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Studies in Jainelergy, Prakrit
34.3
40
RĀJASEKHARA AND
NEMICANDRA
In his masterly Introduction to the Lilavai (in Prakrit) of Kouhala, Dr.A.N.Upadhye, while recording his critical observations on the Lilavar Prabandham (in Kannada) of Nemichandra, has remarked: “The episode of the magician Mayabhujanga is based on that of Bhairavānanda in the Karpūramañjari of Rajasekhara'.' This remark led me to a comparative study of the relevant parts of the two works, viz., thc Karpūramañjari of Rajasckharaí and the Līlāvati Prabandham of Nemicandra", the parallel points of which I have attempted to present here.
The two episodes, the one of Bhairavānanda presented by Rajasekhara, who lived between 855 and 930 A.D., and the other of Mayabhujamga sketched in detail by Nemicandra, who flourished about 1170 A.D., can be divided into three convenient common parts : (1) The arrival of the magician. (2) His announcement, after he enters the court-hall, of his magical powers or capabilities. (3) His production, through the unfailing power of his magic, of the Heroine.
In all these three aspects, Nemicandra has based the episode of Mayabhujamga on that of Bhairavananda in Rajasekhara. However, in the hands of Ncmicandra, who, unlike Rājasekhara (mainly a playwright), has the greater ambition of writing a novel,
a Śrngārakāvya, it has, naturally, assumed an enormous size, with Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only
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