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Observations on some Variants in Harşacarita
with fansafe, the clause yields the sense that seems to have been originally meant here. The messanger had a loose knot made of strip of ragged cloth, rolling on his back. It was loose by long travel. As observed by P. V. Kane, the knot probably contained some coins. It actually was the practice with humble servants and messangers to carry coins in a knot on the back, in the Kuruksetra region, till recently.
t
Though smitten by serious misgivings, Bana sets out to meet the emperor, having full faith in his tutelary deity, Lord Sankara. Some of the epithets used for Siva are open to question. भगवान् भवानीपतिभुवनपतिर्गतस्य मे , 8« rafa (p. 56) appears to be a motley of ill-conceived words, unworthy of a poet of the calibre of Bana. The expression q, though alliterative, does not bring out the competence of the lord to bail his devotees out of difficulties. The epithet a rather highlights his love and solicitude for his spouse alone. And why should. it be presumed that the lord would shower his blessings on Bana only after he had reached Harşa's camp. His grace is unbounded, free from barriers of time and clime. Tae reading should therefore be dropped in favour of what is met in other Mss- भगवान्पुरारातिभुवनगुरुर्गतस्य मे साम्प्रतमाafifa, He who had destroyed the three legendary cities and was master. of the univese, was surely competent to protect his devotees and bestow happiness on them. Bana was convinced that the lord would smoothen everything, when he comes, face to face with the emperor.
221
'अप्रणमद्भिर्गिरिभिरविदूयमानं शौर्योग्मणा (p. 71), that forms past of the stirring description of Harsa intended to project his multifacet personality, unfolds one of its aspects. He was so imbued with valour and bauteur that he could not endure that even mountains should remain stiff before him. Heat causes distress. Harsa would also undergo affliction because of the heat of his prowess if anybody, howsower high and powerful he might have been, didnot pay obeisance to him. He expected submission of all. This is as it should be. The reading affæ gani, दूयमानं, found in some Mss., makes nonsense of the idea, so elegantly expressed by the earlier phrase. means, besides mountain, a king (faufâ qaqfà). It is the latter connotation that goes against its validity. If the kings. did not submit to the emperor, it would be a serious reflection on his prowess and military skill. A court-poet is not expected to imply such an aspersion to his sovereiga even obliquely. Bana, of all poets, could not have used a phrase with so dangerous implications.
4. Harṣacarita (Hc.), Notes, Part-1 p. 107.
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