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IV. The Study of the Text
THE TITLE AND EXTENT Though the present work is named here as Laghu-prabandha-sangraha, it must be pointed out that no such title is mentioned anywhere either in the body of the text or in its colophons. All the same the cover of Ms. G bears this title in a modern hand, and, since it does not contradict any known fact and suits the contents etc. of the text, the same has been accepted as the title of the work in the present edition. This name is significant inasmuch as the work contains short anecdotes relating to certain historical personages or incidents. It comprises in all to such laghu-prabandhas. The first prabandha bears the age of the Ms. in its post-colophon entry, while the close of the whole work is marked by a Prākrit subhāșita placed at the end of the coth prabandha.
THE CONTENTS
The stories narrated in the LPS may briefly be rendered into English as under:
1. THE STORY OF JAGADDEVA
Jagaddeva, son of Paramāra king U da yāditya of Ujjayini, was very generous. When the king expired, Raņa dha vala, Ja gadde va's step-brother, was enthroned by the ministers, but the people honoured Ja gaddeva. Consequently the ministers engaged murderers and the noble prince left the city.
He entered the border-town of the very powerful king Parama di of Kalyāņa ko ţipura which was offered by the queen to the harlots for maintenance. Having taken his meals at the place of a merchant he started wandering in the city.
Being recognized as a fortunate man with excellent characteristics by the chowrie-maid of Queen Lilà vati, who beheld him from her balcony concealing (or, abandoning-pariharan- ) one betel-roll and asking for another by keeping his hand on his shoulder, he was summoned in. When the king gave him audience, a large-eyed lady covered her head while paying him respects and in return Jag a ddeva made a brotherly endowment to her of three hundred thousand coins.
On seeing his magnanimity the minister played a trick. A Bhavāi-performance was undertaken wherein the king began to dance and the minister played upon the tabor. Jagaddeva put off his pupusya (=turban?), bestowed it upon the minister and asked him to choose a boon. The chief
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