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(xLviii)
the original poem as might have pleased him or such as he would not find wanting for other reasons ". One would be inclined to believe that the manuscript, which has the lowest number of Gāthās viz. 1103, may be an abstract ( Sāra ) or abridgement, while the other three MSS having 1209 (or 1235) Gāthăs, represent the original Gaüdavaho and not the epitome, as viewed by Jacobi. Since Haripāla commented on a copy of the MS which had this lowest number and, therefore, the colophon
5115THAT', it is proper that Haripāla should label his commentary as S artala1'. But he himself admits that what he is commenting upon is an earlier part of the Gaüdavaho -- call it prelude or Săra or whatever name you give - and that its continuation is yet to follow.
The additional verse in Upajāti metre, given in two MSS after the concluding Gāthā No. 1209, is invoked by Jacobi to prove that “the present work is all that we have of the Gaüdavaho, which finishes here once for all and, therefore, it is not at all necessary to hold that after Gathā 1209, the history proper of Yasovarman was to follow". This argument of Jacobi is absolutely incorrect. For one thing, the veracity or authenticity of this verse in question is in doubt. It cannot obviously be from the pen of Vākpatirāja. When he says in Gāthā 1209 that the life-story of this great King will now be told, how can he say in the same breath that the Gaüdavaho is finished ! It is like the Sūtradhāra introducing a dramatic performance with reference to its author and main characters in his prelude and later, when the curtain goes up for the main scene of the drama proper, he comes on the stage to announce that the performance is finished ! Evidently, therefore, it is from the MSS copyists. But even this verse
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