Ritthnemichariyam Part 2

SR No.: 001427
Original Sutra Author: Swayambhudev
Author: Ramnish Tomar, Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1993
Total Pages: 220
Language: Prakrit, Apabhransh
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Story
File Size: 9 MB

Page 17

16
Paumacariya, Caturmukha's go-graha-kathā too was possibly not an independent work, but formed a part of his Bhārata epic.
(11) Moreover Sc. IV 2.1 cited under the name of Caturmukha, contains a reference to Arjuna and Sc. VI 87.1 also with the meaningless doha na taken to be metathetically standing for the original donaha, refers to Drona's appointment as the commanderin-chief in the Bhārata war. Accordingly Svayambhu's complimentary reference to Caturmukha in the introductory portion of his Harivainsa or Ritthaņemicariya can be looked upon as respects paid to a distinguished predecessor that had tackled the same epic subject.
(12) As indicated previously, of the numerous anoymous citations pertaining to the Bhārata-story that we find in the Apabhramsa section of the Syavambhücchandas not a single one is traceable to Svayambhū's Ritthanemicariya. Like the Rāmāyaṇa quotations in the Sc. untraceabla to Svayambhū's Paūmacariya, these too were in all likelihood taken from a work of Caturmukha, in this case treating the Bhārata-narrative.
16. Some additional support for this inference comes from the fact that even on the basis of the meagre material at our disposal several lines from Svayambhū's extent poems can be shown to contain clear echoes from Caturmukha's verses. One such case from Svayambhū’s Paumacariya has been already considered above. Sc. IV 2.1 is a parallel though more definite case. The text is
haum Ajjunu, tumha, eu ranu This can be translated as--
'Here am I, Arjuna; there are you; and this is the battle. If tumha is counted as two mātrā (for this there is enough sanction of standard Prakrit and Apabhramśa prosodists), this would be a pāda of 13 mātrās. Now with this compare the Ghattā of Svayambhū's Harivamsa 67 11:
Kuru paccariu Aijunena, te tumhaim so haus eu ranu / rakkhaho sisu Jayaddahaho, lai dharaho savva mais ekku khaņu //