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Dhammapada Verses in Uttaraljhaya 9
167
susukham bata Jivamo Mithilayam dabyamanāyām
yeşām no nasti kiñcanam Da no dahyati kificanam ||
Comparing pada a of Utt. 9.14 with pada a of Pali Dhp 200 and Uv 30 44, the Utt. verston betrays a higher degree of antiquity through a dio tion of more archaic simplicity which can do without the interjection bata. It is the original answer to ladra's remarks taken by the poet from the common stock of contomporary goomic poetry which well suits the context. Therefore I do not follow Alsdorf's words about it (
oc, p. 14, 12-15): "Consldoring the old fame of this stanza, we shall hardly be wrong in assuming that 10 this case it is not the answer that fits ladra's words but that these words are composed so as to fit the famous stanza 10 order to include it into the samvada" It seems to me demonstrably evident that our stanza evolved from a context preserved by the stanzas 7, 9, 10, 12 and 14 of Utt 9, referring to events in Mithila in a figurative manner. The occurrence of Mithila in Uv, 30. 44c is based on the above quoted anolent Utt. verses and its context. Many of the Dhammpada verses will have originally been embedded in and evolved from a certala context which we do not have any more. In the Utt.-verses under discussion, leading to the climax of concluding verae 14, such a context is fortunately preserved It seems to me less likely that these verses were merely constr. ned for the purpose to have the famous stanza safely 1goluded, which had wide currency. Thus we also find the Mithila-verse in MBh XII (17.18; 171.56, 268.4) of the Poona Edition, referred to by Brough, P. 230, under 168. They all stem from a context reflected by Utt 9, 7--14.
2 Ātmārāmji, I, p. 364, 1 l, layltes to compare Pali Dhp 8, 4(103) with Utt, 9, 34 which reads,
jo sabassam sahassupam egam jiņoja appanam
88game dujjac pie esa ge paramo jao ||
"He may conquer thousands and thousands of (foes) 10 a battle where victory is difficult to be obtained; this is the highest victory, when he conquers one, himself
This 18 the appropriate answer of the king to Indra's words la Utt. 9.32.
I need not quote the Pali parailel which Atmāramji has quoted and which is easily accessible in editions of the Pali Dhp.8
Lot me only quote those parallels which are not saay at band, (1) Patna Prakrit Dharmmapada (Patna Pk. Dhp), XX, Sahasra-vargga,
Verse 3; !
