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INTRODUCTION of their five previous rebirths in the mouth of the Nişadha, who had become a god who for the occasion religious teacher, Jinabhadra, when he is consulted by had assumed the form of a snake) causes Nala's form Nala and Davadanti after Nala has regained his king- to be changed in order to protect him from his enemies, dom. Here Jinabhadra explains the reason for their as well as to torment Kali within him. Afterwards, twelve-year separation and the mark on Davadanti's when Nala receives the science of dicing from Rtuparna forehead. They then take vows and Nala, after re- (the Jain versions refer to it as the science of counting) nouncing his throne, places his son Puşpala upon it. Kali is forced to leave his body and enters a Vibhitaka The Old Gujarāti describes at the corresponding point tree. In the Mahābhārata story Nala is separated in the story a similar meeting between Nala and from Damayanti for four 18 years as against the twelve Davadanti and a guru. The guru points out that the of the Jain versions. The Sanskrit is explicit in makgift of milk to the muni by Mammaņa and Viravati ing Damayanti perform miracles by the use of her resulted in their present existence. He explains the chastity as the basis for a Truth-Act," while the Old twelve-year separation but makes no mention of the Gujarāti is always vague about this power of Davareason for Davadanti's forehead mark. Their son's danti's. All versions, however, emphasize the power name is given here as Pukkhala (Skt. Puşkala). The of female chastity. Old Gujarati adds one more rebirth: After Nala is reborn as Dhanada and Davadanti becomes his con
3. THE METERS sort, she is reincarnated as Kanakavati and, at her
The mechanisms of the meters have not been fully svayamvara, is married by Vasudeva (Nala's incarnation). Eventually, she obtains salvation and Nala
explored. It is felt that a final report must be postbecomes Indra's treasure-keeper (= Kuvera).
poned until other Old Gujarāti metrical texts of this The Nala-episode of the Mahābhārata differs in a
period have been examined. The following, therefore, number of points from the Jain versions. Rebirth
oth
are
are intended as descriptive remarks, rather than as does not figure in it. The misfortunes of the hero and precise and exac tements heroine are caused by Nala's innocent angering of the
The meters are quantitative, each line or half line god Kali. Damayanti's distinguishing mark is a mole
requiring a fixed number of long and short syllables. between her eyes. (This in the Jain stories is endowed
A short syllable, that is, a syllable ending in one of the with the magic power to dispel darkness with its
short vowels, a, i, u orr, has the value of one "mora" brilliance.) A hansa (swan) arouses their interest in
or "instant." A long syllable has the value of two each other. Damayanti, at her svayamvara, is faced
morae. Long syllables end either with the long vowels with the problem of distinguishing Nala from the gods
ä, i, u, e, o or the diphthong âi; or with a consonant. who had simulated his form. She solves the difficulty
Of consonant-clusters, excepting those having r or h by performing a Truth-Act, forcing the gods to appear
as the final member, the first consonant is considered in their true forms. (The Jain Nala encounters no
as ending the previous syllable. Clusters, of which competition from gods, but, rather, is challenged by a
or h is the last member, rarely behave as the above. mortal, King Krsma, whom Davadanti mollifies by
In such clusters the first consonant does not go with means of a Truth-Act.) The gods then give Nala
the preceding syllable. power over fire and water and depart. (Though the
The length of vowels varies in the reading, according Jain tales make use of Nala's skill at cooking and
d to the demands of the meters. For example, longi charioteering as motifs, they do not, like the Mahāb
has to be read as short in bhimi (172) (cf. the rhyme,
simi, in the next line); and short i as long in davadamti hārata, state how he came to possess these arts.) Kali (the spirit of the losing throw at dice, meets the
(173). Long üm is read as short in hüm (160). In gods on their return from the wedding. When he
several instances e has the count of one mora. The learns that he has missed the svayamvara (for which
cluster au counts for one mora, not two, in maraum he was bound), he is angered and enlists the aid of
(116) (cf. B marum), causāla (119) (cf. cusāla), tau Dvāpara " in order to bring about Nala's downfall.
(286) (cf. B tu), etc. The spelling iya, especially when After twelve years Kali is allowed the opportunity to
for the conjunctive participial case suffix i, counts for enter Nala's body when the latter is neglectful of a
two morae: e.g., ceżya (177) (cf. B cei), cadiya (179) detail in the performance of his evening devotions.
(cf. cadi), pamthiya (182) (cf. B pamthi), ceīya (211), As a result Nala becomes without skill in dicing and
vamdiya (211), etc. A short nasal vowel has the eventually loses all his possessions to his brother,
count of one mora. Puşkara. His separation from Damayanti is therefore
ch, very frequently has to be read as cch, when it due to the enmity of Kali. (There is no possession in
in closes a preceding syllable ending in a short vowel, the Jain versions of Nala's body by an evil spirit. His
it is thus giving it a value of two morae: e.g., machari
thus 81 previous karma had determined his fortunes in that 12 Ibid., 57; for the implication of Kali's exit from Nala's body: existence.) The biting of Nala by the snake (here a and p. 16 for entrance of Kali into Vibhitaka-tree. royal nāga and not, as in the Jain stories, Nala's father, 1 It may be interesting to note that Kali is the spirit of the
Fourth Age. 11 Lüders, 1907: 57-58; for the dicing terms.
1 See Burlingame, 1917: 429-467; and Brown, 1941.
