________________
NOTES
[ The references in these Notes are to Samdhis in Roman
figures and Kadavakas and lines in Arabic figures. ]
[ The Poet offers homage to Rşabhanatha, the first of the Tirthamkaras, and to the goddess of learning, and declares his intention to compose a Mahapurana. By way of introduction the poet says that once in the Siddhartha year ( 881 of the Śaka era, i. e., 959 A. D. ) he arrived at the outskirts of the town of Mepadi ( Mányakheta, modern Malkhed) and being fatigued with a long journey rested there in the grove. Two men of the town, Annaiya and Indaraya, approached him and requested him to visit the minister Bharata who would give him a good reception. The poet was at first unwilling to do so because of his bitter experiences at the court of king Bhairava alias Viraraja, but these men assured him that Bharata was quite a different person and would receive him well. Accordingly the poet saw Bharata, was well-received, and rested there for a few days. Bharata then requested the poet to compose a Mahāpurāņa so that he would make the right use of his poetic gifts, and offered him all help. The poet was at first unwilling, because he was afraid of the wicked who criticised even good works. Bharata asked him not to mind them. The poet then modestly said that he was not competent to undertake the task as he was ignorant of the great philosophical systems, works of the poets of the past, works on grammar, rhetoric and metrics, still he would undertake the task out of devotion to the personages figuring in the Mahāpurāņa. The poet thereupon in voked the aid of Gomukha Yakşa of Rşabhadeva and of Padmavati Yakşiņi, the goddess of learning.
The poet proceeds: There is in the Jambūdvipa a country callad Magadha with its capital Rajagrha. King Śreņika was one day 'seated in his caurt with Cellapadevī, when a messenger brought to him the report that Mahavira had arrived at the garden outside the city. The king immediately rose form his seat to pay homage to him and recited a prayer glorifying him. ]
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