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CCXII
Kavyanusasana
The D. K. devotes fifty-two verses to describing another great boon that Kumarapala granted to his subjects. It was a recognised custom. The property of a child-less man passed on to the state after his death. We find mention made of the custom in the Sakuntala of Kalidasa in which Dushyanta, himself being child-less, out of sympathy, asks his ministers to make proper inquiry and find out if any one of the wives of the rich man who died child-less, was carrying (Act. VI). The D. K. narrates at great length a pathetic episode of a widow of a rich man whose only son died and who
herself was on the point of committing suicide. Kumarapala who, of a mid-night, heard her wailing, went to her and consoled her and promised her to stop the cruel custom: The Moharāja-parājaya gives a different story referring to the annuling of this custom of appropriating the property of a man who died child-less. It appears that both the stories are probably imaginary, meant to give a poetic effect to this great deed of liberality which was in itself a historical fact. In fact Kumarapala was said to have done that which no other king had done. The story of the D. K. which is interesting from many other points of view, however, is more credible than that of the Moharaja-parājaya. Kumarapala orders his ministers not to take 'mṛta-vitta' that is the property of a dead man
from Mularāja to Kumarapala. It grants one dramma daily for the worship of Sri Lakhanesvaradeva in the Jagati (compound) of Sri Tripurushadeva in Nadula. It has been written by Sri Mahadeva son of Mahakshapaṭalika Sri Lakshmana of Gauḍa Kayastha family. The Dutaka is Mahāsāndhivigrahika Thakkura Sri Delapa. It is signed as 'Sri Kumārapāla devasya.'
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