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These are the lamentations of the Cowherd boy who was about to be killed by the butcher.
Good many such passages that are very instructive are introduced in this work. Thus the two aims of poetic compositions viz. Ananda (delight) and Upadesha (instruction) are served by this Prose-romance well
Normally a foreword records only the appreciation of the work. It does not give a narration of the contents. But in this case appreciation without narration would not highlight the depth of the contribution of the poet fully. Therefore, a narration of the main story is also attempted above. This will also help to get the threads of the story which is immersed in highly scholastic language and difficult to follow easily because of its winding nature.
It may not be out of place to quote from the appreciation of a senior Scholar Sri Govinda Ramanuja Yogindra here.
कचित्पदगभीरतां कच पदार्थगम्भीरतां
कचिन्नवनवाड्यतां नवरसात्मतां च कचित् । कचिजगदुदंततां कचिदपूर्वदृष्टांततां विलोक्य विवशं मनो भ्रमति गद्यकोशे मम ।।
IV As stated above, my admiration for this poet is not merely for the Prose-romance Jayantikā narrated above but for his entire literary output. Therefore, I cannot resist the temptation of including a few remarks about his other works in this foreword. As stated in one of my articles referred to in the beginning of this foreword his compositions are in the six areas of Drama, Mahakavya, Prose Romance, Champu, Lyrics and Stotra. The total number of his works
