Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 53
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

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Page 152
________________ 144 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY [JULY, 1924 prince who had gone astray: itivttapuranabhyam bodhayed arthasástravid, V. 6, p. 258. The examples mentioned in I. 6, p. 11 (of which more below), which are intended to illustrate the downfall of kings through one of the six passions, kama, krodha, lobha, mâna, mada and harna, appear to belong to the puråna-type; those on the other hand, mentioned in I. 20, p. 41, for showing the evil ways practised by women, bear a more historical character and may well therefore be itivettas. An Akhyd yikd should have been a narrative in prose, and should correspond to the later akhydyika and katha. Finally the udaharanas were probably moral lessons and narratives such as those that are often introduced in the Mahabharata with the verse: atrapyudáharanti'mam itiha sam purdtanam. We conld regard the Mahabharata as a redaction of the Itihasaveda, as a sarihita thereof. That however such a savichitd existed at the time of Kautilya, is very doubtful, or at least cannot be provod. In any case the Mahabharata did not still exist in its present or any ap. proximately similar form, as J. Hertel seems to consider in WZKM., XXIV, p. 420. Indeed, the mention of the names Duryodhana, Yudhiathira and Ravana, proves that the story of the (970) Mahabharata and the Ramayana was known ; probably epic poems too, of their contents already existed. This does not however imply that the stories and legends of the purdna type existed in the form of) a collection which should have been merged in the Mahabharata. Two reasons go against such a theory. In the first place, only some of the legendary stories mentioned by Kautilya, are to be found in a corresponding manner, in the Mahabharata, viz., those of Aila I. 75, Duryodhana, Danbhodbhava, Haihaya Arjuna (= KArttavirya), VAtApi and Agastya, and Ambarisa Nabhaga; other stories however are wanting in the Mahdbharata, viz., those of Dandakya,36 Talajangha and Ajabindu Sauvira. In the second place, one story as indicated by Kautilya is different from that as standing in the Mahdbharata. Thus Kautilya 1.6, p. 11: Kopaj Janamejayo brdhmaseru vilrantah; the Maha. bharata, however has : abuddhiparvam agacchad brahmahatyam, XII. 150. Further, Kautilya has IV. 8, p. 218: Yatha hi Mandavyah Karmaklebabhaydd acona coro'sms iti bruudņa); the Mahabharata however says (I. 107. 9): na kimcid vacanam rdjann abravit addh'vasddhu od. More important is the fact to which Lüders has drawn my attention, that acoording to Kautilya, the Vrenis maltreated Dvaipayana (atyasddayat), this being in agreement with the original form of the story, 31 while in the Mahabharata, XVI, 1, they only jeered at Visvamitra, Kanva and Närada. In the last verse of the chapter from the Kautiliya, referred to above, it is said : शत्रुपडुर्गमुत्वव जामदग्न्बो जितेनिवः। suranti Port Hotell The Mahabharata (as also the first book of the Ramdyana) know nothing to the effect that Jamadagnya was ever a King. Finally, there is this following fact. In the Kautilya, VIII. 3, p. 327, there is mentioned the view of Pisuna that hunting is a greater vice than gambl. ing, since in gambling one can win, as instanced by Jayatsena and Duryodhana. "No," says Kautilya, "the instances of Nala and Yudhisthira show that in gambling one of the two partios has to lose,"38 i.e., if one gains in gambling, his opponent naturally loses. Kautilya contraste what Yadbişthira lost, with what Duryodhana gained, and therefore also what Nela lost with what Jayatsena gained. In the Mahabharata, however, the brother of Nais who deprives him at gambling of his kingdom, is called Puskara, while socording to Pisuna and Kautilya he is called Jayatsena. This name does not oocur in similar relation in the Mahabharaia; it is however by itself not improbable that the brother of Nala might originally 3. The story of Dandakya is mentioned in the Ramayana, VII. 79-81, where however the King is called Dada, and in the Jalakas, where his name occurs at Dandakin.-ZDKG., LVIII, p. 691. 37 See Lüders, Die Jatakas und die Epil, ZDMG., LVIII, p. 601. 38 तयोरप्यन्यतरपराजयोऽस्तीति नल युधिष्टिराभ्यां म्याक्चासम् ।

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