2023-02-19 13:23:12 by ambuda-bot
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vi
study of the whole work. In some cases it may be
the inability to comprehend the force of a work which
has always attracted several of the best intellects of
the East. Even some Pandits allege that since Ka-
dambari does not treat of any of the acknowledged
sacred personages with the Puranas as its background,
it is not worth their while to waste their precious
time and energy on a study of this book. True it is,
it would have been far better if Bana had taken his
theme from any of the several Puranas which form
the fountain for almost all the classical Sanskrit
works. But this story, taken as it is with slight
modifications of names from the Brihatkatha, was
evidently chosen since it tallied with the author's
own life-story in the guise of that of the parrot
Vaisampayana. This fact will be clear from a perusal
of both Kadambari and Harshacharita.
Though the Uttarabhaga or the second part which
is a continuation of the story by the author's son, is
not as great a masterpiece as the Purvabhaga, still it
may safely be said that only the son of Bana could.
have completed the story as he has done.
For the past ten years I have been a close student
of Kadambari and every time I read it, I found new
and hidden meanings of several passages which did
not strike me before. So much was I struck with
this richness of meaning and wealth of imagination
that I was constantly trying to find out some method
whereby I could present it to the public in such a
manner that the readers might appreciate its real
worth without getting tired of the long and verbose
descriptions contained in it. In one of my several
1
study of the whole work. In some cases it may be
the inability to comprehend the force of a work which
has always attracted several of the best intellects of
the East. Even some Pandits allege that since Ka-
dambari does not treat of any of the acknowledged
sacred personages with the Puranas as its background,
it is not worth their while to waste their precious
time and energy on a study of this book. True it is,
it would have been far better if Bana had taken his
theme from any of the several Puranas which form
the fountain for almost all the classical Sanskrit
works. But this story, taken as it is with slight
modifications of names from the Brihatkatha, was
evidently chosen since it tallied with the author's
own life-story in the guise of that of the parrot
Vaisampayana. This fact will be clear from a perusal
of both Kadambari and Harshacharita.
Though the Uttarabhaga or the second part which
is a continuation of the story by the author's son, is
not as great a masterpiece as the Purvabhaga, still it
may safely be said that only the son of Bana could.
have completed the story as he has done.
For the past ten years I have been a close student
of Kadambari and every time I read it, I found new
and hidden meanings of several passages which did
not strike me before. So much was I struck with
this richness of meaning and wealth of imagination
that I was constantly trying to find out some method
whereby I could present it to the public in such a
manner that the readers might appreciate its real
worth without getting tired of the long and verbose
descriptions contained in it. In one of my several
1