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BRHAT-KATHĀKOŠA
folklore, who occupies himself with the study of customs, rites and beliefs which are current in the society in different places and at different times, there are some points of interest in our stories. The geographical back-ground of our author is primarily the Madhya-deśa, that is central India and the adjoining territory. He mentions some important towns of the South, and bears testimony to repeated communications between the Uttară- and the Dakşiņā-patha (No. 7 etc.). More than once travels to distant countries by sea are mentioned, and once the Yavana script is referred to (No. 22). There is an interesting mention of a rich Pärasika who buys Cumkārikā, feeds her for six months, and takes blood with the help of leeches from her body; and it was used for dyeing Kệmi-rāga-kambala (No. 102*1. 80-2). The idea of using blood in preparing blanket-dye is recorded by Aśādhara also. In explaining gātha No. 567 of the Bhagavati Ārādhanā which runs thus :
किमिरागकंबलस्स व सोधी जदुरागवत्थसोधीव ।
अवि सा हवेज किहइ ण तधिमा सद्धरणसोधी ॥, he remarks :
किमिरायकंबलस्स कृमिभुक्ताहारवर्णतन्तुभिरूतः कम्बलः कृमिरागकम्बलस्तस्येति संस्कृतटीकायां व्याख्यानम् । टिप्पनके तु कृमिरागत्यक्तरक्ताहाररजिततन्तुनिष्पादितकम्बलस्येति । प्राकृतटीकायां पुनरिदमुक्तम्-चर्मरङ्गम्लेच्छविषये म्लेच्छा जलौकाभिर्मानुषरुधिरं गृहीत्वा भण्डकेषु स्थापयन्ति । ततस्तेन रुधिरेण कतिपयदिवसोत्पन्न विपन्नकृमिकेणोर्णासूत्रं रजयित्वा कम्बलं वयन्ति । सोऽयं कृमिरागकम्बल इत्युच्यते । स चातीवरुधिरवर्णो भवति, तस्य हि वह्निना दग्धस्यापि स HATITI ATVsala 1 Vidyadharas and Cărana monks are introduced in some stories (Nos. 7, 11, 46 etc.). Utterance of certain holy syllables leads to the acquisition of miraculous powers (Nos. 4, 10 etc.). Besides magical collyrium and pills (Nos. 10, 63) and the medicinal effect of Gandhodaka (No. 13), we get references to Ākāśa- and Sighra.gāmini Vidyās, and the Vetaļa Vidyā practised by a Käpälika (Nos. 4, 80, 64, 102). As useful information, we get a list of articles of food (Nos. 10. 75-6), a reference to Lakşapăka oil which is a patent medicine against skin-burning (No. 102. 25), an enumeration of different classes of serpents and their behaviour (Nos. 10, 112), à statement of divisions of time (No. 99. 14), the description of Candrakavedha target (Nos. 43, 57, 116), and the definitions of terms like ibhya etc. and grāma etc. (Nos. 87. 5-7, 94. 14-17). We find in one story that a burglar breaks open the door by throwing sarsapa or mustard seeds against it (No. 10. 15). A poor Brahmin, with a bījapūraka or citron fruit in his hand, goes to a merchant, announces the birth of a son to him, and is amply rewarded in return by the merchant with the ornament on his body and one hundred villages (No. 127. 32-4). We get some forms of public condemnation here and there. A culprit has his head besmeared with ashes or shaved leaving five tufts of hair and tied with pasca-bilva; his property is confiscated; and he is driven through the town on the back of an ass (Nos. 11. 139, 23. 31, 24. 38, 78. 87, 82. 39-40). Presentation of black clothes, of a pair of black oxen and of dark (or iron ) impliments indicates contemptuous treatment (No. 157. 10). A messenger from an offensive party has his head cleanly shaved and his ears and nose chopped off (No. 62. 27-8). A student of fiction finds in this
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