Yasastilaka and Indian Culture

SR No.: 001609
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Krishnakant Handiqui
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 566
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Story, Literature, & Culture
File Size: 16 MB

Page 80

4. YAŠASTILAKA AS A PROSE ROMANCE
.61
disturbed by the Gauda soldiers with extremely long tufts of hair: the extremities of their teeth are worn out by constant chewing of flattened rice, and their mouths are tinged red with betel; they are by nature exceedingly irascible, and hurl abuse at the bystanders, being ashamed of stumbling on account of their cloaks reaching to the feet. The large shields of the regiment made from multicoloured cords have tinged the entire expanse of the sky with diverse hues.”
___इतश्चाजानुलम्बमाननिवसनम् , माहिषविषाणघटितमुष्टिकटारकोत्कटकटीभागम् , निरन्तरघनदीर्घदेहलोमकलापकल्पितसर्वाङ्गीणकङ्कटम् , अधस्तियप्रबन्धवृद्धकूर्चकेशतया क्रियानुमेयनाभिनासानयनश्रवणदेशम् , उभयांसोत्तम्भितभूरिभस्त्रतया त्रिशिरोनिशाचरानीकमिव, लघुदृढदुष्करदूरलक्ष्यादिपातादिपाटवापहसितकृपकृपधर्मकर्णार्जुनद्रोणद्रुपदभर्गभार्गवम् , धृताधि24191971, 29, a ne aeg II
“ This, Sire, is the Gujarat regiment armed with strung up bows. The men are wearing cloaks reaching to the knees, and their loins are girt with daygers with buffalo-horn hilts. The close, dense and long hair of their bodies constitutes an all-enveloping armour; and the existence of certain portions of their bodies, the navel, the eyes and the ears, can only be inferred from their actions, owing to their beards expanding thickly downwards and sidewise. They look like a throng of three-headed monsters on account of the large quivers attached to both the shoulders. They surpass even Krpa, Krpadharma, Karņa, Arjuna, Droņa, Drupada, Bharga and Bhārgava in efficiency, in swift aiming, vigorous shooting, and hitting of difficult and distant targets.”
The report of the spy against a minister of Yaśodhara and the account of the embassy sent by the king of Pañcāla to the latter's court, in Book III, are not only socio-political records of great value but interesting as good specimens of Somadeva's simpler style and businesslike prose. The account of the embassy has been reproduced elsewhere and we may here give a few illustrative extracts from the former document. It is necessary to point out that the spy's report, comprehensive as it is, contains, besides specific charges against the minister in question, a satire in prose and verse against ministers in general, quasi-historical traditions, and observations on human traits.
Speaking of villains, the spy gives a fanciful account of their origin, classifying them into eighteen different groups. The first group originated from the Kālakūta poison in Siva's throat; the second from serpents; the third from the ferocious beak of Garuda; the fourth from the moon of the fourth lunar day (believed to cause disputes); the fifth from the attendants
1 See Chap. V.