Mahavira Jain Vidyalay Suvarna Mahotsav Granth Part 1

Author(s): Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya Mumbai
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay

Page 717

246: SHRI MAHAVIRA JAINA VIDYALAYA GOLDEN JUBILEE VOLUME
Avanti, he having dismissed the assembly of kings left the Bähyāsthānamandapa to go for his mid-day toilet. (Iti krtaniscayaś ca muktästhāno visarjitarājalokaḥ snānāram bhākānkşi sabhām atyäksit. 194.)
In the Räjakula there were two Asthānamandapas of audience chamber. One was the Bähyāsthānamandapa or Darbare-am described above which was placed in the second court of the Rajakula. The other was inside the Rajakula in the Dhavalagrha portion usually at the end of the series of courts wihch was known as Bhuktāsthānamandapa corresponding to the Darbare-khas of Moghul times. The distinction between the outer and the inner Asthānamaņdapas is very clear both in the Harşa-carita and the Kadambarī. In the Bhuktāsthānamandapa the king used to take rest and enter into discourse or consultation with his selected friends, ministers and inmates of the harem.
This he did after taking his meals when he wished to retire and hence the name Bhuktāsthānamandapa was justified. This was also known as Pradoşāsthānamandapa, i.e., the place when the king gave audience in the evening. It is stated that Harsa on the day of his taking the decision about his military conquest did not stop for any length of time in the Pradoşāsthānamandapa but left it quite soon to go to his retiring room. (Pradosāsthāne näticiram tasthau. 195.) There used to be a court (Ajira) in front of the Bhuktāsthānamandapa with a pavilion in it. We can, therefore, understand the statement that Bāna at the time of his first meeting with Harsa after crossing the three courts saw him in the Bhuktāsthānamaņdapa when the king was seated under a pavilion in the court of the hall of private audience. (Dauvärikena upadiśyamanavartmå samatikramya trini kaksäntaräņi caturthe bhuktāsthānamandapasya purastad ajire sthitam. 69.) In the Kādambari the Cândāla girl carrying the parrot in the cage saw the king in the Bähyästhanamandapa. The elaborate description given by Bāņa relates to the hall of public audience. After the king had accepted the parrot Vaisampāyana from the Cāndala girl he dismissed the assembly of kings and returned to the inner portion of the palace to fulfil his midday routine and for bath and food, etc. (Visarjitarājalokaḥ kṣitipatih åsthānamandapād uttasthau. Kādambari, 13.) After the king had finished his toilet and usual routine he retired to the Bhuktāsthānamandapa, hall of private audience, where in company of his friends, ministers and queens he listened to the story as recited by the parrot Vaišampāyana.
The portions included in the first and the second courts of the Rajakula was known as Bāhya or the outer one, and hence the chamber