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The Target of Criticism in Bhamaha's Kalakar
it that such an experienced king like Udayana could not get a report about the true nature of the deceitful elephant although it was located in his own territory ?10
(3) Could it be that inspite of their being duly informed in the matter, the ministers had themselves an axe to grind and hence they deliberately showed negligence in taking proper precautions for the king's protection? In that case they would be liable to be accused of being either blockheads or devoid of due devotion to their master 11
17
(4) The adversaries consisted of several angry soldiers who wielded strong bows The arrows discharged from such bows would invariably hit the vital parts of the victim How could Udayana have been possibly spared If he was, it would be nothing short of a miracle 12
(5) Udayana had killed the close relatives, like brother, son, father, maternal uncle and brother-in-law, of his adversaries who were consequently overcome with rage How could so many soldiers discharging number of missiles or weapons at a single individual, and that too in a forest, fail to kill him 718
(6) The intelligence of the learned men would be questionable in so far as they explain the poet's intention as being of the nature depicted above in contradiction to the accepted codes of the Sastras and popular practice (loka) 14
(7) Even a child would be easily able to distinguish between a living elephant and a stuffed one How, then, could it happen that soch an expert In the elephant-craft like Udayana failed to notice the difference
A close examination of Bhasa's version as embodied in his Pratisyongandharayana reveals that the dramatist has sailed clear of the above objec tions, thus
(1) Bhasa's Udayana has nowhere been emphasized as being desirous of conquest nor a cool-headed wise man On the contrary, it is suggested that be was likely to be misled 1 Besides, he is accompanied by twenty foolsoldiers, though having seen the elephant from the indications of steaks
10 Op at, IV, 41
11 Op at., IV, 42
12 Op at, IV, 43 13 Op at, IV, 44-45 14 Op. clt, IV 46
15 Op. clt, IV 47
16 PRY, I, p 4
यौगन्ध ....
exdiarii carich) gauften e emai
