Mahapurana Part 1

SR No.: 002722
Original Sutra Author: Pushpadant
Author: P L Vaidya
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith
Publication Year: 1979
Total Pages: 560
Language: Hindi, Apbhramsa
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Mythology
File Size: 11 MB

Page 35

INTRODUCTION
21
youngest. Leaving the question of the genealogy of the Mss, of the Uttarapurāņa for the time being, I present below in genealogical form the relation of the different Mbs. of the Adipuräna :
Archetype ( 965 A. D. )
X ( circa 966 A. D. )
Y ( circa 968 A. D.)
IK (Palm leaf ms.)
G ( 1518 A. D.)
P ( circa 1500 A. D.
K (circa 1500 A. D.) = K ( circa 1600 A. D. )
B ( 1602 A. D.)
M ( 1826 A. D. )
BHARATA, THE PATRON OF PUŞPADANTA
There are in all 48 prašasti stanzas found in the Mss. of the Mahapurāna. Of these stanzas, six, viz., 5, 6, 16, 30, 35 and 48 are in Prakrit and the remaining are in Sanskrit. The Prakrit of these stanzas is grammatically correct and graceful, but we cannot say the same about the Sanskrit of the same. Prakritisms occur there pretty often (e. g. Tevi in 29). The subject matter of those stanzas covers topics such as homage to the goddess of learning (afert, 6 ) and Ambika ( 23 ), the poet Puşpadanta himself (5, 30, 36, 39, 40, 45 ), the poet and his Mahapurāņa ( 37 ), the relation between Bharata, the patron, and the poet ( 1, 4, 14, 26, 35, 37, 38, 42, 43, 44 ), and the glorification of Bharata, the poet's patron remaining stanzas ). Bharata is mentioned and glorified in the body of the work (I. 3–8. XXXVII. 3–5; CII. 13 ) and also in the Ghatta lines and the puşpika at the end of each samdhi ( HET HTETTfourg HTET ) of the Mahāpuräpa. There are three stanzas in Sanskrit in some Mss. of the Jasahara cariu glorifying Nanna, Bharata's son and successor in office; and a long praśasti at the end of the Nayakumara cariu page 112 gives some details about the same. On the strength of the information supplied by these it is possible to construct a short biography of Bharata to whose generosity the world owes this epic poem in Apabhramsa.
1. The asterics indicate conjectural Mas,