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128
Dvyāśrayakāvya
Similarly the whole of the Prakrit Kumarapalacarita consists of the descriptions of various seasons and personal life of Kumarapala rather than concrete historical facts.
The characteristics of a king are exaggerated politically also. Mūlaräja honours Graharipu but only Graharipu tormented sages besides his warning. The honour of Mularāja towards Graharipu is merely a feather on the cap of Mūlarāja1.
A respect for elders and the refusal in the acceptance of kingship of Bhima, when he was being coronated by Durlabha2, is again to show the exalted character of Bhima. Similarly the insistence of Nagaraja to take to asceticism only for his brother may also be quoted3.
ii. Poetical change: The introduction of Svayamvara arranged by the king Mahendra in Marudeśa is merely to illustrate the characteristics of a Mahakavya just like of that of the Raghuvamsa1. In this respect, A.K. Majumdar has rightly remarked 'During the time, when the marriage of Durlabha is supposed to have taken place, North India was reeling under the remorseless raids of Sultan Mahmud. Hence it would have been remarkable for so many monarchs of North India to have left their domains for the purpose of attending the Svayamvara Sabha of an insignificant Naḍḍula chief's sister5.
Moreover, none of the other historians has noticed this event.
1. DV. II. 59.
2. ibid. VIII. 18.
3. ibid. VIII. 20.
4. Kālidāsa, Raghuvamsa, Canto VI.
5. Majumdar, A.K. Chaulukyas of Gujarat, pp. 41-42.
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