Ritthnemichariyam Part 2

Author(s): Swayambhudev, Ramnish Tomar, Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

Page 11

This type of epics in the two subjects continued to be written up to the 16th century.
Of the several epics in the Sandhi-form written after Svayambhū, particulars about a few are given below : Author Work Date
Extent Dhavala Harivaṁsapurāņa Not later
122 cantos
than 10th Cent. Yaśaḥkirti Bhațțāraka Pāndupurāna 1523 A.D.
34 cantos Raidhu Balabhadrapurāna 15th Cent. (Rāma-epic) 11 contos
Nemināthacarita Srutakirti Harivamsapurāna 1551 A.D.
40 contos
Caturmokha's Influence
(1) Bhoja, Hemacandra and Vāgbhața mention Caturmukha's Abdhimathana (obviously having the Purāņic episode of the churning of the ocean as its theme) as a typical example of the Apabhraṁsa epic in the Sandhibandha form. In the introductory portion of RC. Svayambhū, while acknowledging obligations to his several eminent predecessors expresses his indebtedness to Caturmukha for the “Paddhadiyā studded with Chaddaņiyā, Duvai and Dhuvaya.' The Paddhadiyā etc. mentioned here are wellknown structural units that play a basic role in the construction of the Apabhramsa Sandhibandha. This suggests that Caturmukha was a pioneer in evolving the Sandhi form and that his works served as models for Svayambhu's epics.
(2) Additional support for this comes from another direction too. In the Apabhramsa section of the Svayambhūcchandas (further here abbreviated as.Sc.) the chapter dealing with the metres of the Sandhibandha gives illustrative citations exclusively from Caturmukha, aside from the anonymous ones which include passages from Svayambhū's own work. This could have not been the case if Caturmukha had been mediocre or just one among several.
(3) Such a pioneer and prominent poet could not but have several extensive compositions to his credit. As we have already seen, the Abdhimathana was a well-known Apabhramśa epic from