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SOME IMPORTANT EPISODES IN THE VASUDEVAHINDI AND THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE BRHATKATHA
J. C. Jain
(Abbreviations used BK-Bgharkatha; BKM-Brhathathamai jari, BXKSBrhatkathaślokasangraha, JHP-Jinasena's Harivamia purāņa. KISS-kathasarit sagara, MKH-Majjhimakhanda (MSS), TSP-Trisastisalakapurugurantu VH-Vasudevahindi)
Introduction
In order to reconstruct the content and form of the lost Brhatkathā (BK), we can begin by stripping the Vasuderahindi (VH) version of the major tales of their obvious additions and distortions and compare the resulting "core" stories with their counterparts found in the Brhatkathaslokasangraha (BKSS), and the two Kashmirian versions : the Kathāsaritsagara (KSS) and the Brhatkathāmañjari (BKM), as well as with other Jaipa sources. There are several key episodes in these works that when carefully pieced together, reveal a clear framework of what could have been the original tale in the BK,
Madanamañjaka's Story
In the BKS and Kashmirian versions, Madanamañjukā 18 clearly one of the most important female characters. Her kidnapping is the initial mainspring of the entire narrative, the first event that leads to all the other adventures in the life of the hero Natavahanadatta, since it is to get her back that he undertakes his fantastic journey in the first place
Of course Madapamañjukā fulfills the first prerequisite of an Indian heroine by being extraordinarily beautiful. She is called even more lovely than the famed Gandharvadattă 1 At
I BKSS (XX.333).
