Proceedings of the Seminar on Prakrit Studies 1973

Author(s): K R Chandra, Dalsukh Malvania, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 65

5. Suddayacariya, a Lost Romantic Tale in Apabhramśa
Dr. H. C. Bhayani, Ahmedadad.
Vira, an Apabhramsa poet of Malwa, enumerates in his Jambūsamicariya (completed in 1020 A. D.) the following four works of his father, poet Devadatta:1
Varāmga-cariya (in Paddhadt metre) Suddaya-Vira-kaha Santiņāha-caccari Aħbadevi-rasaya
None of these works has been recovered so far. Most probably all the four were in Apabhramśa. The themes of these works, except that of the second one, are well-known in the Jain literary tradition. We know of nume. rous works in Prakrit, Apabhramsa, Sanskrit and Old Gujarati (either in any one of these or in several languages) pertaining to the lives of Varāmga, śāntinātha and Ambādevi. But Suddaya-Vira-kaha is obscure.
Samdesarāsaka of Abdala Rahamana (composed probably in the thirtteenth century), while describing the city of Mulasthāna (i. e present-day Multan in the Eastern Punjab), refers to the public recitation of the epics, epic tales and popular tales along with performances of dance and opera. Along with Bhārata, Rāmāyaṇa and Nalacarita, we find there mentions of Sudavaccha, which is explained in the Sanskrit Tippanaka on the Samdesarāsaka as Sudayavaccha-katha "the tale of Sudayavaccha.' In the Index to the Sandeśarāsaka I had suggested that this tale of Sudaya. vaccha was the same as the popular tale of Sadevamta and Sāvalimgā wellknown in the oral tradition and early literature of Gujarat and Rajasthan. The Saṁdeśarāsaka reference establisbes its currency in the Punjab region. Further, Padumāvata of Jāyasi (17th century) refers to a tale of Sadaivaccha and Mugudhavati. If this tale was the same as for a version of) the Sudavaccha, its currency in other regions also is indicated.
Another reference to the tale of Suddaya or Sudavaccha sheds some light on the general character of that tale. In the Apabhramsa poem Sudamsanacariya completed in 1044 A. D., Nayanandin extols the biography of Sudarśana in the following terms:4
रामो सीय-विओय-सोय-विहरं संपत्त रामायणे जादा पंडव धायरट्ठ सददं गोतंकली भारहे । डेडाकोडिय-चोर-रज्ज-णिरदा आहासिदा सुद्दए णो एक्कं पि सुदंसणस्स चरिदे दोस समुब्भासिदं ।।