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62 H. C. BI LA Y ANI

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I had also observcd that the word vaihśa and chatta here are ślista. But the word kuda-varado was obscure and that led M.V. Patwardhan to speculate about the interpretation. Kulkami has observed about the lalter’s attempt, ‘one is left rather unconvinced. But no better explanation is in sight.’

Now all speculation is laid at rest and uncertainty is removed, if we emend varado as barudo. PSM has recorded baruda in the sense of a mat-wcaver. It also gives varurbta in the sense of a kind of artisan and varuda in the sense of an untouchable caste. Actually varuda is given by Hemacandra in the DeśinamamaJa (D.84) as gloss for the word gaibcha which as corrcctly interpreted by Bechardas Doshi (Deii-Sabda-Sarbgraha, 1974), means a craftsman making bamboo baskets, etc. Guj. g&mcho is current in the same meaning, and Guj. vSibsa - phodo ‘bamboo-splitter’ is its synonym. In Hemacandra^ illustrative verse also given under DN II 84 the gaibcha is rcferrcd to as splitting bamboo. Marathi has buruda ‘bamboo worker’.

Hence in the verse from the Prabandha-cińtamani (and from Vagbhata’s KSvySjiuśasana) King Jayasithha Siddharflja is described through VySjokti as a crafty ‘bamboo-splitter’ or mat-weaver (kuda - baruda) who having split vaihia (1. bamboo 2. dynasty) has manufactured (madę) ek-chattra.

(1. umbrclla. 2. Single imperial royal canopy). Compare Kalid3sa’s ‘ekStapatrarh jagatah prabhuUam ’. Hcmachandra is also similarly praised through a VySjokti vcrse whcrein he is described as a gopSla.

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This is one morę of a host of instances of how much the scribal error can prove mislcading. It also strcsses the important role of Modem Indian Lagnauges in undcrstanding and interprcting Prakrit texts.

Notes and References

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1.    Notę : As poinled out by Dr. Bhayani the metrc of the verse is Skandhaka.

The first half of the above vcrse, as restorcd by him, however, faJls short of four matros at its end. Now, the letter co at the end of the first half and ha at the beginning of the second half of the above verse, as printed in the Mysore edition, whcn read conlinuously give us the form cohi, ablalive singular of coha (Sk. ksobhu). As the example is given to illustrate 'kęobhah one of the 24 kinds of mana, this reading coha (Sk. kęobhat) eminently suits the context. We should have no hesitation thcrefore to add the word coha at the end of the first half of the verse and thus fully restore the versc. VMK

2.    Edited by H. C. Bhayani, L. D. Senes No. 96, 1983.

3.    This emcndation is strongly supported by the printed reading in the Mysore edition as the letters of the two readings nearly agree and also by the context. The only