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story existed first and was turned into an illustration of the merits of Suyapañcami afterwards. The name Suyapañcamikaha is therefore less appropriate than Bhavisayattakahā. The author himself in his introductory or rather benedictory stanza? says 'farurefoot fang fa furtifact-I shall spread broadcast in the world the story of King Bhavisa.' Of course in the 4th Kadavaka he gives the story a religious stamp and historical background by saying18 पुच्छंतहु सुयपंचमिविहाणु तहिं आयउ एउ कहानिहाणु-When the King Seniya asked the Gañadhara Gotama about the performance of the Suyapañcami, there occurred this precious story.'
IV The war and the politico-geographical conditions:--
(1) The war-The war is introducd in the thirteenth Sandhi, rather abruptly as one would like to think. For the particulars of the several compaigns that took place, and the fortunes of war, the summary of the Kadavaka's in the Notes should be referred to. Apparently the war is fought on account of the princesses Bhavisāņurūvā and Sumittă, who are sought by the lord of Poyaņa i. e. the king of Taksasilā, probably for the sake of his son. This motive would appear neither extraordinary nor very fabulous, when we remember how disasters were wrouglit upon royal families and wars waged, on account of beautiful princesses. The most typical example of this
Allauddin Khilji's perfidious action, due to his passion for Padmini, wife of Bhimsing the king of Chitod. In more recent times, Krsņākumāri, a Rājput princess, gladly drank poison in order to save her father from the disasters of war. That there was some old score to be paid between the lords of Poyaņapura and Gayaura, does not appear likely from the preamble to the former's strange demand-हर्ष नवर तुध्दु एकहो न वंकु अच्छहि कुरुजंगलि निरवसंकुxiii 3,10.
(2) Kuru-side-How were the two inimical sides composed ? This is father an involved question, as the author himself does not appear to have a clear notion about it. On the Kuru side are Pañcāla, Maccha, Kaccha or Kacchava-as is once stated in Ch i ang XIV 4, 8, i.e. the Pañcālas, to the North and East of the Kurus in the Upper Doab, the Matsyas to South-west of the Kurus, and the Kacchas or Kacchavas. Who the latter are is again a vexed question. They could not be the people of what is today called Kaccha. The Kacchāhiva of our story occupies a central or at any rate a very important position between the two kingdoms of Poyaņa and Kuru. His position perhaps is strategically as important to both, as was that of Belgium to France and Germany during the recent European war. Thus only can we understand Bhavisayatta's anxiety to reduce to submission the king of the Kacchas before the Poyaņa army arrives. of Xestean
17 I 1, 12 of the Text. 18 1 4, 8 of the Text.
