Sambodhi 2012 Vol 35

Author(s): J B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 87

Vol. XXXV, 2012
Palaeography As Found In Budhism And Its Antiouity
77
present for 25 priests starting from 12 krshnala (a kind of weight) gold in multiplication of 2. 1-12, 2-24, 3-48, 4-96, 5-192, 6-384, 7-768, 8-1536, 93072,10-6144. Counting this way the highest present or fee for the 25th priest becomes 40,26,53,184 (forty crore twenty six lacs fifty three thounsand one hundred eighty four) krshnal gold. Such a big amount or figure cannot be maintained without writing.
Mahabharata was authored by Vyasa but supposedly written by Ganesha. A fable is most popular about it. Vyasa, being an old man, was unable to write the Mahabharata on his own. He asked Lord Ganesha to be his scribe. Ganesha accepted the offer but with the following condition- He said - I will be your scribe but with a condition that my pen should not stop, i.e. when I start writing, you should constantly go on dictating me the matter and should not stop for a single moment. This condition was not possible even for gods to fulfill. Vyasaji accepted that but with a counter condition. He said- O.K. I shall supply the matter constantly to you but you must know what you are writing, i.e. you must know the purport of the text. On consent of Ganeshaji, the work started. Vyasaji created some puzzling verses that were difficult to interpret so that he could think of the matter deeply by the time Ganeshaji makes the verses clear. Here are some of the verses as examples
खचरस्य सुतस्य सुतः खचरः खचरस्य पिता न पुनः खचरः ।
खचरस्य सुतेन हतः खचरः खचरी परिरोदिति हा खचरः ॥ The son (Ghatolkaca) of the son (Bhima) of Khacara (wind god Pavanadeva) was a flyer (Khacara). But Khacara's (Ghatotkaca's) father (Bhima) was not a flyer (Khacara). Ghatolkaca (Khacara) was killed by the son (Karna) of the sun (Khacara). Khacari (mother of Ghatotkaca) cries loudly calling her son (Khacara).
युधिष्ठिरस्य या कन्या नकुलेन विवाहिता ।
सा कन्या विधवा जाता गृहे रोदिति तत्पतिः ॥ The daughter (Parvati) of Yudhishthira (Himalaya) was married to Nakula (Shiva). She became wife of a special husband (Vidhava). Her husband (Shiva) is crying loudly in house for (the things of his daily use).
Kautilya, in his Arthashastra (4th cent. B.C.), has given direct references of writing. Some of them are as follows
anteitaichaf forfu feiri aluazita i 1.5.2