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INTRODUOTION. but most Sanskrit poota hovo lost the nioer metrical feeling with regard to the aryd; they generally avoid use of a vipula.
In conclusion it may be remarked that the Samardicon Kaha liko most old Jaina works in prose or verse of a similar character was to be read aloud before an assembly of hoarers; for much seems to have been the general practice at the time when a considerable moiety of the Jains.community were still abla to understand Prakrit and easy Sanskrit. This practice has left an unmistakable trace in our text. In several places (133, 14. 233, 19. 300, 13.686, 9) some particular story is referred to, or advertised by the word kahānaya-visesena. The stories themselves, howover, are not given in the text, but'were most probably supplied by Haribhadra from memory, or extemporized by him, when he read the work to his hearers. The remark or reminder khhāņayavisesena in his manuscript was duly copied when the first edition of the work was issued (by the layman Karpaisika according to the legendary account, see above p. xviii). In two places (233, 16. 585,9) the context seems to require or presuppose such a particular story though none of our M88. inserts onė at the proper place. The later yatis who read the work to their hearers seem, therefore, not to have supplied them. But in some places traces of their meddling with the text may be found; for there are in one or other MSS. omissions or alterations of passages which cannot be ascribed to a common copyist, but are most probably due to a yati who emended the manuscript which be used for his lecture. There are, however, some later additions, somo of which have been noticed in tho abstract of contents, which were already contained in the codex archetypus, from which all our MSS. are derived.
The present edition is based on the following M88.' :
A. A good, not modern MS. 275 leaves; no colophon. B. Neither old nor good MS. incomplete ; breaks off on
. p. 684, 1. 10. • C. Modern MS. fairly written, 700 leaves; contains the
Text and Tippapf. Colophon at the end :
? My original, notá having been lost in the war, my nooount in not wo dotalled a might be desired.
