Sambodhi 1977 Vol 06

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 40

S, K. Sharma
sent by Udayana under Vijayasena had vanquished the king of Angas and reinstated Dşdbavarma to the throne of the Angas. The chamberlain of Drdhavarma disclosed the identity of Priyadarsika and arranged the marriage.
The themes of the two plays have, of course, been planned as parodies of the theme of Mālavik ägnimitram of Kalidasa which according to the scholars is based upon the story of Bandhumatı as narrated in the Kathasaritsāgara of Somadevalo.
. Regarding the historicity of the political events as well as characters the scholars have doubts regarding the authenticity. Dr. Niti Adaval postulating on the point comments on Priyadarsikā as under:
"With the love story Sriharsa has carefully weaved in the political story of Dydhavarmà, his defeat at the hands of Kalinga and the campaign of Vatsaraja against Vindbyaketu and the King of Kalinga in order, perlaps, to bring out the dhira quality of the hero. This political addition seems entirely imaginary as we find no reference to it anywhere else, not even in the BK (Brhatkathā) recensions. Moreover, the King of the Vindhya regions is mentioned as a friend of Udayana in the BK version of the legend, whereas here he is depicted as Udayana's foe”ll. Regarding Ratnāvalı she remarks!2: "Ratnāvali is only Padmavati of BK. and Bhāsa in a changed form and that the story of the marriage of Padmāvati with Vatsaraja described in the BK. is the source of the plot of Ratnāvali". She even goes to the extent of postulating that the events in the Ratpavalı are fabricated to suit the dramatic purposes of Sriharşa.13
In both the plays Udayana, Vāsa vadattā, Vasantaka, Yaugandharāyana and Rumanvān are the common characters that are legendory as well as historical. In Priyadarsika, Drobavarmā, the Lord of the Angas and sire of Priyadaršikā along with the unnamed king of the Kalingas, Vindhyaketu, the forest-lord of the Vindhya regions, Vijayasena, the army in chief of Udayana seem to be historical personages whose identity shall have to be proved by the process of comparative logic. Similarly in Katnāvali the lord of the Simhalas named as Vikramabahu towards the end of the play, Vasubhuti, his minister, the unnamed king of Kośala, Vijayayarmā deputy to Rumanvān being latter's sister's son and Jayavarmā his elder brother, all strike nearest parallels to the historical personages whose identities shall again require substantiation. Ratnavali guised as Sāgarika and Priyadargikā as Aranyaka equally strike as historical characters in so far as they stand in direct relation to the kings of the Simhalas and Angas as their daughters respectively. 10 KSS II. 6 67–72 pp. 46-47 ed. by Pandita Jagadiša Lāla Šāstri and p. 234 Part I ed,
by Pandita Kedaranātha Śästri. 11 The story of King Udayana, Ch. III, pp. 153-154 12 Ibid., p. 159. 13. Ibid.