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DHURTAKHYANA:
These two MSS., A and B, do not show any recensions as such. If B omits a verse (V. 26) and A repeats some line (V. 47), this is duo just to scribal lapse. The concluding verse (V. 125) cannot belong to Haribhadra. His composition ends with V. 124 which mentions bhava-viraha, Haribhadra's distinguishing mark; and the contents of the following verse do betray that it is composed by some zealous follower of Haribhadra. Certain portions of the Prakrit text are not specifically covered by the Sanskrit (III. 830, 84; V. 115-18) and Gujarati versions (III. 83-84; V. 111) which closely follow it; but looking to the context etc., this cannot be a conclusive proof to suspect those portions as later additions in Haribhadra's text.
At the kind request of Acarya Sri Jinavijayji, I have attempted below a study of this important literary work. Before subjecting its different aspects to a critical scrutiny, it would be proper to give a short outline of the stories occurring in this work.
2
2. Summary of the Contents I
Adjacent to the prosperous town of Ujjain, there was a fine park of luxuriant vegetation with a garden-house. During their wanderings there arrived hundreds of confirmed rogues who had acquired specific proficiency in the tricks of their trade. They had five leaders: Mülasti, Kandarika, Elaşaḍha, Sasa and Khanḍapānā. Every one of the first four had five hundred male cheats and Khandapānā had an equal number of female cheata, as their retinue. Mülafri was their foremost chief. During the height of rainy season, when it was heavily pouring all over the week and when it was not possible to move about, all the rogues, shivering and hungry, began to deliberate as to who would give them a feast for the day. Müladeva stipulated thus: Every one should address the chamber of cheats about what one had heard or experienced; and he who proves it to be an incredible lie should give food and drink to the gathering of rogues. But he who confirms the same by quoting parallels from various scriptures like the Purana, Bharata and Ramayana and convinces the audience, is not to give anything; and he would be made the lord of rogues. They all agreed to this and requested Maladeva to narrate his experience (I. 1-16).
Maladeva said: "I shall tell you what I experienced as a youth. Yearning for prosperity, I went to the abode of Lévara to receive the stream of Ganga on my head. As I was travelling with a gourd-kettle and umbrella in hand, a mad wild-elephant rushed at me like a moving mountain. I trembled with fear; I saw no shelter and escape; so I lept into the gourd-kettle that my life might be saved. The elephant was infuriated and followed me into the gourd-kettle where I deceived it by hide-and-seek for a period of six months.
1 For the convenience of general readers I have given the names in Sanskrit, though some of them appear to be un-Sanskritic in origin.
2 Müladeva and Mulasri are alternative names.
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