Kuvalayamala Part 2

SR No.: 002778
Original Sutra Author: Udyotansuri
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Publication Year: 1970
Total Pages: 368
Language: Sanskrit, English
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Literature
File Size: 12 MB

Page 162

A CULTURAL NOTE
123
consisting of enclosures, gateways, beautified by figures of Sālabhañjikā women and in the centre of all was placed on a high terrain the throne of the Tīrthakara furnished with three parasols, fly-whisks, a rain of heavenly flowers, an Asoka tree and halo (bhāmandala).
Page 103.15: Here is a reference of the Kaumudī Mahotsava celebrated in the city of Campā on the Saratpaurnimā day (line 32). It was attended by great festivities of music, dance and drama. In the city-square a Nața gave demonstration of his dance. The Nața is called Bharata-putra, i.e., the follower of Bharata or an adept in Nāțya-sästra.
Page 103.20: It is said that a Subhāsita listened got the award of one lakh of money. This is the earliest reference to such a practice and also indicates the high value put on Subhāșita literature in that age.
Page 104.26: There is a reference again to a sea-voyage undertaken by Sāgaradatta of Campā with his starting from a big sea port of south India named Mahāsamudra-nagarī Jayaśrī with its destination to Yavana-dvīpa. Details about the taking off of the boat are similar to those already given. Sāgaradatta sold the goods in Yavana-dvīpa and purchased from there gems and precious stones and took emerald, pearls, gold and silver as his pratibhända of the value of seven crores. A special official of the ship is named as pañjarapuruşa (106.6), the person who made observation from the high top of the mast. In the time of a storm the ropes and riggings were unfastened, the sails were rolled up, the goods on the ship were consigned to the hull, and the ship was brought to a standstill.
Page 107.34: Here is a reference to lakkhavaï kirāda in which the word kirāda means a retail merchant who was not regarded much, thus spoken of as lak sapati and not a kotipati. The word is used for the first time in the Pañcatantra, and it is still in use in the dialects of western U.P.
Page 112.28-33, also 113.1-26: There is a description of the summer season which is extremely rare both in Sanskrit and Prākrit literature, the only other instance known to me is in the Harşacarita of Bāna.
Page 113.27 f.: There is a description of Vindhyātavī. The other comparable examples being that of Bāņa in the Kādambarī and that of Bhavabhūti in the Uttararāmacarita, the latter having been written about fifty years before Uddyotanasūri.
Page 119.3-4: There is a reference to colossal image of Tīrthakara made of white marble (muttāsela-viņimmiyā, see also p. 115.3-4). A similar big image was made by the Yaksa for himself on the crown of which he depicted a miniature figure of Tīrthakara (nivesio esa maulīe bhagavam jiņayamdo) (120.16). This is important as showing the use of white marble for making Tīrthakara images during the 8th century, a practice continued later throughout the medieval period.
Page 124.27-30: There is a short inset of Ujjayaņī with its rich market place, city gates, rampart and moat. There are also references to some famous cities as Bhșgukaccha, Nandipura (mod. Nāndeda), Padmanagara (mod. Paunāra), see pp. 125.29-30, 126.1.
Page 128.6: There is a reference to ratnamaī mahāpratimā. By the time