Gaudavaho

Author(s): Vakpatiraj, Narhari Govind Suru, P L Vaidya, A N Upadhye, H C Bhayani
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

Page 55

(xxxviii) Nāndi or Benediction. The moment he commenced his narration, there was perfect silence, as all people became mute and quiet. “This our King, at whose sprinkling ceremony (in celebration of his conquests, the enemies' captive queens, given the assignment of waving chowries over him, would hide their tears behind them ( 1208 ) the life of this great King, so picturesque and purifying is now being told. So listen, ye all". : Thus ends the Gathā-Pedestal of the Gaudavaho of Bappairāa, having the title of Kairāa. II. Character and Composition of the Gaüdavaho :
Such is the synopsis or a general outline of the Poem, Gaüdavaho. It can be observed that it generally satisfies almost all the requirements of Mahākävya, except one viz. that it should be a composition with well-marked divisions called Sargas or Cantos. The hero is an illustrious King. The principal sentiment is Heroism of which the hero is · Yuddha-vira', while the other sentiments like those of Love, Pathos, Disgust etc. play supplemetary or subordinate rôles with reference to the main sentiment of Heroism. The theme of the Poem is historical and it begins with homage to a number of gods and goddesses, while men of merit are deservedly eulogised and the villains duly censured. The metre of the whole Poem is Aryā or Gäthā except in Gathās 60 and 61, where the metre is Samagalitaka.? The topics treated in the Poem are :7. “Dhruva holds that the verses No. 59 and 60 (it should
be 60 and 61) have not been correctly edited and printed so far. He gives the correct reading and suggests that they to-gether form one verse of 25 Mātrās each in Samagalitaka metre". See Padyaracanāni Aitihāsika Ālocanā". Quoted from Sanskrit and Prakrit Mahākāvyas' by Ramji Upadhyāya, P.261.