Recent Russian Publications On Indian Epic

Author(s): J W De Jong
Publisher: J W De Jong

Page 40

40 THE ADYAR LIBRARY BULLETIN as is found in Homer. Grintser compares briefly the epic formulaic system with the phraseology of Kālidāsa's Meghadūta which is composed in a highly artificial metre, the Mandākrāntā. It would be more instructive to compare the epic with works written in the epic śloka, such as, for instance, the Kathāsaritsāgara. To what extent does the metre in this text determine the use of certain groups of words and compounds at the end of the pāda?
Grintser's concept of the supporting' word is undoubtedly extremely useful because with the help of these supporting words the improvisor is able to create patterns (to use Hainsworth's terminology). The epic singer anticipates the supporting word at the end of the pāda, and, in this way, composes pāda-s which are similar in structure to other pāda-s of which the scheme is present in his memory. Formulaic analysis will show how far the same themes are developed in the same traditional way. In Homeric studies very important research has already been undertaken in this direction. It will be more difficult to apply the same methods to the Indian epics because of their size and the great variety between the different recensions which have to be taken into account. Homeric specialists have at their disposal several dictionaries, indices and concordances but there is nothing similar for the Indian epic apart from a pāda-index. However, it will certainly be possible to make a beginning with a systematic thematic analysis of both Indian epics. This will be of great help in tracing the construction and