Vilasvaikaha

Author(s): Sadharan, R M Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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FOREWORD
It is indeed a matter of great pleasure to place before lovers of Indian literature the present critical edition of Sadbarana's Vilasavaīkaha, a hitherto unpublished Apabhraņģa work.
This edition is based on the two palm-leaf mss. belonging to the Jesalmer Bhandara (Kramānka 267-268 in the 'Catalogue of Sanskrit and Prakrit Manuscripts - Jesalmer Collection, L. D. Series 36).
The author of the Vilāsavaikaha supplies some biographical details in bis praśasti at the end of the work. His remote ancestry goes back to a family of traders, His gana is Kotika, his sakha is Vajra and his vamsa is Candrakula. In the gaccha of Yaśobhadrasūri there flourished Bappabhatuisūri? who was a crest-jewel of the royal court. In this very gaccha there rose Säntisūri who headed the gaccha in the Mathurā territory. He was succeeded by Yasodeya who had a pupil Siddbasenasūri, well known as Sādbārana. Sadhārana composed the Vilasavaskaha at the request of Sahu Laksmidhara, a resident of the Gwalior Fort and the progency of SriBhillamälakula, He picked up the story of the Vilasavaikaha from the Samaräiccakaha (Bhava V) of Ac. Haribhadra (c. 750 A. D.). The Vilasavat was completed in 1123 V. S. (= 1066 A, D.)
Though he has picked up the story from the Samarāiccakaha, he has made it an independent literary work by additions, alterations and elaborations. Āc. Haribhadra divided his composition in Bhavas and wrote in mixed verse and prose in Jaipa Mabārāştri Prakıit, whereas Sadbārana sets out to write in Apabhramśa, the divisions in his work being called Sandhis. The tale of Sanatkumāra-Vilāgavati is a part of a bigger network of tales in the Samarāiccakha and it illustrates the result of nidana, whereas it is developed as an independent tale in the Vilasavarkaha and it illustrates grave consequences of a slight pramāda. The Vilasavaikaha being an independent dharmakatha has a mangala of its own. Though Sadhārana has taken his theme from the Samarāiccakaha of Ac. Hajibhadra he has hardly missed any opportunity to offer a poetic description, to elaborate a context surcharged with some rasa or the other and to sketch a scene decked with poetic embellishments. His descriptions have a poetic flavour and he has a variety of them scattered all over the work. The entire work is divided into eleven Sandhis and each Sandhi consists of several Kada. vakas.