________________
Studies in Jainology. Prakrit
407
48
GAHĀSATTASAI
The Gahāsattasai (Gathāsaptasati) is one of the most valuable works of ancicnt Indian literature. It can also be said to have been the first to represent the ancient Indian forlk-poctry. From an excessively large number of verses composed in the Maharastri Prakrit and in the gaha (arya) metre by different numerous poets, Hāla (Sātavāhana), a king of the Andhrabhartyas, selected only seven hundred, edited them and presented them in the form of an anthology under the title Satlasai or Gāhāsattasai. Of these several bear the name of Hala himself.
Hala (Säta ahana) was the 17th King (C.1st century A.D.) in the line of the Andhrabhrtyas, who ruled in the Daksināpatha (Southern India). He was proud of, and partial to, the Prakrit language. Himself a poet, he had in his heart a soft corner for pocts. Bcing of an amorous disposition, he had a life of pleasure and liberally extended patronage to literature and writers. Eminent Poets like Palilta (Padalipta) flourished in his court. While collecting these gālhas, he is said to have paid a large amount of money for some of them.
At first this anthology of Prakrit verses was called Gahakoso (Gathakosa), It contained about 400 gahās. By the 10th-12th centuries A.D, the number of gāhās increased to 700;" hence the anthology began to be called Sattasaī or Gahāsattasaī. Thc boost in the number of gahas and the change in the title of the anthology
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
