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A CRITICAL STUDY
a fine satirical verse in Sanskrit, possibly summarising some earlier conversation in Prakrit, made up of questions and answers. It is said to be put in the mouth of a Dhürta and addressed to a Buddhist monk who had a net-like garment on his person. The verse may be freely rendered thus: "Sir, why is your garment thread-bare? Well, it is for netting fish. Do you eat fish? I take them when excited by wine. Do you drink wine? When I mate with a hetaera. Do you visit a prostitute? After kicking on the necks of my enemies. Whence have you enemics? Those whose houses I have broken into. Are you a burglar? Just for the purpose of gambling. Are you a Rogue? Because I am a slavegirl's son." These illustrate Haribhadra's acquaintance with and aptitude for humorous and satirical folktales,
Haribhadra is an adept story-teller. If we casually glance through his Samaräiccakaha, we find that he is well-informed about the workings of human mind and about the human behaviour in general. His experience is wide; naturally he creates characters and situations of engrossing interest. The Samarãiccakaba gives many counter tales which go to confirm the central idea of the main story. He possesses a special liking for symbolical epilogues, apparently meaningless, but full of significance and instruction when they are. explained. Enlightenment by absurd stories and situations is a fine weapon which Haribhadra brandishes quite successfully. Arhaddatta (Sixth Bhava), for instance, was enlightened when he was incurably attached to the pleasures of body by telling him that he was as foolish as a person extinguishing fire with grass. Absurd situations are presented illustrating such motifs. Similar tendencies are seen in the Dhu. as well. The fantastic tales expose the absurdity of Puranic legends, and thus enlighten and correct those that put faith in the Puranic religion.
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It is the agreement of rogues that supplies a graceful bracket for the projection of the plot. Lest he would be required to give the stipulated feast, every rogue is anxious to confirm the fantastic stories by quoting similar Puranic legends. It is in the fitness of things that every rogue should be given the chance of confirming the experience of their female companion; otherwise, if only one were to be given this chance, there would arise some jealousy and others would not have the opportunity of being chivalrous. It is not the story as a whole, but just some of the convenient points of it that are eclected for confirmation with one or more similar legends and episodes from the epics and Puranas. The legends get automatically ridiculed, because they are closely parallel to the incidents or points in the fantastic story. As the rogues go on attempting to prove the impossible with the aid of Puranic
1 किल को णि (बीड) मच्छराए चलियो रोग अगर आधरिद अपणा ते कंथा । सो भगइ । जालमेतमित्यादि श्लोकादव सेयम् । 'कन्थाचार्याघना ते, ननु शफरवधे जालम्, अश्नासि मत्स्यान्; ते मे strée, f, g gåt kvar, sifa kume, gerlini nasé, 44 m frát, ky elfa fonter; चौरस्त्वं, दूतहेतोः कितव इति कथं येन दासीसुतोऽस्मि ॥' इदं लौकिकम् etc. p. 54.
2 Ed. H. Jacobi, B. I., No. 169, Calcutta 1926.
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