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INTRODUCTION
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of worthy men; and here one can learn what is dharma and adharma, what is kārya and akārya, and what is hita and ahita. This dharma-kathā is of four facets: ākṣepinī, pleasant or catching; vikşepiņi, unpleasant or distracting; saṁveda-jananī, leading to knowledge or enlightening; and nirveda-jananī, leading to detachment or renunciation. Minds of men should first be captivated by catching topics; secondly, they should be disillusioned; thirdly, they should be enlightened or made to know the real nature of things, and lastly, they should be made to renounce the world that is the way how five hundred robbers were induced by that self-enlightened Kapila] to accept the life of self-control and renunciation. Topics connected with love-matters are welcome to the extent to which they are conducive to the adoption of religious life (Pages 3.18-5.13; * 2.16-* 2.26).
AN OUTLINE OF THE STORY: Dāksinyacihna composed this Narrative Structure (kathā-sarīra) which is great on account of the acquisition of Samyaktva and in which friends carry out their mutual obligations and attain Nirvāņa. How Kuvalayacandra was born and was carried away by a god, his former associate; how he met the lion, the monk and the god in a lonely forest; how he heard the past lives of all the five from Kevalin; how they acquired samyaktva, practised austerities, and were consequently born in heaven; how, after enjoying heavenly pleasures, they were born in the Bhārata-varsa; how they did not know one another but were enlightened by the omniscient Teacher; and lastly, how they adopted renunciation, practised penances and attained Liberation, being free from Karmas: all these topics are covered in this composition,
has been elaborated thus by the author through the grace of Hri- devata who supplied its clues to him (Pages 5.14-5.24; * 2.26-34).
DISCOURSE on DURJANA and SAJJANA: The author starts his narrative in a grandiose style, but halts to present a discourse on durjana and sajjana. The former's weaknesses are effectively sketched with various similies often with double meaning. A poet should go on with the work on hand despite the wicked and their scandals, like a lofty elephant ignoring the barking dogs. As contrasted with him the various merits of a sajjana are depicted; and it is the sajjana who is the hope and support of worthy poets (Pages 5.25-7.3; * 2.36-39).
[ii. Prince Kuvalayacandra: his Horse Flies ] KING DRDHAVARMAN AND QUEEN PRIYANGUŚYĀMĀ OF VINĪTĀ: In Jambūdvīpa, in Bharatavarşa, to the south of Vaitādhya and in between Gangã and Sindhū, there is the Madhya-desa (described 7.7-12) at the centre of which stands the town Vinītā (described in details, SS 14-7). There ruled a king, DỊdhavarman by name (described, § 18); he had a loving queen (described, 19) Priyanguśyāmā; and he spent in her company many happy years (Pages 7.4-9.17; *3.1-32).
THE MĀLAVA PRINCE MAHENDRA BROUGHT AS A CAPTIVE: One day, when the king was seated in the inner assembly along with the queen and a few chosen ministers etc., Susena, the Sabara prince, just returned from a successful military operation against the Mālava king. Though wounded, he narrated in a triumphant mood how the army of the enemy was routed, how the war-spoils were
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