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The Carcari Song
43
Prince Megharatha bitten by a cobra. The ritual involves among other things a rhythmic performance of Carcari dance by sixteen dancers with the singing of the following snake-charm :
जइ पइहरियउ ओदियउ, पीयलउ जि पइद्धउ ।
उठिय नच्चहि पुत्रडा, कि अच्छहि मुद्धउ ॥ (There are same variant reading) (p. 13, 11. 6-7)
The language is Apabhraíśa and the metre is probably Dohā, although the text is corrupt in several places. The meaning of the first half is partially obscure, but the general sense is clear : ‘Enenthough the yellow dragon has struck you in its pride, oh son, rise up and dance; why are you lying unconscious ?'
2. The sixteenth chapter of the fourth Vimsati (i.e. seventysixth chapter according to the continuous numbering) of Mānasollāsa (1113 A.D.), devoted to the description of the pastime of music (Gita-vinoda), describes among other things, the metres which were usnally used for the songtexts that serves the musical Prabandhas. At Mānasollāsa IV 16, 302 the metre of the Carcari Prabandha is treated and illustrated with a verse Passage in Apabhramśa. The text is badly preserved. The reconstructed version is as under26 :
मधु-रितु मन्मथ-नायकु पहुतउ, सहार-किसलय-लखिउ निरुतः । विचकिल परिमल-लग्गउ, घुम्मइ अलिकुलु झकारइ बहु-कुसुमइ । कोइल कलरउ करइ सुहावउ, णावइ (?) कुसुमसरह हक्कारउ । हालिहिं नरवइ-कव्वु पढिज्जइ, तालिहिं छदेहि गाइज्जइ । कुकुम-सलिले तणु र जिज्जइ, तरुणियणिहिं महुरउ नच्चिज्जइ । वरु हिंदोलउ वडि खेलिजइ, जुवतिहिं चरणहिं दइदु पेलिञ्जड़ । चंदणि अच्चण लेवणु किञ्जइ, मल्लिय-म जरि सिरि बधिञ्जइ । सिह धूविज्जइ अयरु डहिज्जइ, मोत्ताहल-नव-सम पहिरिज्जइ । कपूर-सनिहु ससि सेविज्जइ, रागि वसति पियउ गाइज्जइ । हंस तुलाइसु दो (?) सोविज्जइ, पिउ घुल्लतउ वणि माणिज्जइ ।।