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Introduction
CLIII
play of Kālidása and the Ratnávali of Sri Harsha, in its plot, as also in other details. We are not able to identify exactly the heroine of the play with any historical personage. This has led to a fanciful explanation of Karnasundarī* - as the city of Karnāyatī supposed to be founded by Karņa as a rival of Anahillapura. On the face of it the explnation is absurd and shows a complete misunderstanding of the Samskřta play and its technique. If any historical person is intended in the character of the Vidyadhari Karşasundarī, it could be no one else but Mayağallā, the beloved queen of Karṇa whose romantic love forms the subject - matter of the ninth canto of the Dvyāşraya Kāvya where the romantic meeting of Mayanallā and Karņa resembles somewhat a similar account in the play. Even though there is no definite evidence to enable us to identify the Vidyadharī with Mayaņallā, whatever indications we can gather from the play point in that direction. Samskrta dramatists very often give clues to their characters in the prologues of their plays. The Sūtradhāra, in this play, is at a loss to understand why his wife is not quite sweet with him. He guesses that he might have said something in his dream, referring to the beautiful damsel from the south, whose art and youth he had closely observed as she was dancing before the king. This Dăkshiņātyā Natī probably is meant to suggest the heroine Vidyadharī who became Karnasundarī. This reference to the south, if it suggests
* Karna Solanki by Mr. Ramlal C. Modi in the Bhartiya Apușilanagrantha presented to Pt. Gaurishankara Oza, Part III, pp. 14 - 25.
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