Indian Antiquary Vol 62

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 129

JUNE, 1933)
RANDOM NOTES ON THE TRIVANDRUM PLAYS
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the merit of violence (or, firmness of mind ?).' Theft is not heroism ; it does not even postulate the possession of the personal qualities required for robbery and is therefore low. Sa. draka may have had some such reading; for he modifies the second pada so as to give it this effect (. cauryan na sauryan hi tat), while getting rid of the dubious karkaśyatd. The standard text of his play spoils the effect of this by substituting, in the third pâda, hi for tu, which is required to counterbalance kûmam, but improves the fourth by reading margo hy esa. If we carry out the transposition I propose, this latter amendment is unnecessary.
16., Act iii, p. 56. The Vidûşaka says he cannot go to sleep, kattavvakarittikidasamkedo via sakkiasamanao. This was conjecturally amended later by Ganapati Sastri to kattavvakaratthikidasamkedo, etc., accepted by the translators, tr., I, 92, 'A Buddhist monk that's made an assignation with a servant girl.'
Kartavyakarastri = paricárika is highly improbable and a knowledge of Buddhism would have shown that the conjecture was entirely unnecessary. The reference is to the practice known as jagarika (sce Rhys Davids-Stode's Pali Dictionary s.v.), keeping awake at night to induce mystic meditation, of which a clear account will be found at Saundarananda, xiv, 20 ff. Kaltabbaka in Pali means the task an aspirant has to perform to become an Arhat (Theragath1, 330) and is the equivalent of karaniya in the formula of Arhatship. Sanketa is properly either a characteristic trait' (Maha vastu, I, 78, 1. 10, cf. note) or is a synonym of vyavahůra ani sarurti, 'truth as seen by ordinary men,' 'worldly usage' (Milamadhyamakakûrikás, 28, n. 1, and 492, 1. 11, and Mahivyutpatti). In classical Sanskrit riktiks ig rare and late (PW and Schmidt's Nachträge); but Buddhist tradition understood the root ric to mean' purify' (Mahâvastu, I, 531), and ritta in Pali means 'emancipated' (Suttani. påta, 823). The phrase is deliberately perhaps a bit of a jumble to make fun of the Vidůsaka, but the literal translation is, like a Buddhist monk who has been emancipated from worldly knowledge by following the path to Arhatship,' namely by practising jagarika. The passage helps to date the play as early, because it indicates a time when the Hinayana was still tourishing and familiarity with its practices could be presumed in a non-Buddhist audience. Like several others, it also shows that it is dangerous to take the words dramana and bhiksu in a non-Buddhist work as necessarily referring to Buddhist monks, unless qualified by Sakya or a similar word, or to assume that any reference to Buddhist mendicants can only be depreciatory.
Ib., Act iv, p. 79. The Vidûşaka, describing the glories of Vasantasena's house, says nánapattanasamägadehi admiehi puttad vdianti. Tr., I, p. 100, Visitors from various towns are busy reading,' following Ganapati Sastri's cháyd of pustakah.
Agâmika is a difficult word; the editor took it to be agama and glossed sastrajña, which seems entirely out of the question. The translators (like Filippo-Belloni. I.c.) take it as equivalent to âgantuka. The only authenticated meaning is relating to the future '; could it therefore mean 'fortuna-teller' here, the same as adesika? But paffana (or pattana) is perhaps significant, for it means a big commercial centre,' 'mart,' from which trade radi. atos. Thus dgåmika might be a name for travelling traders and this gives point to Dr. Morgenstierne's comparison with the description of a similar palace in the Brhatkathaslokasan. graha, x, 99-102, where Gomukha's passage through the numerous courtyards is obstructed by the various craftsmen pressing the virtues of their wares on him. The question then arises what to make of puttad. Substantial amendment is impossible, sinee Sudraka's addhavdcido..potthao in his much elaborated version proves that he understood pustaka hore. This last is a rather late loan word, introduced perhaps by Iranian-speaking invaders about the beginning of our era, and the earliest occurrence in literature is apparently in Kaut. Arthasástra, ii, 7, in the sense of 'ledger,'' register.' Are we to understand traders dictating the writing up of their ledgers? But this is hardly general enough for a very brief description, though it might well find a place in a more elaborate one. Moreover it demands the amendment putthad or potthad. If we adhere to the text, we could understand putrald,
1 Accopt proforably the explanation at Abhidharmakoóa, vol. V, 260, n. 2.
3