Bṛhatkathā (Sanskrit, "the Great Narrative") is an ancient Indian epic, said to have been written by Guṇāḍhya in a poorly-understood language known as Paiśācī. The work no longer exists but several later adaptations — the Kathāsaritsāgara (कथासरित्सागर), Bṛhatkathāmañjarī (बृहत्कथामंजरी) and Bṛhatkathāślokasaṃgraha (बृहत्कथाश्लोकसंग्रह) in Sanskrit, as well as the Peruṅkatai and Vasudevahiṃḍi in vernaculars — make commentary on the piece.
The date of its composition is uncertain. According to testimonials by later Sanskrit poets such as Daṇḍin, Subandhu, and Bāṇa, the Bṛhatkathā existed in the 6th century CE.[1] According to other estimates it predates that period by several more centuries. For example, if the story of Udayana by poet Bhāsa (and also later by Harsha in Ratnavali) was inspired by Brihatkatha, it had to be older than the time of Bhāsa — itself uncertain, but before the 3rd century CE.
The earliest extant reference to the Bṛhatkathā seems to be that of Subandhu (600-700 CE) in Vasavadatta.[2]Bāṇa (7th century) refers to it in his romances Harshacharita and Kadambari.[3] A reference by Daṇḍin in his Kavyadarsha is problematic because it describes the Bṛhatkathā as being marvelous and as composed in the vernacular of the bhūtas (evidently Paiśācī). However, the information appears to be second-hand. A fuller reference is provided in Dashakumaracharita, whose author is possibly not the same Daṇḍin.[4] Later references include the Daśarūpa of Dhanamjaya, Nalacampū of Trivikramabhaṭṭa,[5] and Āryāsaptaśatī of Govardhanācārya.[6] A Cambodian inscription (c. 875) expressly mentions Guṇāḍhya and his aversion to Prakrit.[7] The earliest extant Kannada work on grammar and poetics, Kavirajamarga by Nripatunga (c. 850), mentions a now-lost Sanskrit version of Bṛhatkathā by the author Durvinita. We can safely assume the existence of a romantic work by Guṇāḍhya before 600 CE.[citation needed]
Reconstructed contentedit
Relationships of chief characters in the Brihatkatha (as evidenced by the derived texts Brihatkathashlokasamgraha, Brihatkathamanjari, and Kathasaritsagara).
Although several derivative works remain today, they differ so greatly that they cannot be used to reconstruct the Bṛhatkathā in its totality. However, some strong inferences can be made about its content based on their similarities.[8]
Udayanaedit
Due to a dohada ("pregnancy craving"), Mṛgāvatī, pregnant with Udayana, is either covered or immersed in red. A monstrous bird mistakes her for raw meat and carries her away, later dropping her. She is cared for in a hermitage, where she raises her son.[9] Udayana obtains a wonderful lute, elephant-taming skills, and confidants; he and his mother eventually return to their home, Kauśāmbī.[10]
Udayana is later captured by Pradyota, the King of Ujjayinī. Here, he teaches the lute to Pradyota's daughter, Vāsavadattā, and they fall in love.[11] Eventually, they escape to Kauśāmbī, where Udayana's rightful kingship is restored, and they are married.[12] But, fearing Udayana is weakening, and desiring an additional political alliance, Udayana's ministers make him believe that Vāsavadattā is dead, and arrange a marriage to Padmāvatī.[13]
Though he is later reunited with Vāsavadattā, Udayana remains childless. Later, as a boon of Kubera, Vāsavadattā becomes pregnant with Naravāhanadatta (his name means "given by Kubera"),[14] who is fated to become the emperor of the Vidyādharas.
Naravānhanadattaedit
Udayana's life serves as the prelude to the central story of his son, Naravānhanadatta. Unlike his father, who appears in several works unrelated to the Bṛhatkathā, Naravānhanadatta is known only from texts demonstrably linked to the Bṛhatkathā.[15]
Major characters and path of Shiva's story in the legend of Gunadhya, as told in the first Book of the Kathasaritsagara (Ocean of Rivers of Story).[19]
For the origin of Brihatkatha as described in Kathasaritsagara, see the adjacent diagram.[20]
^"Gunadhya" from "The Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature (Volume Two) (Devraj to Jyoti)" by Amaresh Datta, page 1506.
Referencesedit
Lacôte, Felix (1923). Essay on Gunādhya and the Brhatkathā. Translated by Tabard, A. M. Bangalore City: Bangalore Press. (reprint, from the Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society, of Tabard's translation of Lacôte 1908: Essai sur Guṇāḍhya et la Bṛhatkathā at the Internet Archive)
Nelson, Donald (1974). The Bṛhatkathā: A Reconstruction from Bṛhatkathāślokasaṃgraha, Peruṅkatai and Vasudevahiṃḍi. University of Chicago. (PhD Dissertation)
Nelson, Donald (August 1978). "Bṛhatkathā Studies: The Problem of an Ur-text". Journal of Asian Studies. Association for Asian Studies. XXXVII (4): 663–676. doi:10.2307/2054369. JSTOR 2054369. S2CID 147593705.
Penzer, N. M. (1924). The Ocean of Story, being C.H. Tawney's Translation of Somadeva's Kathā Sarit Sāgara (or Ocean of Streams of Story). London: Chas. J. Sawyer. Vol I, Vol II, Vol III, Vol IV, Vol V, Vol VI, Vol VII, Vol VIII, Vol IX, Vol X at the Internet Archive, or as proofread HTML eBook Volume 1-9, including thousands of notes and large appendixes.
Vijayalakshmy, R. (1981). A Study of the Peruṅkatai: an authentic version of the story of Udayana. Madras: International Institute of Tamil Studies.
brihatkatha, bṛhatkathā, sanskrit, great, narrative, ancient, indian, epic, said, have, been, written, guṇāḍhya, poorly, understood, language, known, paiśācī, work, longer, exists, several, later, adaptations, kathāsaritsāgara, कथ, सर, गर, bṛhatkathāmañjarī, ह. Bṛhatkatha Sanskrit the Great Narrative is an ancient Indian epic said to have been written by Guṇaḍhya in a poorly understood language known as Paisaci The work no longer exists but several later adaptations the Kathasaritsagara कथ सर त स गर Bṛhatkathamanjari ब हत कथ म जर and Bṛhatkathaslokasaṃgraha ब हत कथ श ल कस ग रह in Sanskrit as well as the Peruṅkatai and Vasudevahiṃḍi in vernaculars make commentary on the piece Bṛhatkathaby GuṇaḍhyaProbable relationship between versions of the BrihatkathaLanguagePaisaciFormepicThe date of its composition is uncertain According to testimonials by later Sanskrit poets such as Daṇḍin Subandhu and Baṇa the Bṛhatkatha existed in the 6th century CE 1 According to other estimates it predates that period by several more centuries For example if the story of Udayana by poet Bhasa and also later by Harsha in Ratnavali was inspired by Brihatkatha it had to be older than the time of Bhasa itself uncertain but before the 3rd century CE Contents 1 Early references 2 Reconstructed content 2 1 Udayana 2 2 Naravanhanadatta 3 Legendary origin 4 Notes 5 ReferencesEarly references editThe earliest extant reference to the Bṛhatkatha seems to be that of Subandhu 600 700 CE in Vasavadatta 2 Baṇa 7th century refers to it in his romances Harshacharita and Kadambari 3 A reference by Daṇḍin in his Kavyadarsha is problematic because it describes the Bṛhatkatha as being marvelous and as composed in the vernacular of the bhutas evidently Paisaci However the information appears to be second hand A fuller reference is provided in Dashakumaracharita whose author is possibly not the same Daṇḍin 4 Later references include the Dasarupa of Dhanamjaya Nalacampu of Trivikramabhaṭṭa 5 and Aryasaptasati of Govardhanacarya 6 A Cambodian inscription c 875 expressly mentions Guṇaḍhya and his aversion to Prakrit 7 The earliest extant Kannada work on grammar and poetics Kavirajamarga by Nripatunga c 850 mentions a now lost Sanskrit version of Bṛhatkatha by the author Durvinita We can safely assume the existence of a romantic work by Guṇaḍhya before 600 CE citation needed Reconstructed content edit nbsp Relationships of chief characters in the Brihatkatha as evidenced by the derived texts Brihatkathashlokasamgraha Brihatkathamanjari and Kathasaritsagara Although several derivative works remain today they differ so greatly that they cannot be used to reconstruct the Bṛhatkatha in its totality However some strong inferences can be made about its content based on their similarities 8 Udayana edit Due to a dohada pregnancy craving Mṛgavati pregnant with Udayana is either covered or immersed in red A monstrous bird mistakes her for raw meat and carries her away later dropping her She is cared for in a hermitage where she raises her son 9 Udayana obtains a wonderful lute elephant taming skills and confidants he and his mother eventually return to their home Kausambi 10 Udayana is later captured by Pradyota the King of Ujjayini Here he teaches the lute to Pradyota s daughter Vasavadatta and they fall in love 11 Eventually they escape to Kausambi where Udayana s rightful kingship is restored and they are married 12 But fearing Udayana is weakening and desiring an additional political alliance Udayana s ministers make him believe that Vasavadatta is dead and arrange a marriage to Padmavati 13 Though he is later reunited with Vasavadatta Udayana remains childless Later as a boon of Kubera Vasavadatta becomes pregnant with Naravahanadatta his name means given by Kubera 14 who is fated to become the emperor of the Vidyadharas Naravanhanadatta edit Udayana s life serves as the prelude to the central story of his son Naravanhanadatta Unlike his father who appears in several works unrelated to the Bṛhatkatha Naravanhanadatta is known only from texts demonstrably linked to the Bṛhatkatha 15 Equivalents of chief names 16 Sanskrit Tamil Peruṅkatai Kausambi KōcampiUjjayini Uncai UnceṉaiGomukha KōmukaṉHarisikha ArucikaṉKaliṅgasena KaliṅkaceṉaiMadanamanjuka MataṉamancikaiManasavega MaṇacavekaṇMarubhutika Bhuti Marubhuti PutiNaravanhanadatta NaravaṇatattaṉPadmavati PatumapatiPradyota Mahasena Piraccōtaṉaṉ MaṟamacceṉaṉṚṣabhaka IṭapakaṉRumaṇvan Rumaṇvat UrumaṇṇuvaSatanika CataṉikaṉTapantaka TavantakaṉUdayana UtayaṇaṉVasantaka VayantakaṉVasavadatta VacavatattaiVegavati VekavatiYaugandharayaṇa Yukantarayaṇaṉ YukiPlacenames in gray Character equivalents in the Vasudevahiṃḍi Sanskrit MaharaṣṭriNaravanhanadatta Vasudeva 17 Udayana Aṃdhagavaṇhi 18 Legendary origin edit nbsp Major characters and path of Shiva s story in the legend of Gunadhya as told in the first Book of the Kathasaritsagara Ocean of Rivers of Story 19 For the origin of Brihatkatha as described in Kathasaritsagara see the adjacent diagram 20 Notes edit Winternitz 1985 p 346 Vijayalakshmy 1981 p 11 Nelson 1974 pp 19 22 Nelson 1974 pp 33 35 Vijayalakshmy 1981 pp 11 12 Nelson 1974 pp 36 37 Vijayalakshmy 1981 pp 12 13 Reconstruction based on Nelson 1974 pp 324 327 amp Nelson 1978 pp 665 669 except where noted Vijayalakshmy 1981 pp 58 60 Vijayalakshmy 1981 pp 60 62 Vijayalakshmy 1981 pp 60 62 Vijayalakshmy 1981 pp 78 81 Vijayalakshmy 1981 pp 84 86 Penzer 1924 Vol IX p 119 Nelson 1974 pp 16 17 Nelson 1974 pp 330 332 Nelson 1974 p 197 Nelson 1974 p 206 Lacote 1923 pp 22 25 Gunadhya from The Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature Volume Two Devraj to Jyoti by Amaresh Datta page 1506 References editLacote Felix 1923 Essay on Gunadhya and the Brhatkatha Translated by Tabard A M Bangalore City Bangalore Press reprint from the Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society of Tabard s translation of Lacote 1908 Essai sur Guṇaḍhya et la Bṛhatkatha at the Internet Archive Nelson Donald 1974 The Bṛhatkatha A Reconstruction from Bṛhatkathaslokasaṃgraha Peruṅkatai and Vasudevahiṃḍi University of Chicago PhD Dissertation Nelson Donald August 1978 Bṛhatkatha Studies The Problem of an Ur text Journal of Asian Studies Association for Asian Studies XXXVII 4 663 676 doi 10 2307 2054369 JSTOR 2054369 S2CID 147593705 Penzer N M 1924 The Ocean of Story being C H Tawney s Translation of Somadeva s Katha Sarit Sagara or Ocean of Streams of Story London Chas J Sawyer Vol I Vol II Vol III Vol IV Vol V Vol VI Vol VII Vol VIII Vol IX Vol X at the Internet Archive or as proofread HTML eBook Volume 1 9 including thousands of notes and large appendixes Vijayalakshmy R 1981 A Study of the Peruṅkatai an authentic version of the story of Udayana Madras International Institute of Tamil Studies Winternitz Moriz 1 January 1985 History of Indian Literature Motilal Banarsidass ISBN 978 81 208 0056 4 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Brihatkatha amp oldid 1157208093, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
