Indian Antiquary Vol 21

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 29

JANUARY, 1892.]
FOLKLORE IN SALSETTE; No. 11.
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preserved.35 The conversion of twelve princes of the race of Vrishņi is here treated of as having ensued throngh the influence of the arhan Aritthanêmi. The first history deals with Nisadha, son of Baladêve, nephew of king Kanha-Vasudeva in Baravati.36 In his former birth he was converted or turned to the study of the sâmâia-m-Adiâi ekkârasa amgâin by the Siddhatthanamam dyariya. A prophecy in reference to his future birth is added to the above recital. At the end the five texts are again called the "avamgåņi" or the 5 vargas of one śrutaskandba: nirayâvaliâsutakkhandhô samatto, samattaņi a uvamgåņi, nirayávalid-uvamgê nam égô suakkhandhô pamcha vagga pamchasu divasêsu uddissamti.
This last statement in reference to the number of days which are necessary to teach or to recite them, is found (425) in exactly the same form in the corresponding angas - see p. 280. The three sâmîyarîs, contain detailed statements in reference to each.
The historical value of these legends is, apart from the traditions contained in ap. 8, without doubt very slight indeed. The largest portion of their contents is as purely fictitions as was the case in anga 6 fg. (see p. 338). Nevertheless, since they contain information (e. g. in respect to the activity of Påsa, which preceded that of Mabâvira), we may claim for them a value as regards our estimation of the relations ander which we have to consider the life and works of Mahåvira.
We have seen above that the uniformity of the contents, and the homogeneous method of treating it in all the five texts, make for the conclusion that they originally formed but one text. Tradition calls them merely the five parts of one śrutaskandha. Their enumeration as five separate texts was caused by the desire to have the number of the uvamgas correspond to that of the angas. The fact is that the special limitation of the number of the angas to eleven, which is found in av. 8-12, must be regarded as a strange contradiction of the desire to assimi. late the number of the uvamgas to that of the angas. The title vagga belongs also to angas 6 and 8, as an appendix or supplement to the latter of which two, these five texts may have come into existence. The history of the first vagga here (uv. 8-12) is, to a certain extent, an elucidatory supplement to the last of the vaggas there, i. e. in anga 8.
FOLKLORE IN SALSETTE.
BY GEO. FA D'PENHA.
No. 11. - Francis and his Uncle. There was an old woman who had an only son, called Francis. They were in rather poor circumstances, and lived on what the old woman earned during the day. Francis had a maternal uncle, who was very rich and possessed much land and severdi bullocks and cows.
One day, when the boy was old enough, his maternal uncle called on his sister, and asked her to send the lad to take his cattle to graze, promising to give him something as pay. His sister told him that the boy was mischievous, and said he had better ask him himself to agree to the proposal. His uncle, therefore, called the boy, and said to him :-“Francis, will you come and take my cattle to graze every day? I will give you something in return."
“Yes, I will come," said Francis. “Will yon give me a cow as pay, uncle ?”
His uncle promised to give him a cow, and Francis went daily and took his uncle's cattle to graze. Every day Francis asked for his cow, but his uncle put him off, saying :
“I will give you one to-morrow."
* Nisadhe, MahAnisadhe, Anigahe, Vede, Pagati, Jutti, Dasarahé, Dadharah, MahAdhapa, Sattadhana, Dasar dhand, Sayadhana, . At the head of 10 DasATA : Samuddavijaya eto., 5 Mahavira Baladera eto., 16,000 kings: Uggasépa eto., 31 koţi of kumara : Payyunna eto., 60,000 duddarlita (P) : Sambaya eto., 21,000 vira : Virasina etc., 16,000 devi: Ruppini, sto., and many thousand gaņi: Apargna A oto. The same court is found according to Leumann in aðga 6, D. 526, 1231, and adga 8, 1.
1 The original is Farantia, a familiar local form of Francis.