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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
56
(15) The cmployment of Old Gujarati expressions and Prakrit words is quite frequent and therefore noteworthy in the case of LPS as com. pared to the ather versions of this story, Occasionally even Old Gujarati case-terminations are met with in the LPS version. This fact is quite significant and separates it from all other versions. It can safely be concluded, therefore, that, thouglı ail these versions are from Prabandha works written in the so called "Jaina Sanskrit" which is cultivated under the influence of the Prākrits and regional dialects, the characteristic features of this type of inixed Sanskrit are realized in the language and style of LPS it a far more proportion than those of the other Prabandha works, especially those wherein are met with the versions of the story under discussion.
[16! The grandeur of the two speeches of Vilhu Vâ in ani is a unique feature of the LP$ version, which is altogether absent in the other ones. In ilie first speech she addresses her king with a series of charming epithets with the apparent motive of making him realize the seriousness of the situation; while the other speech goes ahead to the realization of her aim through a majestic and realistic sketch of the hostile king,
[17] The statement "Avisamāhi sīpārsvanatha-Hau prāsādu tiham deapaja karai" also is found only in LPS, It evidently manifests the king as a follower of the Jaina faith, which statement does not appear to get support from any other source. Probably it might be a later interpolation. All the four versions pronounce Caitrāştami, Mahastami and Maharavami as holy days of great festivity, which fact would tempt us to regard hini as one following the Sakla tradition or the sect ol goddess-worship. Moreover the statement that "he always lived in the midst of women and took ablutions in the lake Candrajyotsna if he happened to behold the face of a man" (LPS 5. 6-7 ) lends support to the presumption that he was a Sakta.
(18] It is only LPS which presents a highly valorous speech of this kiog in the sentence: " Anyatha yodi yuddham karlukāmo'sti kena'pi muratto na moditah, skandhakharjjir ma'panita, ndo notarial" (LPS 7. 13-15), Against this, the I'PS version simply bas" Agamike mangalavare lava sraddhår pray syāta!" (PPS 25-11); while PK makes him pronounce these words: " Yadi naḥ puram: Thuram ca jäghyksasi, lada yuddham karisyāmah! Alha'rthena ir pyasi tadartham grhana 1 ...., so'pi jivatut ciram, yo vitterthur krochrani karmani kuvano'sti" (PK 92, 5-8). This is quite significant inasmucb as it would lend support to the ancient character of LPS.
3. VIKRAMĀDITYA-PANCADANDACCHATRA-PRABANDHA There are several versions of this story which is cultivated in Sanskrit,
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