वासवदत्ता (महाकवि सुबन्धु - श्लेष-प्रधान शास्त्रीय गद्यकाव्य सान्वय सटीक)

A SANSKRIT ROMANCE 75
Then, being urged¹ by the maina, whose curiosity had been
aroused, he began to recount the tale.
[110] ‘There is a city named Kusumapura,² adorned with
whitewashed houses³ that have ‹statues› as the introductions⁴ to
the Bṛhatkathā have ‹heroines›⁵; where ‹children play› even as
the ‹māṇavakakrīḍas›⁶ have metres; that have ‹turrets› as herds
of elephants have ‹must beasts›; that have ‹windows› as Sugrīva's
army had ‹Gavākṣa›; that are situated in ‹pleasant places› as
Bali's abodes are situated in the ‹Sutala-hell›; [111] that is filled
with a population which is ‹Kubēra› yet «Varuṇa», for it is
‹generous› and «wise»; which is a ‹goatherd› yet a «deer», for
it ‹holds fast to passion› and is «delightful»⁷; which is ‹Priyam-
vada› yet «Puṣpakētu», for it ‹speaks kindly› and is «bedecked
with flowers»; which is ‹Bharata› yet «Śatrughna», for it
‹delights in astronomy› and «slays its foes»⁸; [112] which
‹makes the lunar day its highest object› yet «gives no heed to
the lunar day», for it is ‹devoted to lovers› and «gives full heed

¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘repeatedly pressed.’
² With this description of Kusumapura Cartellieri (‘Subandhu and Bāṇa,’ in WZKM.
I. 132) compares that of Ujjayinī in Kādambarī, pp. 102–111, Bombay ed., 1890
(tr. Ridding, pp. 210–214, London, 1896). Kusumapura is, of course, synonymous
with Pāṭaliputra, the Palibothra of the classics, and the modern Patna (cf. Lassen,
Indische Alterthumskunde, I, 2 ed., 167–169, Leipzig, 1867; Hall, Introd., pp. 35–36;
M'Crindle, Ancient India as described in Classical Literature, p. 42, n. 3, West-
minster, 1901).
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘radiant with houses ‹white with auspicious white-
wash› as the peaks of Mount Mandara are ‹delightsome with renowned ambrosia›.’
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘sections.’ Lacôte (Essai sur Guṇāḍhya et la
Bṛhatkathā, pp. 220–225, Paris, 1908), adopting the lambhāir or lambhakāir of
Hall's manuscripts D and F and the commentator Jagaddhara, translates ‘conquests,’
thus bringing the allusion of Subandhu into harmony with the divisions of the
Kathāsaritsāgara and Bṛhatkathāmañjarī (for other interpretations see Speyer, ‘Het
zoogenaamde groote verhaal (de Bṛhatkathā) en de tijd zijner samenstelling,’ in
Verslagen en mededeelingen der Koninklijk Akademie van Wetenschappen, Afdeeling
Letterkunde, 4. 9. 142; Von Mańkowski, Der Auszug aus dem Pañcatantra in
Kshemendras Bṛihatkathāmañjarī, Introd., p. 10, Leipzig, 1892).
⁵ Lacôte (loc. cit.) very plausibly translates śālabhañjikā by ‘vidyādharīs’. (cf.
Jagaddhara's gloss ad loc., śālabhañjikā vidyādharī, ‘śālabhañjikā (is the same as)
vidyādharī’).
⁶ See Weber, Ueber die Metrik der Inder, p. 367, Berlin, 1863.
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘which is ‹Kṛṣṇa› yet «Rāma», for it is ‹eloquent›
and «delightful».’
⁸ Srirangam text, ‘yet «Lakṣmaṇa» . . . and «prosperous».’