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The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of Story

active 11th century Somadeva Bhatta

and 103; the vultures will remind the English reader of Shakespeare's Julius Cæsar, V, I, 84 and ff.; for the ominous import of lightning see Smith's Dictionary of Antiquities, Art. Bidental; and Preller, Römische Mythologie, p. 172. There is a very similar passage in Achilles Tatius, Lib. V. C. 3. Hôs oun proêlthomen tôn thyrôn, oiônos hêmin ginetai ponêros· chelidona kirkos diôkôn tên Leukippên patassei tô pterô eis tên kephalên. See also Sir Thomas Browne's Vulgar Errors, Book V, Chapter 23, Sec. 1; Webster's Duchess of Malfi, Act II, Sc. II. How superstitiously we mind our evils! The throwing down salt, or crossing of a hare, Bleeding at nose, the stumbling of a horse, Or singing of a cricket, are of power To daunt whole man in us. [686] I read tadanullanghayan with MSS. Nos. 1882 and 2166 and the Sanskrit College MS. No. 3003 has anullanghaya. [687] I read patyus for pitus with the three India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. [688] The India Office MSS. have kasmai dattá vá; but the sense is much the same. [689] It appears from the beginning of the chapter that this was the charioteer of Váyu the chief god of the Wind. In Chapter 115, sl. 57, the wind-gods are opposed to the Daityas. B. and R. identify these wind-gods with the Maruts, s.v. Váyu. [690] Dr. Kern corrects kavachanam to kavacham. The latter word is found in the three India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. [691] I read mauktika for maulika. The three India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS have mauktika. [692] One of the seven hells, (not places of torment). [693] A title of Brahmá. [694] But the three India Office MSS. read ghúrnad for purna. It could, I suppose, mean, "reeling with joy." The Sanskrit College MS. has púruva. [695] The Lokapálas are the guardians of the four cardinal and four intermediate points of the compass. They appear to be usually reckoned as Indra, guardian of the East, Agni of the South-East, Varuna of the West, Yama of the South, Súrya of the South-West, Pavana or Váyu of the North-West, Kuvera of the North, Soma or Chandra of the North-East. Some substitute Nirriti for Súrya and Isání or Prithiví for Soma. [696] The reed was no doubt used as a brush or pencil. The Sanskrit College MS. reads utkanthá-sannapánir aham katham. [697] The three India Office MSS. read atha srutam, which, I suppose, means, "and I heard something too." [698] This line in Brockhaus's text is unmetrical. Nos. 1882 and 3003 read kim nu gáhyate, No. 2166 has na for nu. [699] I adopt Dr. Kern's conjecture of yám for yá. It is confirmed by the three India Office MSS. and by the Sanskrit College MS. [700] This meaning is assigned by Böhtlingk and Roth to the word nerváti in this passage. [701] I follow MSS. Nos. 3003 and 2166 which give jano' nuvritto'pi. [702] Böhtlingk and Roth consider that sákalyaka is the true rending. One MS. certainly has y and I think probably the others. [703] By the canons of Hindu rhetoric a smile is white. Hence this frigid conceit. [704] I read na for tu. Two out of the three India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. give na. [705] Here MSS. Nos. 3003 and 2166 and the Sanskrit College MS. read aprekshápúrvakáriná, the nominative case of which word is found in Taranga 64, slokas 20 and 26. No. 1882 has aprekshyápúrvakáriná. [706] Two of the India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. insert kinchit before tapasám. [707] MS. No. 1882 reads garbhaváse kleso; and this seems to give a sense more clearly in accordance with the sequel of the story. [708] Literally, too careful guarding of his dináras. Dinára is the Latin denarius. [709] Of course we must read avilambitam which is found in two out of the three India Office MSS. and in the Sanskrit College MS. No. 1882 has vilambitam. [710] Viníyate is a misprint for viniyete. [711] We should probably read asranimnagáh with two India Office MSS. No 3003 has asrunimnagáh. [712] The three India Office MSS. give Devasabhásanne, "near Devasabha." [713] The three India Office MSS., read purasatair, "hundreds of cities?" In any case varais should he varair. [714] Böhtlingk and Roth would read svadhishnyáni for swádhistháni in Taranga 120, 25. Here Brockhaus reads svádhisthán rishayas which I find in MS. No 1882; No 3003 has what, judging from the way shu is written in this MS., I take to be svadhishnyányashayas. No 2166 has what for similar reasons I take to be svadhishnánrishayas. The Sanskrit College MS. has svadhishtányrishayas. [715] For árádhayitum Nos. 1882 and 2166 give árádhayan which satisfies the metre. The Sanskrit College MS. has árádhitum. [716] I read akritapunyayoh, not having done meritorious actions. This is the reading of all the India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. [717] The three India Office MSS. give susamiddham, which is perhaps preferable to the reading of Brockhaus's text. The Sanskrit College MS. gives susamitam. [718] MSS. Nos. 1882 and 2166 and the Sanskrit College MS. give lasannavanavádbhutá "is ever displaying new marvels." No. 3003 gives lasannavatavádbhutá. The t is no doubt a mere slip of the pen for n. [719] I read arghyapádyádi in sl. 180, 6; as in sl. 181, 6. The y is found in the three India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. I also read in sl. 179 svagirá datte devenánarthite vare, which I find in the three India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. [720] Two of the India Office MSS. read samayapratibandham; No. 3003 has samayaprativa; clearly some letters have been omitted. The sense would remain the same. [721] Pátála and Rasátala seem to be used indiscriminately to denote "the nether world" in this passage. Strictly speaking, Rasátala is one of the seven Pátálas. The words in sl. 189 which I have translated "regions of Pátála" mean literally "the Pátálas." In sl. 192 the three India Office MSS. read sudrishtayoh "having had a good look at them." [722] I read muchyate with the three India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. [723] The kakôn kai gêraos alkar of Empedocles. Sir Thomas Browne in his Vulgar Errors, Book II. Ch. V, Sec. 11, makes mention of the supposed magic virtues of gems. He will not deny that bezoar is antidotal, but will not believe that a "sapphire is preservative against enchantments." [724] All the India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. read apatyáni for asatyáni. I have adopted it. In sl. 29 two MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. have sarvánga the other sarvángam. I do not understand the passage. [725] Perhaps we may compare this water with that of the river Styx. Hátakí appears to be the name of a river in the underworld. [726] The Sanskrit adjective corresponding to the noun Vidyádhara, is, of course, Vaidyádhara, but perhaps it is better to retain the noun in English. [727] I read áhritya for áhatya. The three India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. have áhritya. [728] Probably the passage also means that they sunned themselves in his rays. [729] I read tapasyantí for na pasyantí. See Taranga 117, sl. 177 and ff. The three India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. have tapasyantí. [730] All the India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. read anupravishtám. [731] Gandharvarájáya in Brockhaus's text must be a misprint. MS. No. 1882 has Gandharvarádvyagraparigrahas which satisfies the metre and makes sense. This is also the reading of the Sanskrit College MS. No. 3003 seems to have the same but it is not quite clear. No. 2166 has vyadra for vyagra. [732] I read tadbháryásachivau; the three words should be joined together. [733] In the original we find inserted here--"Here ends the story of Padmávatí." [734] Káma, the god of love. [735] The central idea of the Birds of Aristophanes. [736] Here Böhtlingk and Roth would read svadhishnyány. Two of the three India Office MSS. seem to read this, judging from the way in which they form the combination shn. No. 1882 is not quite clear. [737] He is a kind of Hindu Solomon. [738] I adopt the correction of the Petersburg lexicographers, vaishamyato for vaisasyato. I find it in No. 1882 and in the Sanskrit College MS. [739] The word anísvara, when applied to the Buddhists, refers to their not believing in a Disposer, but its other meaning is "wanting in wealth." [740] I. q. Benares. [741] As Dr. Kern points out, there is a misprint here, namatyá should be namaty. [742] Or "not cruel in exacting tribute." [743] Glory is white according to the canons of Hindu rhetoric. [744] It might merely mean, cried "All-Hail," but here I think there is more in the expression than the usual salutation. [745] Dr. Kern would read abhyapújayat = honoured. The three India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. confirm Brockhaus's text. [746] A most elaborate pun! There is an allusion to the sea having proved the refuge of the mountains that wished to preserve their wings, to the serpent Vásuki's having served as a rope with which to whirl round mount Mandara, when the sea was churned and produced Srí or Lakshmí. In this exploit Hari or Vishnu bore a distinguished part. [747] I. q., Ceylon. [748] Böhtlingk und Roth explain pratípsa in this passage as werben um. [749] Cp. Iliad XVIII, 417-420. I read pranartayantyau with Dr. Kern for the obvious misprint in the text. The y is found in the three India Office MSS. and in the Sanskrit College MS. [750] In the original trishná. [751] All the India Office MSS. give karnírathávatírná. [752] The word Gandharvá should be Gándharvá; see B. and R. s. v. har with upa and sam. No. 2166 has Gándháras; the other two MSS. agree with Brockhaus's text. [753] B. and R. explain the word khandakápálika as--"ein Stück von einem Kápálika, ein Quasi-kápálika." A kápálika is, according to Monier Williams s. v., a worshipper of Siva of the left-hand order, characterized by carrying skulls of men as ornaments, and by eating and drinking from them. [754] For aruntudais MS. No. 1882 has adadanstachcha, No. 2166 has adadattascha and 3003 adadattuscha. These point I suppose to a reading adadattachcha; which means "not paying what he owed." [755] Skrit. Brahma-Rákshasa. [756] They had heard Dágineya's story up to this point from his own lips. [757] This may be loosely translated "Terror of the gambling saloon." [758] See page 323 of this Vol. s. c. [759] Two of the India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. have indu for Indra; the other has inmu. I have adopted indu. In sloka 100 for dadate No. 1882 and the Sanskrit College MS. read dadhate, which means that the gods' possession of wealth and power depends on the will of Siva. In sloka 89 the Sanskrit College MS. reads ekadá for the unmetrical devatáh. [760] Tryaksha can probably mean "having three dice," as well as "having three eyes." [761] Cp. Vol. II, p. 452. [762] Upáyau is a misprint for upáyayau as is evident from the MSS. [763] The three India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS. give drishti. [764] i.e., Siva in this instance. [765] For the second ditya in sl. 132, b, MSS. Nos. 1882 and 2166 give navya, new. [766] Gold, diamond, sapphire, ruby and pearl. The Buddhists usually enumerate seven: see Burnouf, Lotus de La Bonne Loi, p. 319. [767] Cp. the story that begins on page 186 of this volume. [768] No. 1882 reads snapayata tatkshanát at the end of sl. 194, a. It seems to remove a tautology but is unmetrical. "Take us and cause us to bathe." The Sanskrit MS. had snapayata tatshanam. [769] I read dhúta for dyúta No. 1882 (the Taylor MS.) and the Sanskrit College MS. have dhúta; No. 3003 has dhuta; the other MS. does not contain the passage.