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Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
243
sermons etc., are inserted in the stories, at all convenient points, with the result that the main flow of narration is hindered every now and then'. Yet the author, with his narrative skill and attractive laguage, manges all these in such an admirable way that one feels like reading these stories again and again.
Stereotyped description is found repeated, in similar contexts, through the whole narration of stories in the Vaddaradhane:
(a) After a particular town (polal) is mentioned with the peculiar Jaina cosmographical setting, the author tells that there rules a king, invariably with his queen or queens, and, at times, with princes, princesses or a minister. Sometimes, such a king or queen is in no way connected with the story proper : In story No, King Prajapala and Qucen Suprabhe (p. 71. 12-13) are not materially connected with any thread of the story.
(b) Almost every queen or important woman in any story is the mistress of exquisite beauty, charm, fortune, lustre, coquetry etc.: ‘atyamta rūpalāvanya saubhāgya kamti hāva bhāva visāsa vibhramamgala- nodeya! : (pp. 20-11, 16.24-26, 17.11-12, 25.11-12, 33.1-2, 51.8-9, 63.4-5, 131.4-5, 163.3-4 etc.)
(c) As the king and the queen both for themselves or together with their sons and daughters, enjoy the desired pleaures of all sorts, time passes: ‘amtavargalista visayakāmabhogamgalananubhavisuttire (kalam sale)' : (pp. 2.11-12, 33.27-28, 50.16-17, 169.18-19, 180.16 etc.).
(d) Moreover, such kings and queens, and a few other characters of fortune, lead a life of happiness and merriment, listening to or narrating tales: ‘sukha samkatha vinodadim kalam sale': (pp. 4.30, 43.5, 45.30, 61.31, 185.12 etc.).
(e) Some kings and queens spend their leisue on the terrace of the seventh storey of their palace and look round them 'saptatala prāsādada megirvarum disavalokanaṁgeyyuttirpannegam' (pp. 43.4-5, 109.3-4 ect.). (f) Almost in every case, marriage takes place on an
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