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59
nun, and his unhesitant acceptance of the kingdom of the elder brother without so much as a word of gratitude to him, while he shows himself to be a loving son unhappy at the departure of his father Padmaratha when the latter wanted to retire to the forest leaving the regal responsibility to him.
(e) Other Characters :
Although depicted as an able ruler, king Maņiratha is intended to be a sensualist villain stooping to the extent of murdering his own younger brother whose beautiful wife he covets. His voluptuousity and lack of self._ control are revealed in his attempt at seducing Madanarekhā by approaching her personally setting aside all norms of civilized conduct expected of a good ruler. He is depicted as a man of power who would go to any extent to satisfy his sensual desires and expects all people to submit to his desires whether good or bad.
Prince Yugababu, a loving husband ready and wise enough to listen to his wife's loving instructions at the time of his death, is more or less a hazy character as it does not have any other part to play except that of being a victim of his elder brother's treachery and his wife's lack of confidence in him as a man of discrimination and deep love that can forgive or withstand suspicion.
Other characters like the Vidyadhara youth Maniprabha, the Vidyā. dhara Manicuda, and the bards are nothing more than mere shadows.
(vi) Literary Style of Jinabhadrasūri :
As a self-conscious artist, Jinabhadrasüri has tried to exhibit his skill in presenting, a variety of styles both in the sphere of prose and of verse. His sense of discrimination and that of proportion has found full play in selection of a particular style suited to the occasion and the purpose in view in consonance with the poetic relish sought to be delineated,
(A) Prose Styles :
In view of the Sāntarasa which is predominent in the whole work, the poet has generally resorted to the Vaidarbhi style as expressed in the Curnaka type of prose, but studded with not too difficult and long, at times incessant, series of paronomastic trickeries, as a prevalent literary fashion. But the poet instantly shifts to the Pancalı style as expressed in the Utkalikapraya type marked with not too long compounds when occasions of strong emotions demand.57 The Gaudi style is reserved for creating the effect of
57. MRA, pp. 48-49; 106-107.
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