivated by her beauty; and blinded by love, he
irnmediately swooped down, and taking her up
in his arms asleep, flew off with her through the air.

jealousy. And a man must by no means reveal

a secret to a woman ii he desires prosperity.
So
a wise man should not recklessly tell secrets to
women.r, .,People of simple dispositions are easily
imposed upon by wicked women.,, ,,Fools, after

Immediately her husband, woke and not see'

ing his beloved, he rose up in a state of distraction.
He said to himself : What can this mean ! Where
has she gone ! I wonder if she is angry with me
or has she hidden himself to find out my real feelings and is making fun of me ?" Distracted by

aspiring high, fall into their proper place. A fool

never takes leave of his wealth until his wealth
takes
leave of him.', ,,4 friend that shows his friendship
,by ceremonious entertainment only, is a different
thing from a real friend; though oil and ghee
both
possess the property of oiliness ( It is
pun. The
word can either mean .'oiliness.r'or ,raffectiorr,

many surmises of this kind, he wandered here and

there that night, looking for her on the roo and
in the turrets of the palace. He even searched in
the palace garden, and when he could not find her
anywhere, being scorched with the fire of grief;, he

),

but oil is oil and ghee is ghee.', ,rA fool is as

void of sense and discarnment as an animal.,,

t'Every man chooses what

is good or bad according
to the measure of his own intellect :1 6A wise man

should place no confidence in a wicked person.,,

Somadeva,s excellence in using the figures
of
speech can well be attested from the foilowing
example. 6,One night Harisvmina fell asleep
as he
was reposing with his wife Lvalyavati in a palace
cool with the rays of the moon. At that very
moment a Vidydhara prince, Madanavega roaming
about at will, came that way through the air.
He
saw her sleeping by the side of her hus band,
and
1. K. S. S., Taranga, 61.

i
I

sobbed and lamented: "Alas ! my beloved with

face like the moon's orb, fair as the moonlight,
did this night grudge your existence, hating your
charms that rival hers ! That, very moon, that,
vanquished by your beauty, seemed to be in fear,
and comforted me with them, as if with burning
coals, or arrows dipped in poison." While Haris.
vmina was uttering these laments, the night at last
slowly passed away; not so his grief at his breavernent."

"Then he left his country, with his Brhmar.ra

.birth as his only fortune, and proceeded to go
1

112 )

round to all the holy bathing-places

in order to
recover his beloved. And as he was roaming
about, there came upon him the terribre rion
o*f
the hot season, with the blazing sun
for month_
and wirh a mane composed of his fiery
rays. And
the winds blew with excessive heat,
as if warned
by the breath of sighs furnaced fourth
by travellers
grieved at being separated from their
wives. And
the tanks, with their supply of water
diminished
by the heat; and their drying white
mud, appeared
to be showing their broken hearts. And
the trees
by the road side seemed to lament on
account of
the departure of the glory of spring
making ,fr.i,
wailing heard in the shrill moaning
of their bark,
with leaves, as if it were lips, pur.h.d whith
heat.,,l
ft shows that Somadeva got excellence in the
use
of the simile an metaphor.
The Katlasariagara is really the
Ocean ol stories. Somadeva was a man of genius who rightly
ranks next to Kalidasa arnong
Indian poets. His
power of story-telling in a clear
entertaining and
absorbing way is only equalled
by the richness
and diversity of his subject-matter.
His knowledge of human nature, his style,
the beauty and
force of his.descriptions and the
wit and wisdom
of his aphorisms are masterl y in
their execution.z
l. The Ocean, yol. VII, pp. 28 ff.; K. S. S., 8 7.29-32.
2. J. S. Speyer, Studies about the
K athasartsagara, J. R.
S.A. ( 1908 ), p,907.

APPENDIX

(A)

CHROI{OLOGICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

oF \\ORKS ON THE
AND ITS CHIEF

B,HATKATH,

RECBNSIONS

Here an attempt has been made

to prepare aft
up-to-date bibliography on the
Bylzatkatha and its
chief recensions. The autho, hu,
,;; ;;
"lro
place some important researches
done on ;";:
dhya. I{eferences up to lg2l arc based u4on
i,
Ocaan of Story, Vol. X, Appendix
VI.r

Wilford. F. o,Vicramaditya and Satiuahdna :

Tluir
Respectiae Eras, with an Account
of the Bala_Raltas
or Balhar Emerors.', Asiatic Researches
Vol. IX
pp. ll7-'24I" Calcutta, 1807. See also
Asiatic
Researches, Vol. VIII, p. 269 which
contains the
earliest reference to the Virhat-Catla
thati;;

can find.

_ Wilson, H. H. preface to tle Sanscrit

Dictionarlt,
Calcutta, 1819" ft was not issuecl
in subsequent

l.

The author, however regrets that

as a larg number of
early texts and articles mentioned
in this bibliogra phy
are not available in India, he has
been deprived

of the
opportunity ofconsul ting them. However,
this bibliography has been gi ven for those sch olars
who
to proceed further on Gun{hya and his work. want

8G

114 )

( 115 )

editions, but was reprinted in works by the late H.

H. Wilson, Vol. V. pp..159-252, see pp. 175-179.

Wilson, H. H. 'Hindu Ficti,on'. The Quarterly

Oriental Magazine, Review and Register, Vol. I,
1824, pp. 63-67, Vol. II, lB2+, pp. l0l-109,
194-208, Vol. III, 1825, pp. 302-314.
Calcutta, 1824-1825. It was reprinted in Works
7 the Late H..F/. Vol. Wilson,lll, pp. 156-268.
Brockhaus,H. " Indi s c he Mar c hen. K aa s arit s d gar ,
die Marchensarnmlung des Soma Deaa aus Kaschmr.'"
Blatter fr literarische Unterhaltung, No. 152, pp.
622-627; No. 153, pp.628-631; and No. 154 pp.

633-635. Leipzig, 1834.

H.

"Grndung der Stadt Pataliputra

und Geschichte der Upakosa. Fragrnentc aus dem
Kathasaritsgara des Son Deaa. Sansui,t und
Deutsch." Lepzig,
Brockhaus,

1835.

Brockhaus,

H.

Kathasartsdgara. Die M?lhrche,n'

aus Kaschmir.
Erstes bis ftinftes Buch. Sanskrit und Deutsch
( Edited in Ngarz types ).

sammlung des Sri Somadeu Bhtta,

Leipzig ( Printed ); Paris, 1839.

No more was published of this edition. The
work is continued in the Abhandlungen Jr die Kunde
des MmgenLandes. Bd. II and IV.
Wilson, H. H. "Hindu Fiction." The British and
Foreign Review, No. 2l,July, 1840, pp. 224-274.
It was printed in Works t the late H. H. Wilson,

Vol. IV, pp. 81-lb9i pp.:lO8-lb9 are 'on Sornadeaa's Marchen-Sammlung, Sanskrit unl Deutsch. by
Dr. Hermann Brockhaus. Leipzig, 1839.
Brockhaus, H. Die Milhrchensammlun! des Somad.eua Bhatta aus Kaschrnir. Aus dem Sanskrit ins Deutsche bersetzt.2 Yols. Leipzig 1843.
There is also another title-page prefixed to each
volume which reads : Sammlung orentali,scher Mahrchen, Erzhlulgen und Fabe\n.It forms Vols. XXVII

znd

XXVIII of the Ausgewhlte Bibliothek der

Classiker der Auslandes.

Bhtlingk, O. Sanskrit-Chrestomathie. (unil,chst
zun Gebrauch bei Vorlesungen St Petersburg, 194b.

Th author gives the text of the story of Vidnshaka ( The Ocean, Vol. II, pp. 54-80 ) or .p,p.
214-242; with notes on pp. 3+9-354.
Lassen, C. Indiiche Alterthumslqtnde. 4 Yols.
Bonn, Leipzig, lB47-186l.
BrockhausrH.,,Die Sage Von Nalaand Damayanti, nach der Bearbeitung des Somadeaa.,,

Leipzig, 1859.
Kniglich Bayerischen Akademie der
Wissenchaften zu Mnchen...zur feier Ihres Hunderdhrigen Jubilaeums ihre Glckwnsche der
di'e Konigl. Schsische Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften za Leipzig. 28. Mrz, 1859.

Der

Brockhaus, H. ,rAnase des 6 Bucles aon Soma.

das Mithrchensamrnlung.', Berichte ber die Ver-

( lr7

(116)
bandlungen der Kniglich Schsischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig. Phil.-Hist,
Klasse, Vol. XII, pts. III, IV, 1860, pp. 101-162.
Benfey, T. "Somadeaa's M,rchenschatzr" Orient
und Occident insbesondere in ihren gegensei'
tigen Forshungen und Mittheilungen, Vol. I, pp.

371-383. Gttingen, 1862.

Brockhaus, H. " Kat hs arit s d gar a. D ie M'd,r c h e-ns a.rnmlung des Somadeaa." Buch

VI, VII, VIII.

( Sanskrit Text only, Roman type. )

Abhandlungen fr die Kunde des ,Morgenlandes herausgegeben von der Deutschen Morgen'
landischen. Gesellschaft. Band II, No. 5, Leipzig"
1862.

Brockhaus,

H. Kathsaritsgara. Die Milrchens-

ammlung des Somadeaa:' Buch.

IX-XVIII.

( Sanskrit Text only. Roman type. ibid, Band'

IV, No. 5. Leipzig 1866. ).
Kern, H."Remarks on Profssor Brockhus," Edition of the Kathasaritsgara, Lambaka IX-X,
XVIII, J. R. A. S,, ( NS ), Vol III Pt. I, 1867,

pp. 167-182.
Burnell, A. C. Letter to the Editor of The
Acadenry, dated Tanjore, 2lstJuly, lB71 ( on the
Bgihatkathmajar ).
The Academy. A Record
Science and

p.

447.

of Literature,

Learning,

Art, Vol. II, 1871, 15th Sept, No. 32,

Bhlher, G.,,On the Vyihatkatha of Kshenendla.,,

Indian Antiquary, 4th October, 1872. Vol. I, pp.
302-309, Bombay, 1872.
See also Vol. II, 1873 p. 304. Furrher remarks
on the paper were made by Profl Weber under the

title

Parts X and X[.',

et

and Mi;cellanea-Remarks 0n
Indian Ant. Vol. II, 1873, p. 57

"Correspondence

seq.

Pischel,

R.

De Grammati,cis Prdcriticis. Dissertatio htauguralis Phitologica.,. Publice DeJendet..,.

See pp. 32-33. Vratislaviae,lBT4.
Bhlher, G. Detailed Reort of a Tour in Search
of Sanskrt .AISS. made in Kalnir, Rajputana and
Central India." Extra Number Bombay, Br. Roy.
As. Soc., Bombay, See pp. 46,47. London, 1877.
Zachariae, T. ,rDei sechzehnte Ergihlung du
Vetlaacaainlati." Festschrift zur fei seines,
Fnfzigjhrigen Doctorsjubilums am 24 October,
lB7B. Herrn Prof, Theodor Benfey, pp. 360-383.
Gttingen, 1878. This work forms Vol. IV of
Beitrage <ur Kunde der Indogermanischen Sprachen,
edited by Dr. A. Bezzenberger.
Srensen,

S. n'Indbydelsesskrffi

til de ffintlige

Afgangs.og Arsr'caer i, Herlt{sholms loerde Skole i

Juli., lB7B.
( Invitation to the Annual Public Breaking-up
Ceremony in Herlufsholms High School ).

l. Indiske Aeventyr og Molbohistorier,

efter

(118)

(lre)

10 de

Bog of Somadcva's Aeventyrsamling, pp.

1-74. Naestved ( IBZB )

end Communication oJ Nagarjuna'Bodhi'satoa to King

Shatoohanna?'. Indian Antiquary, Vol. XVI' 1887'

This article includes a Danish translation of the

10th book of the Kathasaritsagara with some

pp. 169-172.

omissions.

Tawney, C. H. "The

Ocean

of Story.." 2 Vols.

l8B0-1887.

2.

Ol'denburg, S. T. "Materials for the inoestigation

of the collection af Indianfairy tales : the Byhatkath.:'
(

Title in Russian.

).

This lecture includes a translation of the story

ofJimutavhana. See Vol. II, p. l3B et seq; and
Vol. VII, pp. 49-63 and 233-240.
Wortham, B. Hale "Storlt of Deuasmit:' Journ.
Roy. As. Soc., Vol. XVI, New Series, 1884, pp"

L-t2.
Lvi, Sylv ain, " Le B yihatkat hdmaj ar d e Ks hemend,ra}' J. Asiatique, Huitime Srie, tome VII'
1886. pp. l7B-222. Paris. 1885.
Wortham, B. Hale "The Stoes of Jimntaaahana
and Hari.iarnan}' J. R.A. S., Vol. XVIII, l886 pp.
L57-r76.
"Some Remarks on

the Suhrillekha ur Fri-

of

the

Imperial Russian Archaeological Society, Vol. III,

Pt. I, pp. 41-50. St Petersburg, IBBB.
Lanman, C. R. '(A Sanskrit Reader : with Voca.
bularlt and Notes!' Boston, 1888.
See pp. ,+5-+6, which contain six stories from
the K. S. S. in Sanskrit. See also pp. 331-339.

1883.

S.

p.172, col.

Zapiski. Memoirs of the Eastern iSection

VidyasagararP.J. "Kathasarsagara or Ocean d

the Streams of Storl Rendered i,nto Sanskrit Prose from
the Poem of Somad,eua Bhatt, Saraswati Press.
Calcutta, 1883.
Birne, G."Denkbee\den ouer OnsterJelijkheid bij de
Hi,ndu's door..." Nijmegen ( printed ). Deventer,

Beal,

see

rg pra sad, Ka il; ar it s gar a of Somad

ea ab h

att .

Edited by Pandit Durgprasad & Kasinath Pndurang Parab, N. S. Press, Bombay, 1889.
Reprinted in 1903, and again in 1915, when
it was revised by Wsudeva Laxmaqr Shastri
Par.rsikar. The 1915 edition lacks the last verses
of the poem it sel[, as did Brockhaus' text.

Makowski, L. Von. "Der Aus4tg aus dem

P afr,c at antr a in Ks hmendr as B y hatkat hlrnaj ar." Einleitung, Text, Uebessetzung und AnmerkungenLeipzig, 1892.
Shastri, Pandit Har Prasad, "On a, New rtnd of
old ypatte Manuscripfs." J. R. A. S. of BengalVol. LXII, Pt. I, No. 3, pp.245-255.

(121

(120)
Leyen,

F. von

on....Mit eincn

der Indsclte Marchen bertragen

Anltang : Die uerchiedenen Darrjel-

lungen und die Gsclichte der Mitrchen.lHalle

(1896).

Sivadatta, M. Pandit; and parab, K. p. ,,Tlte

Brltatkatltmajart of Ksltemendra.,, Edited, by.."...
Printed and publishecl by Tukaram
Javaji,Kavya69, Bombay, 1901.
.cBunte
Hertel,
Geschchtn

m"1,

J.

oom

Himalarya.

L\oaellen. Schwitnke und Mdrchen 0n Somadeaa

aus
Kaschmir.', Mnchen, 1903.
Locote, F. rrUne Version Nouaelle de la Byhatkatha
Gurya(a.,, J. Asiatique, Dexime Srie, tome

de

VII, pp. 19-50.

(

Speyer, J. S. "Het ogenaamde Groote Verhaall

De Byhatkatha ) en de Tijd
Samen-Stelling.',

Qjnrr

Verslagenen Mededelingen der Koninklijke Akad.emie van Wetenschappen Afdeeling Letterkunde.

Vierde Reeks. Negende Deel. Eerste Stuk. pp.

116-146. Amsterdam
Speyer, J.

, 1907.

Studies about the Kathsaritsdgara,

_Verhandelingen der. KoninklijkeAkademie van

l{etenschappen te Amsterdam. Aftleeling

Letter-

kunde. Niewe Reeks. Deel

dam, 1908.

Lacote,
suiai

du

VIII,

No.

5.

Amster_

F. Essai sur GurS(fut et la Byhatkatha

indit des chapitres xxvii a xxx du

Nepla-Mhtmya. paris, lg0g.
Texte.

Lacte, F. Builhasamin. Brhatkaa Slokasarygralta i-ix. Texte Sanskri,t Publi our Ia Premiere Fois
et Exlicatiues et Acconagn
d.'une Traduction Fransaise. Paris, 1908.
Bartoli, F,. "Deuasrnita : nouella indi,ana. Traduziane di"...... Bari, 1908.
Barnett, L. D. The Golden Town and Other Tales
.rtom Soma Deaa's Ocean of Romance-Rivers.
London, 1909.
Note : This volume forms one of lhe "Romance
of the East." Series.
aaec des lrlotes Critiques

B. Hale. "The

Buddhist Legend of
Jtmatuahana from the KathasaritsagaraJ' ( The
Ocean River of Story ). Dramatized in the Naga-

Wortham,

nanda ( The Jol of World of Serpents / A Buddhist

Drama by Sr Harsha Deva. Translated frorn the
Sanskrit. London & New York, 1911.
Hertel, J. "Ein altindiscles Narrenbuch.o' Berichte
iber die Verhandlungen der Kniglich Schsi,schen
GesellschaJt der Wissenschdten zu Leipzig:' Phil.
Hist. Klasse, Vol. lxiv, pt. i, 1912, pp. 1-67.

A.

"Somadeaas Kathasaritsgara- oder

O<ean der Marchenstrome. Ersie Vollstilndige deutsclte
Wessesk,

Ausgabe in sechs Banden.o'

Schacht,

H.

Berlin, 1914-1915.

Indische Erzd,hlungen aus dem Sans-

krit zun erstenmal ins Deutscle bertragen ann......

Lausanne and Leipzig, 1918. 'franslation of
Book X.

(t22)

(r23)

Lacre, F. Buhhasumin. Bfiatkatha Slokasaryg_

raha x'xu. Texte sanskrit pubti
our ra prenire Fois
aaec des Notes Critques et Exlicataes

et

Accampagn

d,une Traduion Fransaise. paris, 1920.

Hertel, J. (wei

indiscle Narenbcher.

Di, z*-

eiurdreissig Bharataka Geschichten und,somadewas

Nan engeschie htm.. .. Leipzig lg22
This volume furms Band y ol ,,Indisclc Erz,
hler.,'
Roenau, E. Sonad.eaa. Des pri,nzen
Braufahrt.
Mitrclten und Geschiclten aus dem
Kaasaritsgar

Ozean der .fuIii,rchenstrrne: Aus

den Sanskrit bertragen
uon.,. MitBildern und Buchsclmuck aon Kart
Borscike.

yienna, 1922.
Sukthankar, V S. l/sauadafia. Being a translation
Sanskrit drama Sapnasauadatta
attributed to Bhdsa. Oxford Universiry Press, lg2g.

of an anzn)mous

Lacte, F. Essa2 on Gw.ea{hlaand the Byhatkath.

Translated by A. M. Tabard. Reprenred from the

Quarterly Journal of the Myrhic Society. Vol. IV.

Bangalore City, 1923.
Lacote, F. L'Histoire Romanesgue d'[Jdaltana Roi"
de Vatsa extraite du Katldsaritsgara de Somadeua ct
traduite pour la premire Jos du Sanserit en Frarcais
aaec une Introduction et des
arMotes ar.,..,.,,.80is
dessins et graas

ar Jean Buhot. Paris, 1g24.

This work forms Vol. IX of ,,rLes Classiques de
I'Orient"

Penzer, N. M. Z Ocean of Storlt in

London. 1924-28.

l0

vols.

Note : It was reprinted with lntroducticn notes,

and terminal essays.

Sarup, Lakshman The Vision of Vsauadtt

( Svapnavasvdattam ). With Stanzas attributed to
Bhasa in uarious anthologies and extracts bearing on the

legeni of Udayanafrom the Slok^orpgroha of Buildhsoamn, the Bhatkthama,jarz of Kshemendra, the

Kat hr.u ar it s gar a of Som ad eu a. ..

.Lahore,

92 5.

te'vi, Sylvain. "Ptolme, Le ilidilesa et la Byhatkathd." Etudes Asiatiques publides I'occasion du

Vingt-Cinquieme Anniversaire de L'BcoIe Fransaise D' Extrrne-Otient, par Ses Membres et ses
Collaborateurs, Vol. fI, pp. 1-55. See also pP+3-+32. Paris, 1925.
The above forms vol. xx of the series'

Itath.asritsgara\ol.I Kedar Natha Sharrna

has editecl the Kathdsrits,gar. He has given the
original text and its Hindi translation' This volume contains the text and translation from I to 7
lambakas, published from the tsihar Rastra Bhasa
Parishad, Patna, 1960.

V. V. Mirashi, The house of Gurya|@a' Oriental

Thought, Vol. I, p.44 of Studies in Indologl pP'
65-69. Published by the Vidharbha Samasodhana
Mandal, UdayPur, 1960.

( t24',)
Kaasariagara, YoI.II ( Kedar Nath Sharma
has edited the second volume of the Kathsit_

sdgar. The volume contains the text and the

translation from VII to XI lambaks published
)
from the Bihar Rastra Bhasa parishad, patna, 1961.
Ibid, Vol. III translated by pt. Jata Shankar
Jha and Prafulla Chandra Oja ,Muktar, parna.
C. H. Tawney. Kathsaritsagara.
Reprented in 1968 in 2 vols ( Munshi Ram
Manohar Lal, Delhi with a scholarly foreword by

a Russian scholar Dr. Igor. D.

Serebryakov.
He is also busy in translating the whole bulk of
Kathasari.tsagr in Russian Language. He has
translated almost ten lambakas.

N. Prasad. A Note on the Brthplace oJ Gwg{ta, A. U. M., Vol. XLVII, No. t. pp. 4b4.
S.

N. Prasad. Note ontlze Original Home of

l.@a, JG\JRI, Vol. 23, ( 1968 ) p, t+7.
S.

S.

N.

Prasa d. Further nnte 0n the Original Home oJ

Gupal,hla,
99-102.
S.

Gury_

J. A. S., Vol. XII,

1970,

l-4,

pp.

N. Prasad. Tle Date of tlze Byhatkathd, Inter-

national Congress of Orientalist, paris, 1g72.

S.N. Prasad. K4thasartsgara and Inilan Culture.
This is a monograph of D. Phit. Thesis of Allaha.
bad University. Published from Chaukhambha
Orientalia, Varanasi, 1976.

APPENDIX

(B)

THE BBHATKATJ AND INDIAN

FICTION
T'he Byhatkathd may rightly be considered the
first classical work of fiction in the 'whole world
and India at the same time should also be given
due credit for being the cradle of fiction writing
in the universe. Our heritage has sufferecl much
owing to the loss of the Byhatkatha of Gula{hya.
The study of the later versions of the Bhatkath
will show that Gundhyu, the inaugurator of the
fiction writings, had given a formula for writing

fiction. It

is significant to observe that

our

class-

ical fiction writers have used this formula for writing their novels.
The historical naratives of ancient period was
limited to the various facets of the life of the king
concerned. Therefore itihasa ( ancient events ) of
ancient period was arranged in a form of fiction
in order to discuss the truth of morality, sthetic
sense, worldly and spiritual realities of life.l A

l.

V. S. Pathak, Ancient Historians of India. Asia Publi'

shing House, 1966, Bombay, p. 27.
S. N. Prasad, Kathasarilsagara and lndan Culture,
Chaukhambha Orientalia, Varanasi, 1976, p, 5.

126)

(127)

great change had taken place in Indian historiography because of the romantic spirit of the age,
the ornate style of the epics, the tradition of the
Ramalqa and the Brhatkatlti. Now the poet hist.
orians represented the abstract idea of .royal glory
in the form of a beautiful princess symbolising the
goddess of Royal Fori.une ( Rajya Sri whose love
),
the king wins after overcoming many difficulties.
The idea of ,Regna Fortuna' is described in the
story of Rama2a.rya where immediately after liberating Sita from Rvar.ra, Rama becomes king of
Ksala. The later versions or the Byhatkatha gives
an elaborate treatment of this motifl, It was predicted that the husband of Madanmaiuka would be

the emperor of the Vidydh4ras. The prince

Naravhanadatta checked the obstructive designs
of his adversaries, finally married Madanamajuka
and became the emperor. From the 4th century
A. D. this motif of Royal glory became popular.
in Indian fiction. In different form it occurs in the
various classical works of aucient India. It occurs
in the Raghuaarhs,l the Ratnaal,z the Balabh,rataz
and in other historical works like Naaashasd,tka_

charital and Vikramnkadeaacharita.b The

. lv.

5.

same

kind of description is also fouud in the inscrtions

of the Imperinl Gupta rulersrl the Plasrz the
Pratihras3 and the Rstraktas.
For the first time in the post Hara period,
fndian historiography was based on court organisation, having a real unity between king, poet,
courtier and chronicler. Thus the historical tradition assumed a new complexion. It became a
powerful medium of expression for courtly culture,
an organ tor kingly propaganda and an instrument for the propagation of new social values-of
chivalry and loyalty. ft accordingly framed new

literary conventions, novel devices of narratives

and a different symbolism.
The Byhatkathd, as preserved in later versions
contains a cycle of stories spun around a nucleus
which descirbes Naravhanadattaras having enjoy-

ed the imperial suzerainty as a result of

his

marriage with a Vidydhara princess.a TL'e Har;'

charita of Bpa starts with a story in which Push'
yabhti helps an ascetic to attain the status of a
Vidy,dhara, and in the process obtains the bless'
ings o[ Lakshmi. Padamagupta in Nauasdhahka'
c harita and Bilhan a in D aiakumr ac harit tell similar tales of Vidydharas and their help to Navas'

2. Act. I.

t.

3. Prologue of N. S. Edition
4. t. 59.
5. Ill. 2; IX. l5l.

2. E.
3.

S. 1., p. 301, Verse 5.

1., W,248, Verse 4.

E.

- \ p. t09, Verse 18,

4. See Ch.lV

( B ).

(te)

(l2B)
haafrka

and Vikamditya in wearing the purple

robe of sovereignty.
Ancient Indian fictions are of two types : ( I )
a simple story as found in the ancedotal literature
of the Brhmaqas, the Budhist avadnas and the
folk tales. ( 2 ) literary stories with long and
sonorous compounds, and conventional descriptions of seasons, countries, lakes, rivers etc. The
Harluchar'r shows both these traits. The art of
emboxing inset stories, which is a feature of the
Katha literature, was adroitly utilized by Bla to
give the biography of his royal patron in the
framework of his own history. He was deeply
indebted to the Byhatkath of Guq{hya for the
theme of the Kadambar.l The episode of Pushyabhuti and Lakshml in Harpacharif, is likewise an
adaptation of the initial and final stories of the
cycle of vampire legends.z The logical development of theme is shown in five stages in the Harhacharita the first the beginning, the last the End,
and the three intervening stages the Bffiorts, the

Hope of success and the Certainty, which tell

the tale of human efforts dirt cted towards the end,
through turmoil of tirne and under the dictates of

l,

Nalachamp,1.14.
De and Dasgupta, History

23C-231.
2. Kath sar t s-a gar a,

of

X, 3.
B hatkathamaiar, XVI, 185 f.

Sanslkrti

Litercture, pp,

Fate. The eeeesion of flara to the thronc of

Thneswar and Kanauj is the end ( phala ) in the
Haracharita. The story begins ( Prrambha ) at
tle time of the dynast. Puyabhuti when the
goddess of Royal Fortune gave him her blessings
and prophesied that he would initiate a line in
which an imperial ruler Hara would flourish,
over whom she herself would wave the flywhisk.l
Rajya$ri in the Harachart plays the same role
as Ratnuali in Hara's comedy and Madananafr,juka in the Kathsaritsgara.

in

out rhar
the goddess of Royal Forutne like llilottam had
purposely drawn both the rivals of Pgithvirjathe Gurjjara potentate and the Muslim governor
Muizz al.Din Muhammad Ghorl into deadty
Jaynka

Pthaoirja-aijrya pointed

combat. It is also mentioned that Tilottam alone

could be compared with Ram (St ) and that she
had once played the role of Sita, the incarnation
of Lakshmi.z The story is based upon the same
old formula of the Bthatkaa-the attainment of
universal suzerainty by the hero through his union
with the heroine, who symbolizes the 'Regna
Fortuna'after the defeat of a formidable enemy.
Rma who killed wicked Rvar.ra, obtained reunion
with Sita and became a Chakravartin king. It is
1. H. C. p. 169.

2.]Kl, t9-24.

9G

f !'3[

'

- ' ppnttgotx ', -

(c)

' ,.

SOME ASPECTS OF INDIAN CULTURE

AS GLEANED FROM THE ITATHIT.
SARITSGARA OF SOMADEVA
Western scholars are generally of the opinion
that in the whole literature of India there is hardly
any significant historical work in which we can
bestow our reliance for the construction of the
history and culture of bygone fndia.l This state.
ment requires serious examination of available
Indian literature of ancient p-eriod. The long lists
of the name of the, chryas, the geneology of the
rulers ol ancient India mentioned in the MahAbharafu and the Purlas show the inclination of
Indian to keep the record of the past.z In the vast
bulk of the Purqras there are several singicant
historical informations.s The celebrated Chinses
pilgrim Yuan;Chwang had observed that in India
each city had its own history.a The bards of India
had also coutributed much for preserving the historical events in their heroic narrations but their
tradition was oral and the real element of history
in the passage of time used to take the shape of

l. Wrnernrtz, HlL, Vol. lII, par l, p. 89.

2. V. S. Pathak, Ancient Itristorians of lndia,p. L.
3. C. V. Vaidya, The Mahabhrat, p.76.
4. S. N. Prasad, Kathdsaritsdgara and lndian Culture,

p.l.

( 193 ),

132)

myths and legends. But, however, their contribution for preserving the historical data cannot
be minimised. It only requires a cautious analytical study.l In Western countries there was no
such antique tradition of keeping geneologies as
same
we have in our Purr.ras.z Even today the
tradition is continuing in majority of Indian
villages. Almost every honourable member of the
viilaje community has his own geneology ( Varh$a
Vrika or Sijar ). It generally gives the pedigree
anC a chronological account

of

the lineage

of

the

the
person concerned. It is true that in India
con"ept of history was not materialistic as in the
West. We have our own notion regarding history'
The chronological account is c"rrtainly not avai'
lable because event or its happening had never
played a dominant role in the ancient Indian
Uirto.iogrupt y. Individuals have also not given
was
any due significance. Therefore' our history

never time oriented nor individual

oriented"

valued the
Ancient historians of India had always
totality of the impact of incidence and they had
nothing to do with the personality o[ an individual
but, however, they were only interested in their
was why they
achievements' and perhaps that
chronology
appear to be indifferent as regards the
1. C. V. Vaidya, The ahabhdrata'p'76'
2. Winternitz, oP. cit., P' E9'

part of hstory was concerned. However, we had

our own perspective of writing the history and it
was quite suitable for the temperament of Indian
Culture. It does not mean that in ancient Indian
literature there is paucity of historical works. At
the outset several oustanding works may be mentioned like Hr ; ac harit a, Nau asahi akac harita, Vikr amlcadeaacharita, Rajamrngiryn, Kumd,rpIacharita,

Ktakaumudi, ,Sukyta Smtiti Kath, Rama Charita,

Rajendra Karryaur, Gauda Vdh, etc. The modern
concept of historiography was born in Europel
and due credit should be given to Sir William
Jones for introducing the Western concept of
historiography in India.z In the historical works
of early medieval India we find the cultural interpretation of the facts of the contemporary period.
Thus they had evolved their own indigenous
methodology of revealing the facts.s

The antiquity o[ story is as old as the existence

of mankind. The easly stories contain imaginary
tales of super-human elements and mythological
anecdotes. But this much at least can be assumed
1. Collingwood, R.

Part

and

G., ldea of f{story, Oxford,

1961.

lII.

IV, 1797, pp, l-17.

pp.
Ibid. Vol. V,
241-269.
3. S. N. Prasad, Itristoricalllorks of Sanskrit LteratureA Reappraisal, Pariada Patrikli, Bihr Rstra Bh
Pariqada, Year XVI, Vol, l, April 1976, pp.9-26.

2. Asiatic Researches, Vol.

( t,4':
that'previously stry was meant merely for' story
but as the passage of tme elapsed the objective
of story changed and it was also considered rhat
its objective should also be o[ imparting some
knowledge. In the Rig Veda the fundamentals of a
story are available. Our ancient literature ( Brhmaical, Buddhist and Jaina ) is full of animal
stories.. The inseparable relationship between man
and animal was the theme of these stories. The
paucity of literary merits and lack of artistic presentation of stories are to be found in the imaginary
tales, viz. Panchatantra etc. Such stories have only
discussed the ethical values of life. prose was considered as a powerful medium for stories. It can be
seen in narrative passages of the Aitare.lta Brhamarya.t
A new style was introduced in the Indian literature
populafly known as, Katla-lloka- s amgr aha p addhati.,z
fn order to expand the stories a tenedency of mixing several stories within stories, was a popular
device, of the narrative literature of ancient periocl.
t tryayita, Kath and Kahni are different styles
of stories. The narrative literature of Sanskrit is
. also valuable works of poetry. The inexhaustable
treassure of Sanskrit stories are valuable for reconstructing the history of ancient India. Our stories

l. IV, 13.
2. Ifeith,
1920,

A.8.,

p. 244,

Itri-story

of

Snskrit Lterarure, Oxford,

(,1,35i),

have made a significant rhrk'in the literature of

abroad.l

The Byhatkatld of Gun{hya was undoubtedly

the most valuable achievement of whole classical
literature of India. Two recensions of the Byhatkath are found in K(mira. They are Kem'
endra's ( l0g7 A. D. ) Byhatkathnma'jar and Somadeva's Kathsritasgara. Since they were found in
Kasmir, therfore, they are known as Ksamiri
versions of the Bhatkath. Owing to the loss of
the original Byhatkathd of Gul{hya, it seems that
Kemendra for writinghis Byhatkathamnjarz must
have utilised either the original Bfhatkathd or any

of its recensions.

T'he Kathasaritsdgarais written by Somadeva

Bhatta, the son of Rma, inorder to keep the dau'
ghter ot' the king of Tggarta or KullU Knga'
Sryamati the chief consort of Ananta, the king of
K3amira, to keep her in good humour. Somadeva
was a junior contemporary of Kemendra. The
chief queen after the death of her husband
( king Ananta ) gladly accpted the Sati ritual in
1081 A. D. On the basis of this date it can be
assumed that this nagnufiL ous of Somadeva Bhatta
would have been written before 1081 A. D. This

l.

Prasad, Kathasarilsagara tathd Bhataty Suit'

sakrit, Chaukhamba Oripntalia' 1976' Varanasi, p. 24.

S.

N.

(136)

(ls7)

work is divided into 124 cantos ( Tarafrga and

)
contains 2lr3BB Siokas. Seeing the volume of the
work, the title given by Somadeva, appears to be
quite suitable. Tawney has rightly translated it as
The Ocean of Storlt.L Somadeva was a honest and
enlightened writer. He was quite sincere while,
pointing out his main objective of the work and
has expressed his deep gratitude to the author of
the ByhtakathL.z He wrires thar Kothsarigar is
precisely written on the model of the original
Bhatkathi, there is not even the slightest deviation,
only such of language. He has frankly admitted
that he had not made this attempt for earning
name and scholarship but to facilitate the recollection of a multitude of various stories. ( see chapter
IV. a. ) This frank admittance of the author of the
I{athsaritsgara tends us to believe that perhaps
during the time of Somadeva the original Byhtakatha of Gul{hya existed.s After the Katlsaritsgara no reference ofthe Byhatkatha has been given
by later writers. Now, therefore it can be assumed
that after the celebrated work of Somadeva,
the Byhatkaa lost its significance. It is perhaps
because it was written in a language which was
not popular during the time of Somadeva. In order

to popularise the stories of the Bfhatkath the works

of Kemendra and Somadeva have occupied a
significant place.
Various valuable informations are gleaned from
the K.,S. ,S. regarding early medieval Indian cul'
ture. It is a treasure-house which throws wealth of
inlormation on our various facets of'contemporary
culture and society. In spite of its historical signifi'
cance, its literary aspect is equally important. The
most noteworthy aspect is this, that such a volumi'
nous work is well-knitted from the view point
of its characters, theme, diction, style, language
and figures of speech. No element of artificiality is
visible throughout the 21,388 Slokut. The figures
of speech used in it only as an ornament for
enhancement of its literarf merit. They were used
to increase the additional beauty of the language.
The meteres have given easy flow to the language.
If viewed from the high standard of literary
criticism, the work stands as a significant literary
creation of Somadeva.l

l. C. H. Tawney, The Ocean,Vol. L p. XXX-I.

2. KaAsartsgara, l, 3-1 2.
3. S. N. Prarad, J. A" S., Vol.,

XII, lg70, l*4, p. 100.

At

to retain its
solidarity and it is perhaps because of the faithlul
recension of the fuhatkatha. However, it s remarkable to note that the significance of Somadeva
lies not in the diction of story but in its highly
l.

some places the work is not able

S. N. Prasad., Kaasaritsagara, tatha BhiTratiya San,

skrl, Ch.IV.

(.188 ):

( f39 ),

interesting method of presentation. Several stories

are well preserved in the big casket of the Katltasritsagara. Somacleva's description of stories are
unequalled in the Sanskrit lirerature.l

the unchaste stories of women there are also some

stories o[ noble and faithful ladies' The story of
Devasmit is unparalleled in the whole classical
literature of India.l Perhaps the stories of wicked
ladies have its origin from the Buddhist literature'
The intrusion of such stories suggests the largeheartedness of Somadeva and also of his wide spec'
trum of human psychology. 'llere certain stories
are dealt with the ethical and moral aspects of
human life.2 They have further enhanced'the value

Somadeva's several stories were exported to

the Western countries. The stories in the Kath.
saritsgara are mainly dealing with the wonderful
ladies, lovers, kings and cities, polity and intrigues,
wars and assassinations, animals and birds, prosti.
tutes, harlots, drunkards, bards, beggars, ascetics,

vampires. This will suggest that how vast canvas

of life was covered by Somadeva in his Kahdsarit;
sdgara. This is the great creation of classical
Sanskrit literature which Somadeua has left to

posterity.2

The ingenuity of Somadeva lies in the fact

that though he has written more than twenty thou.
sand Slokas, yet.while reading, the reader would
never feel boredom. These stories are also found
in the Brhatkathdmajar, of Kemendra but neither
are they so lucid nor have they been presented in
such a chaste, elegant and fluent style.3

Large number of stories are collected from the

wicked and unchaste stories of women. But despite
I. Keith, A. 8., Sathskrtt Sahitya Ka ltihasa, Hindi
Translation, p. 335.
' 2. Tawney, C. H.; The Ocean of Story, Vol.I, p. XXXI.
3. De., Hlstory of Sanskrt Lterature,p.42l.

of the work.
Somadeva was basically a devotee of Siva. He
start his work with invocation to Lord $iuu. It is
evident that the prevailing belie were a curious

the purer forms of Hindu mythology,

of the later and sometimes debased Buddhistic
doctrines and of tantric practices are campata'
tively a recent development. The synthesis of

medley

of

the philosophical tenets of Hinduism-and Buddhism

and the animistic rites and practices of the forest
tribes, had produced a mixture wbich was not
calculated to impart either social or political stab'
ility to Hindu India in the coming struggle with
Islam.

The social fabric of India in the tenth atrd ele'

rrenth centuries was composed of the four chief

l. Winternitz,H.IL., p. 359.
2. lbid, p. 357.

( 1d0''
castes, but it is remarkable to note that caste did
not determine the occupation or profession of a
man. We come across Brhmaas employed in the
secular departments of the State; a Brhma4a
youth becomes a professional wrestlerr and another

banditz apparently without losing his

caste. The Brhmaqra Somadatta adopts the
occupation of a husbandman.s In the story of
Viravara, we have a Brahrmaa becoming a soldier
of fortune.'
The Kyastha as a new caste was emerging in
early medieval India. Prior to this period it was
not known in the literary works or inscriptions
as a caste. It was originally a profession of scribers
and later on when the elasticity of Indian Culture
lost its vitality, the professional class of the writers
was transformed into the rigidness of the caste
system. This caste was comprised of the twice
borns ( dvija ) in which BrhmaFa elemenr was
predominating. The contemporary literature pro.
vides interesting account of their corrupt practi.
ces. According to l(alahaqa they were born to
destroy the economic stability of the temples. Ke.
mendra, Somadeva and KalahaTa had successfully
tried to convey the oppressed voice of the public
l. lI, 200.
becomes a

2.VL,166.
3. II, 195.
4. VI. 173.

(111 )
aganst the Kyasthas in their writings.r This kind
of contemporary views were always shared among

men of letters from all times and from all climes.

Chaucer had also given almost the same kind of
picture ol a man of law. However, the views
expressed regarding their rougish character deseves
serious attention. They had also reasons not to be

type. In order to

explain it one has to

study political, social and economic conditions of
the early medieval India.

of clean

The lofty concepts of thought, ideas and ideals

are not combined within literature, religions, scien.

and fine arts. They are expressed in every

sphere of life, and in all its activities, food and
drinks, dess and ornaments, sports, games and
amusements, and various other objects of our
everyday life. They are in a way, expressions of
ces

our mental and intellectual refinement.

Sanskrit works of Bilahaa, Kemendra, Somadeva and Kalaha4a throw much light on various
aspects of Indian Society. In this connection
Somadeva' s Kat

h s arit as d gara

deserves

se

rious atten-

tion. It is one of

the undisputed masterpieces of

world classics. The comtemporary literature is of
great help for writing the history of Indian dresses
VIII, 2383; [Y,623; VII, 10-12.
K. S. S., XXV, 171: XVII,203; VlI,82-101; LXXIX,
2lr Narmamaa,1, l-50.

1. R. T.,

( ,t+z

(J43 )

riredieval perlod; The ffthasri'tsgara

gives us interesting description of the Kachukas
( blouse, choli ) of women.l A charming woman
looking like the ircarnation of beauty would cover
her well-developed. breast under tigtrtly worn
bodice. It seems that bodice was merely designed
to cover the breasts. Br.ra's description of Mlti
in the Har;acharit is of great value. His descrip'

of early

tion of Malti introduces certain new synonyms of

Kachukas as Cana$taka, Chata, Kachuka and
Aparapidna Kachuka.z It was also known as
(Krapska'in Rjasthn.3 Owing to the paucity
of sufficient data it is difficult to differentiate
between Choli, Chola, Krapsaka and Kachuka.
From the description of Klidsa it appears that
it was designed to cover the breasts. It was tightly
fitting on the breasts in order to provide the desired
contour to it.4 'fhe ladies were so fashion-oriented
that even they had no cgnsideration for the pains
which the tightly-fitting Kurapsakas used to
undergo.

The male dress Krpsaka resembled with

fatuhi or mirjai. It was worn above the waist.
1. K. S. S., 84. 7, 104. 165.
2. Hargacharta, p. 175; Kadambar,paln 248.

3. Sharma, Dasharatha., Early Chauhan Dynasties, S.

Chand and Co., Ianogya Kirpsaka pi/ita Stanaha.,

Delhi, 1959, p. 264.

4.

Ritushara,5.8.

both

varieties of male
Krpsaka was popular. Originally it was known
as Kurspsaka because its sleeves used to be above
astlna.'

,Sleeva and sleevesless-

broadly divided the whole

complex of male dress into two parts. Generally
the upper portion of body was covered by uttarf ya
and dupa[!.z Somadeva has thrown a welcome
light on a special type of cloth known as 3pa[abandha.'3 It was a royal decorative piece of cloth
trsually given as reward to the c;Ltizen for their
Kathsaritas.gar has

valuable servces rendered to the state.

Somadeva has also described women wearing
Sis streteching upto anklet.a $aaka was made
of such a thin fabric that wrapped beauty would
peep through the fine transparent cloth of the

Sapi. Women wore lahanga on some special social

or religious occasion and covered the upper portion
by Sala. Kalahapa mentions the gay laughters
of the ladies wearng the lahangas which reminded
the poet the whiteness of camphor.o The lahanga
of such ladies touched the ground and their breats

l. Agarawal, V.

S.,

ItrarEacharita
Adhyana, p.!155.
2. K. S. S., 56. 351-352.

Eka

3. Ibid., 53.2t3.

4. tbid., 43.52.
5. R. T., VII. 930.
6. Ibid,

Vlt.

9J0-931.
i

Sathsakritika

(145)

( t++)
were arrested in

tight Kaehukas. Reference to

the economic condition of the people are unfortunately meagre in the Kaasaritsagara. There are
some references regarding Brhmaqs and others
subsisting on royal grants of land. But no details
are available of the conditions of tenure of such
grants or of other land. Slavery appears to be a
recognised institution. In the story of a Brahmadtta
a case of a female slave in the house of a Brhmana
married to rran excellent hired servant in the house
of a certain merchant."r In this instance at any
rate the bonds of slavery were not rigerous, for the
woman and her ( free ) husband were permitted
to set up a separate house of their own. It would
have been interesting to know whether she was
only a life slave, or whether the offspring of the
union would have become slaves.
The same story furnishes a descriptinn of "a
grievous famine." The famine referred in it must
have been grievous indeed to compel a Brhmala
to eat cooked rice from the hands of low-caste
slaves. After the Brhmaga has eaten and went,
the husband dies o[ starvation, and the wife lays
down the load of her won calamity by burning
herself

with her

husband's corpse.

The miseries

and privations suffered during famines, to'gether

with the familiar phenomenon of migration of
1.

K.

S. S,,

lll,7,

whole families with their cattle frorn fanrine-stricken

tracts, are vividly portryed in several other pass.
ages n the Katltasaitsgara.L In the story of
Chandrasvminz even "'the king begins to play
the bandit, leaving the right path and taking

wealth from his subjects unlawfully.', There is

however, no description of preventive or protective
measures such as grain stores, embankments of
watercourses. These should have been familiar
to the people.
The.interesting story of Devadsa ( II. 86 ) is
based on the habir of hoarding gold-a propensity
which has not yet died out of the country. Trade
and commerce were honourable ,professions, and
the stories abound in references to. rnerchants who
not only traded between dift'erent parts of the cou,
ntry, but also ventured across the seas. .ft is, .,how
ever, evident that the epoch of rhe Kathdsaritsgara had no social or religious ban on seavoyages
even

of considerable duration

The Kathdsar:sagara throws welcome light on

food and drinks popular at that time. Among
edible fruits, mango, citron, amalak,. jambu are
mentioned, as also triphal which Tawney interpiets to mean three varieties of myrobolan. Fi:h
appears to have been popular, at least with certain

1.II, 196 andYi,27,

2.IV,2?.9.

l0c

(146)
many references to fishermen
and fishing. The flesh of deer and other wild animals was consumed. As per the tales of Arthavarman and Bhogavarmanrl even the abstemious
and dyspeptic Arthavarman has a meal consisting
of "barley-meal with ghee, little rice and a small
classs, for we have

quantity of meat-curryr" while Bhogavarman, who

believes in good living, soon after taking a meal
at a friend's house where he has 'rexcellent food"
with wine returns home and enjoys again all
kinds of viands and wines at his own house in
the evening. The study of the Kathsaritsgara
shows the wide prevalence of wine drinking. In the
Parrot's storyrs we find a young merchant "drowsy
with wine" and all other members of the house
aslo sunk into a drunken sleep. Several stories of the
Kathasaritsgara rclate, where without any hint of
disapproval, princesses of noble birth indulge in
drinking bouts.s It seems that Somadeva perhaps
has described a rnuch higher social life of the ladies
of the royal seragalio, with which also he was
closely associated. It is a matter of research by the
.Indian
social history as to why in recent
student of

of

drinking wine openly is not

popular among the women of all classes ! Whether

time the habit

1.

IV,

196.

III,

107,174;

VlI,

10.

this change in the attitude of the society came

due to the influence of the Hindu reformers of
the Bhakti lVlovement or was a result of Muslim
rule

It

Dancing among respectable ladies was common.

is difficult to pinpoint that as to why in later

days dancing in public was confined to women

of the 'Devadsi Class !, perhaps it was an accompaniment of the introduction of the custom of
strict seclusion of women, or was it the result of the
impact of the puritanic ideals of Islam. We
have
the spectacle of the princess Hamsvali dancing
before her father ( and apparently befbre
*urry
others present at the court to the music
of' great
)
tabor, looking like a creeper of the tree of love
agitated by the wind of youth, shaking
her orna_
ments like flowers, curving her hands like a
shoot.r
The dancing teacher for the ladies of the court was
apparently a regular institution.2 There is no
reason to believe that dancing was an art known
only in courts and was not practised by respec.
table women in humbler sphere of life.

Music, too, was an equally popular art both

among men and women. There were chryas of
singing as well o[ dancing. painting was also one of
l. vI,4l.

2. VI, 186.

3.

(t47

2.

lv, t 56.

(,148 ),
the fine aits held in high steem. Picture galleries
were a regular feature in royal palaces.l The
kindered arts of sculpture and architecture must
have flourished at the same time. To enhance the
beauty and enrich the look of elegant palaces
and temples the gardening skill was also highly
partronised by the courts.

(14e)

to

observe that
we have many refbreirces of kingdoms so far apart
as Ujjayini, Pataliputra and Kashmir.' Although
there is mention of Taksh6ila in the north, Lata
on the west, Chla and Kalinga in the south, and
Kmarpa in the east, curiously enough, there is
no allusion to any state in modern Rajasthan'

certain places.l It is significant

Among the professions of different types, mention may be made of physicians, astrologers and
fortunetellers. It was recognised that there were
many quakes in these professions, and much fun
is made of the dupes of false astrologers in the
story of the Hariarman.z

The study of the geography of early medieval

India has not yet received" due attention by Indo.
logists.' The Kaasa,riagara is a veritable mine
of geographical knowledge of the said period.
Various cities, historical holy places, rivers, ftountains, islands, oceans and villages have been
mentioned in it. Due to the negligence of the
geographical aspect of the study of ancient period,
several such places are higiily shrouded in
mystery at the present state of our knowledge.
Their identification is a ticklish problem; however, this auother has tried to identify and locate
r. Ibid.205.
2. \1.7A.

1. S. N. Prasad, Kathasarilsagar tatha Bharattya Sathsakrita, Ch. XIII, Chaukhambha Orientalia, Varanasi,
1976.

(151)

Tr. R. S. Pandit, Allahabad,

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1935.

Kemendra,

ORIGINAL SOURCES : LITERARY TEXTS

AND TRANSLATIONS
BBabhaa,

Har.sacltarita,

Chowkhamba,

Somadeva,

Varanasi, 1951.
Kadambari, Chowkhamba,
Varanasi, 1964.
Bhoja,
Budhasvmin,

Sarasaatkanh\bhararya, Bombay,
1934.
Bhatkathalokasahgraha, Ed.
French Tr. F. Lacte, Paris,

DhanapI,
Govardhana,

Sata

Dmodar,

Sati, Published in

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the
Bombay,

1885.

Hla,

1970.

Somadeva

Suri, faiastilakachamfii,Ed.

with

l90B-1929.
Uktiayktipr akar apa, Bombay,
2010 v. s.
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Bthatkathdmajri, N. S' P.,

BombaY, l93l'
Kathdsaritsdgara, Eng' Tr. C' H'
TawneY, Ed. N. M' Penzer, 10
Vols', London, 1924; Ed' Durga
Prasadand K. P. Parab, BombaY'
1915; Ed. Jagadish Lal, Delhi,
Sivadatta,

Bombay, 1916.

Subandhu,

Vasaaadatta, Tt. L.
New York,1924'

H'

Gray,

Trivikramabhalla, Nalachamp.Ed.with Canda'

Pla's commentary and intro'
duction bY Nandakisora Sarma'
Uddyotansuri, Kuaalayamdlakathi, Ed' A. N"
UPadhYe, BombaY, 1959'

ViShkhadatta,

Mudrrdksh

Gala-Sana-Sai.

Ed. A. N.

Harisepa,

Bfhatkathko.sa,

Hemchandra,

dhye, Bombay, 1943.

Da2dlralakaala, Vol.
69 Bombay, 1915.

Vol.

II,

I,

Upa-

MODERN WORKS : HISTORY OF LITERATURE

B. S. S.,

Dasgupta,

Kalhana,

Rjat ar agipt, Ed., D

urga Prasad,
Bombay, lB92; Eng. Tr. M. A.
Stein, Westminister, 1900. Bng.

K',

History

Vol'

I,

of

Cal'

cutta, 1947.

192 1.

Ratuaaali, Madras, 1935.

S.

Sanskrit Literature,

B. S. 5.,76, Bombay,

Hara,

S.N.; and'De.,

8.,

Htor2 of Sanskrit Litcrature,

Oxford, 1920.
Krishnamachariar, M., Historl of Classical Sanskrit
Literature, Madras, 1973'

Keith, A.

(\52

,( 153 )

A. A. .Histor2,of Sanskrit Literature.

Winternitz, M. Historyt of Indin Literature, yol
IVlacdonello

Kern, H.,

Maniiual

of

Buddhism, Stressberg,

1896.

JRAS., Vol.

p.
MODERN WORKS

Agarwara'u"'o.-"i;,T'u,u,!,{,'-ts.Knownto
o

ii;;"JrIiiu,' i
Kadambart

f,n

n' o'

o' o n

r ut

Ek^,,Sanskritika Adhlta-

Jana, yaranasi, 1958.

Introduction to the Kat ltasarits gara,
Parna Ed., 1960.

Berganine, Ins. Sanscrite de Lama et

Chatterji, C. D.,

on the Bfhatkath
and its alleged relationship with the
Mudrrksha,I. C., Vol. I, part

II, p. 2994.

Dasgupta,

S,N., A Hstory of Sanskrit Literature,

Vol. I.

De., S. K.,
D.y., N. L.,

BSOAS, Vol. trtl, p. 307 ff.

G eograhic al Dictionry of Ancient
and Medieaal India.

Griersonr,,,
Gupta, P,,L.,

Mamjumdar,
Mirashi,

V.,

JRAS'1913, p. 319 pp.

Coins, NBT., New Delhi.

1867,

167.

"\'eal.

R. K. & Srivastava, A. N. Historio-,

grahy,Delhi, 1975.
Studies in Indologl, Vol, f, pp.
65 -69,

Oldenberg,

Materiak for tlze Inuestigation oJ the

Collection of Indian Fai.rlt Tales, tlze
Byltatkatha. ( Title in Russian ).

Pargiter, F. E.,
Pathak, V. S.,

Ancient Indian Historical Tradition.

J.B.B..R. l. S., t77,p. 47.

Indian Antiguary, Vol. I, p. 204.
Some obseraation

Part I,

I(onow, Sten,
IA, XLIII, p. 66.
Kosambi, D.D., M2th and lealit2, Bombay.
Lacte, Felix,
Essai Sur Gwld|ta Et la Byhtakaa, Ernest Leroux, Paris, 1908.
Law, B. C.,
Indological Studies.
Lvi, S.,
J. A. tBB6, I, 216.
Theatre Indon, l87l, Pas. Le
,

d.u

Cambodge.

Bhler,

III,

Anciant Historians of

Ir'dia.

Bombay, 1966.
Pishel, R.,

Tlte Hstory of . the Prakrita

Language.

Prasad, S.N.,

A Note on the Birth Place of

A. U. M, Vol. XLVII,
No. 1, pp.45 ff.
Note on the Original Home of
GuryQh1a,
Vol.
XXXIII, pp; 147 tr, 1966.
Furtler Note on the Original Home
Gurya{h1ta,

JGNJRI.,

(154)
of

Gurya/a,

JAS,, Vol. XII,

part l-4, pp.99 tr.

Tlte

1970.

\Date of tlte

XXXIV,

Congres fnternational

Des Orientalistes Paris, Juillet,

1973.

Rangachar, S.,
Roy, U. N.,
Sastri,

H. P.,

Kailtasaritsgar tath Bhdratua

Sanskrita, Chaukhambha Orientalia, Varanasi, 1976.
A Jt[ote onthe Problem of the Language of the Byltatkath, I I.H.,
Vol. LIV, Part II, pp. 263 ff,
August 1976.
IHQ-,Yol. XIV, 1938, p. 57.
Prdchina Bhd.raia

ne }[agar tatha,

Nagar Jiuan, Altahabad, 1965.

JASB, LXII, 1893, I, No. 3, p.
2+5.

Sircar, D. C.,

Select Inscriptions,

Yol. I,

Calcutta, 1942.
Smith, V. 4.,
Speyer,J. S.,

INDEX

Bhatkath,

ndhra Historlt and Coinage,

ZDMG., Vol. pp. 660 tr
Studies about the Kaasaritsgara,

Amesterdam, 1908.
Tawney, C. H., /RHAS,l90B, p. 907.
Tabard, Father, qJMS., Vol. IV, pp. 26
Weber,
Indi,s c he Lit er atur ges c hic te.

tr.

1923"

A
Abhinava Gupta, 95
Agnidatta. 32
Agrawala. V, S., 48n, 53n, 54,
84n, B7n, 90n, 92n, 94n,
103n, 104n,108n, l43n
Aitarey a Brahmaqta, 134
Alexandria, 68
Alfa Layla l4a Layla,I04

Allahabad,55,77
Amarkosa,63

Ananta,93,95, q9,135
Andhaka, T2
ndhra dynasty, 4n
ndhras, 60
Arab,67
Arabian Nghts, 36n, I 01
Ardha Mgadh, 81
Atrian,67
Arthavarman, 146
Arundhati, 108
Assyrians, 67
Asura, 73
Apdhyayr,60,79

Badaun, 80
Bakakachchha,26
Balabharatu,126

B9a,3, 49, 60, 63, 92, 128,

t42
Barnett, L. D., l2l
Barth, 6, 91
Bartol, 8., l2l
Basham, A. L., 68n,69n
Beal, 8
Benefy. 108, 116
Bhagavata Pura4o,

Bhakti Movement,
Bhradvja, 28
Bhskara, 95

Bhogavarman,146

Bhoja,4,49
Bhojadeva, 8l
Bhgukaccha, 68
Bhmaka, 6

Bhusuvarnaka,32
Bhta, 81
Bhtita Bhs, 8l
Bh0avarman,

3l

Astacenian, 67

Blhala,

Avadanamala,62
Avadanasataka, 62

Birnie, G.,

Avaloka,3n, 4n

Bodhisattva, 62
Bhtlingk, O., 115

Babylonia, 68
Badarik, 9, 33

l27,l4l
118

Boccaccio, 99,104

Bombay, 5l
Boss, 93n

4n,

147

(157)

(156)
Childers, 62
China,69
Brhatkatha,3,5,6, B, 44n, i7' Collingwood,
R. G., 133
55, 56, 77, 7g, g2, g3, g4n Constantinople, 104
96, gg, gg, 92,93,97,gg, Cowell and Thomas, 5gn
101, 1 I 3,125, 126, 127, l2g, Crook, W., I8n
l2g, 135,8136,137
Cunningham, 4., 8 n
Bhtkatha KoSa Sarhgraha. 70, Cyrus, 67
93, 94, Bg5

Brhatlcathamajar, 51,

93, 94, 92, 93,

l28n, l35, l3g

52,,j0,

gg,

l01,

Brhatltathaslokasarhgraha, g6,

l 15,

3ln, 97,

n6

ll4,

Daiakumnrachar ta,
Dasgupta, 63n

2i

Devadsa, 145

Devadatta, 33,34,39, 4I, 42

Devasmit, 107, 139

Devikti, I i
Dhammla Hin/z,90
81

Changu Nryana, 5

Chnaka,62
Chaucer, lO4,14l

.''

85

ll0, lll

Harisvmrn,

Hara, 99
Hargacharita, 49n 58n, 60, 63,
9I, 127, 129, l2g, 135, 142

GaneSa, 70

Hthigumph, 5,

Gag, 52,53,74

Hemachandra,'70, 78, 8l
Hemavat, 71, 73
Herodotus, 67
Hertal, J., 120, l2l, 122

liimlaya, 42; 54; 80, 96

Hoernale, Sl

15

Hydraces, 67

,3,

49

Igor D Serebryakov,
lliad, 97
lndra, 15n, 19

Govindadattar 33 '
Grierson, 37n, 55, 60
Guhyaka, lg
J
Gulma, 12, l3
Iamuna,77
Gun{hya, 3, 5, 6,7, 9,70, 13, Iaya, 42, 75,76

Dvyavadana, 66

Don Juan, 102

Dunlop, 15n
Durga, ll , 16, 25
Drrrga Prasd, l3n, 48n,
Durvanita, 6, 83n

119

Giles, 31n
Godvarl, l1n,
Gttingen, I t 7

Dhanavasu, 90

Dhanika,4,49

9, 56, 78

Govardhana

Dharma Ds Gani, ?0,89

Dharmadatta, 108
Dinra, 65

64

HariSarman, la8

Dhanap1a,49

Cento Novelle, gg

llr

Har acharita Chwamaqti, 70

Ganges, 9
Gau(a Vaho, 133
Geden, A. S., 33
Gedrosia, 67

Dhanavati, 90

Chan drasvmin, . 145

Hara Praiad Sstr, 84

Gndhra,67, 82,
Gandharva, 7l

Caspian sea, 68
Chambala, 80
Chpakya, 8
Chandra Gupta Maurya, g, 64

Hamlet,

80

Fleet, 83n

138

Dhanajai,

Chandra Gupta,

Farukhabad,

Galta Saptasati, 3, 6n,

Dhanadeva, 106

Cambyses, 67

Hamsvali, 147
Hla, 1, 4q, 56, bl

Burnell, A. C.,
C

Essai, 3n. 80

Gcthasafusai,69

Buddhism, 6ln
Budhaswm1,70, g4, g5, g6
Bhler, 48, 57, 93n, 9g, ll7
Burma, 69

ll6

Hariisa Prapattana, 53

De, S. K.,
Delhi, 80

87

tsrhaspati, 8
Brockhaus, 13n,

'H

D
Dandin,

Gupta, P. L., 66n

Dvipntara,92
Dvipikarn, 17, l9

Brahm; 73

Brahmadatta, 144

15,17, 19, 30, 31,32,43,

44,45, 46,'47t 49;50, 51,
52,53, 55, 56, 57, 57,59,
62.63, 65, 66, 68, 69, ?0,
71r71, 78, 82, 83,88;93,
94, 101, 125; 128, 729,'13'5,
t36

124

Jayaratha, T0
Jhsi, 53, 54

Kabul,67

l,

Kadambarl,
l0l, t42n

8n,

49n, 58n,

(15e)

(158)
Kailsha, 72,77
Kalhaqa, 95, 108,

Kyastha, 140,

140, l4l, Keith, A.8.,

1Oan, 104n,

l34n'

I 38n

143

Kalapa,18
I(alaSa, 143

Kaliga, 149
Klidsa, 63, ltz,142
Kaligasena' 85, 86
Kallaa Bha!!a, 95

Kalpa free,76
Kamalealpa,3Sn

Karnbhoja, ?9
Kambuja, 50
Kagabhuti, g, 10, 17, 19030,32,
43,76

Kanauj,

141

29

Kanika, 62
KarmadiSvara, 78n

Krtikeya, 24, 25,26, 28n

Kasmir, 57 r 95, 149
Kasmiri, 83
I(atuntra,28,60
Kathptha,47

Kekaya, 79, 80
Kern, 62, 116
Khravela, 59
Kinnara, 71

Krtisena, 12
Kollar, 46,49
KoSala, 1(8, 126
Kosam, 77
Kosambi, D. D, 5ln
Krishna, 28
Krishnamachariar, M., 7
Kshemarja,95
Kemendra, 41 49, 66, 70, 92,
94,99,104, 135, 137
Kumra, 24n
Kumar a s ambhav a, 49 n, 56n
Kuntala, 80, 82
Kugga, 62
Kuvalaya Mala Katha,4n
Kttvalaya M-aIa Kaha,49n, 56n

Kuvera, 19n,76
94,95,96,
L
93n,
54, ?0,83,
135,
108, 112, 128n, 129,
Lacote, 13n, 6n, 8n, 48n, 55,
136, 138, l4l, 142, t43,
56,65n, 78n, 83n, 84, 86n'
144, r45,146, 148
92n, 98, 103n, 120, tzl'
Ifuthkam,54
122
Kaula-Kplika sect, 86
La Fontaine, 104
KauSmbi,53,76
Lakshmi, 129
Kaveripatana,9l
Lakshmdhara, 80, 82
Kavydar!;a, 1,6n, 4, 77
Lank,92
RavyanuSdsona, 78rLanman, C. R., 119
Lta,149,49n
Kmarpa, 149

Katlt:asarit sgar a, 4n, 49, 51, 52,

Lvagyavati, ll0
Law, B. C., 80n
Le Nepal, 4n,6n,50, 61, 64n

Monier Williams,20n

Levi, S., 4n,6nr 48n, 57, 118,

50,92n,123
Leyen, F., 120
Locke, J. L., 38

Muizz-al-din Muhammad

M
Macdonell, 4l

Mudrdrdkshasa,

Ghori,
N

1,9n, 63, 64

129

Nga, 12, 13
Nagarjuna, 62
NgaSri, 108

I\fadan Machuka,

85,

126,

129

Madanavega, 110
M adl'sm Vasudeva

ftrin/i, 70

Magadha, 8l
tr4

M chchhakalika,86

ahabharata, 53, 56, 7 0, 7 8, 7 9,

80, 103,131
Mahabhaya,79

N a lachampn,

4n, 49n, 56n, I 28n

Namisdhu, 78
Nanda, 6n,91 4l
Nandana,

Nandi, 75
Nandideva, 44,47
Nalmad, 16,26
Naravhanadatta, 45, 47, 63,

94, 87, gg, 90,

Mahdeva,92
Mah'[ra, 81
Mahavama,62

126,127
Nryaqa, 73,74

Mahidhara,4l

Nrada,

Mahe5vara,

9, 10, 32,43, 76,

141
ch; a r t

a, I 26,

127,133

Mlti,142
Ma I avika gnimitram, 63.

Nepal, 82,83

l;/andararT2
Mankowski, L. Von, 93, 119,

Nepalamahatmya, 5

Mans lake,25
Mantraswmi, 34
Mrkan{eya,79
Mathur,79
Matsya Purna, 53, 61, 92
Medes,67
Mi lindapoltho, 68

Mirshi, V. V.,

104,

Narmaml,

N av a sah a-atlca

77

lo2,

5I,

52, 123

Ncro, 61
NiSchayadaita, 66

o
Ocean,9,95, $96n,

98n,

136
Odyssey, 97

Oldenburg, S. T.,
Oman, J. C.r 33
Oxus,69

119

llln,

160
P

Paichatantra,

l'03, 104,

108n

44, 45,

47,

53

Paichi, 55, 60, 82

Paithana,

lln,

51, 52

P hati raj a-Vij

a ,

a.. I

iulumayi, l ln

PachaSikha,39, 49, 4l
Pandya, 80, 82
Pninr, 28, 58, 60,79
Prvat, '72,74

Pargiter, 80
P[aliputra, 33,64, 65, 149
Patajali, 67n,79
Pathak, V. S., 125n, 13ln
Penzer, 65, 95, 96, 97n, 100n
123

Peruvian, 37n
PiScha, 80

Pischel, 48, 80,

I7

Pra.yumna,9l
Prajpati Daksha, 74
Prakendra' 93

Prl'rta, 59, 60
79, 80
26n, 30n,
8,
149,
Prasad, S. N.,
P rak r-ta Sarvosva,

5ln, 57n, 17n, 89, 93!,

124, 125n, .131n, l33n'
135n, 136n, 137n

Simha Deva Gaqina,

Saktimati, 17
Stivhana,1ln,

12n

Raghuvarha, 126'

Sandhy, 74

Rjahansa,2l
Rajasthan, 149

SoptaSati,l, 6n, 49n, 56n, 249n

Rajafirongiry,9:, 96, 99, 108,

SarasvatKanthabhara4a, 4,

Srasvata, 23r 28

49n, 56n,

RjaSekhara, 79

Sarup, Lakshman, 123

ftjput, 25
Rjya Sri, 126,129
Ram, 129
Rma, 99,126,135
Rnma Charta,13J
Rntyapa,5, 56, ,7A, 78,

Sarvavarman,14, 21, 22, 23,

24, 26,27, 29, 60

t26
Rapson, 69n
Rstra Kla,127
Ratnuvali, 126,129

Rvaga,126,129
Re Veda, 134

$tusarhhara,142

I Robert Brolwning,

102

SaSin, 107

Sta,

18

Stakarli,
'79,

59

78,

;..87,

Simha Gupta, 25,26

Simuka, 59
Sindhuka, 59
Siuka, 59
sit, 129,130

Siva,73,74,75
Sivadatta, M. Pandit, 120
Skanda, 28
Smith, Vincent, 48n, 57, 58, 59
Somadatta, 42,140
.

Somadeva, 49,62t 65, 65, 70,

94, 95, 96, 97,98, 100, 101,
lo5, 106, l07, 103,109, 112,

135,136,138, 139,143
Somadeva Sur,4,49
Soma6arman, 12
Sorensen, S.' 117
Speyer, J. S., 12n,

58, 58n,

63n,63, l2O
34
Sri,
Satasai,60
Stavhaqa, 10,14, t5,17, 19' Srutrth, 12, l3
22,23, 26, 29,44,45, 47, Sthavira, 61
Story of Gug{hYa, 11
59, 61, 68
Strabo,67,79
Sauraseni, 81
Subandhu, 1,49,58, 101
Schacht, H., 121
Sudraka, 86
Senart,8l
Sukyta Smti Katha,l33
Shahpur, 79
Satopatha Brdhmoea, 54

rlG

58,

88, 89

Smba,91
Sambhu, 33
Samudrakpa, 58

133

Shiva,33,39, 42, 47, 57,

Sitpadhkarama, gO

Sama Veda, 14

ShAstr, Pandit Har Prasad, 119

139

Sahaya, 80
Saka, 79

Pushyabhti, 127, 129

Pushyamitra Suirga, 65

Pfrchla, 79

Rome,68
Rost, lln
Roy, U. N., 53n,54n,

Sharm, Dasharatha, l42n

45,58,75,76
81

Shakespeare,

Rudrafa, 78

ll, 32, 39, 42,

3ln

Roenau, 8., 122

Rudrasoma, 107

2)

Ptolemy, 1ln
Pulinda, 30
Pushpadanta,

Pla,127
PAII, BI

Pallava,

Pratihra, 127
Pratisthna, ll, l6; 3'4,44, 51,

52,53.54, 55, 6l
rryaga, 53
Prthvirja, l2g, l3O

t34
PadamaguPta, I27
Padamvat, 103
PaiS;ha, 30, 43,

(161)

(162)
Sukthankar, V. S., 122
Supratika, 76
Supratishita )

ll,

14, 52,

54,

(163)

Vhlika, 79,80, 82
Vaib ika,
Vlmiki, 3, 5, 8, 48, 56,

w
63

Vana Parva,53

74

Wesseski,

Surasenar Tg

Vrnasi, 92

Sryavati, 95,99, 135

Vararuchi,9,10, 28n, 56, 78,

90, gl

Susarma,59
Susarman, 34, 40,

4l

Vsavadatl, l,
87, 101, 103

Syria, 68

6n,7,49n,

Vsudeva,88,91

T
Tabard, 55n

Vasudeva

TakshaSil, 149
Trnatha, 20n,92
Tawney, l3n, l8n, 94,gE,

Vsudeva Uprlhyya, 66n

llg,

70

l, 49, 56n

Turuska, 66,67'

U
Udayan, 87, 88, l0J
Uddyotanasuri, 4,49
Ujjayini,30, 1+9
U

kti

vy

akt i p ralcar a1a,

Vikha
9

V
n

la

nlcdr

104

Vaidya, C. V., l3ln 132n

Vidydhara, 71,75
Vidysgara, P. J., llB
Vikrama era, 69
Vikramditya, 126
Vindhya, 10, ll, 16, 30.
Virablradra, 5

Upako, 107
UrvaSl, 54
UrvaSi Ramala, 54

Vatsa, 12
Vedakumbha, 34
Venice, 103

Vkr amatk adev a clnr it a, 126, I 33

IJn, 3., 75

V gabha

9F.'

a, 7 8n

2n

60

Data, 63,64

ViSlksa,

Visirlu,34
Vishpulakti, 22, 26
Visqtupur1,qta, 54n

Vaivnara, 32,3]
Vysa, I, 8, 48, 53,63, 78
Vysadsa, 93

A.,l2l

Wilford, F., l l3
William, Jones., 133
Wilson, 1l
Wilson, H.H., ll3, ll4

'Wima
!-

Vetala Pachavimiat, 38n 103,

Tilottam, i29, 130

TriSastiilalca purusha Charin,
Trivikrama Bhatta,

Hin/r, 70, 87, 89,

58,

Vsuki, l8

121,136,13g, 145,
Temple, R. C., 94
Thnelvar, l2 )
Theatre Indian, 57

Wortham, B. Hale., 118,

Wassiljew, 6l , g2
Weber, 48n,57

Kadphises, 65

Wfiterrirz, 53n,77n, B5n, g6n,

*92o,
101n, 103n, 105n,

l3ln

132n, 139

I2l

Y
Yaja Sri Stakarn, 69
Yamun, 2, 5,53
Yaastlalcacharhpn, 4n, 49n

YaSovarman, 4, 6,
Yognanda, 9

Yaugandharyaqa,
Yuan Chwang, l3l

z
Zacharaiae, T.,

ll7

S0

103