रामचरितम् /28
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in colour; Salyanirhârini is black and Savarnakṛt is of Babhru colour. This
is not mentioned in the Ramayana.
xxviii
It is not very difficult to discover why the author of the Râmacarita
deliberately changed, distorted, elaborated or shortened the original story
contained in the Râmâyana. This he did, not in a spirit of defiance but with
the most laudable object, namely, to improve upon the story of the Ramayana
and to add an artistic touch to the portions which were quite bland in the
original Ramayana, as also to show the characters of the different persons
dealt with in the poem in their appropriate settings.
It is very likely that the original work of Abhinanda ended abruptly
with the 36th. chapter of the Ramacarita, and that the two
recensions of the last four cantos printed here as supple-
ments to the poem were composed by some other poets in
later times. The Ms. materials obtained from the different
parts of India for the purpose of collation also confirms this belief as most of
them contain only the first 36 cantos of the work.
Incomplete in
the 36th chapter.
The MSS. A and C, however, contain, besides the first 36
sargas, two versions of the last four cantos, (37-40) one attributed to the
author Abhinanda and the other to Bhimakavi. It is probable that Abhi-
nanda did not compose the last four sargas and we are led to this belief
owing to the following circumstances: Firstly, our suspicion is roused
by the fact of the work having two recensions for the last portion, one
composed by Bhîmakavi who asserts that the Râmacarita was left incomplete
by the author and that it was his turn to complete the poem. Secondly, in
both the supplements there is a complete absence of the verses composed in the
praise either of the poet or of the patron king Háravarsa, though they fre-
quently make their appearance in the earlier sargas. Thirdly, there are two
verses at the end of the 36th chapter which also indicate that Abhinanda had
closed his poem with the 26th canto. In the first verse it is stated that this
work of Aryavilasa (Abhinanda) which is respected by the learned persons
should become supreme and famous throughout the country along with the
glory of king Haravarṣa. The second verse is actually a benedictory stanza
which is often to be observed at the end of a work of this kind. In this verse
the author suggests the remainder of the story while saluting and paying his
homage to the army of monkeys and God Siva whom he characterizes as
ultimately responsible for the violent death of Ravaṇa.
Under the circumstances, it is quite plain that the first supplement to
the Râmacarita comprising sargas 37 to 40 were composed
by some other author though the colophons show the author
as Abhinanda himself. The abrupt difference of style
noticeable in this supplement from that of the previous
cantos, and the omission of supplement in several MSS also prove that the
First Supple-
ment.
is not mentioned in the Ramayana.
xxviii
It is not very difficult to discover why the author of the Râmacarita
deliberately changed, distorted, elaborated or shortened the original story
contained in the Râmâyana. This he did, not in a spirit of defiance but with
the most laudable object, namely, to improve upon the story of the Ramayana
and to add an artistic touch to the portions which were quite bland in the
original Ramayana, as also to show the characters of the different persons
dealt with in the poem in their appropriate settings.
It is very likely that the original work of Abhinanda ended abruptly
with the 36th. chapter of the Ramacarita, and that the two
recensions of the last four cantos printed here as supple-
ments to the poem were composed by some other poets in
later times. The Ms. materials obtained from the different
parts of India for the purpose of collation also confirms this belief as most of
them contain only the first 36 cantos of the work.
Incomplete in
the 36th chapter.
The MSS. A and C, however, contain, besides the first 36
sargas, two versions of the last four cantos, (37-40) one attributed to the
author Abhinanda and the other to Bhimakavi. It is probable that Abhi-
nanda did not compose the last four sargas and we are led to this belief
owing to the following circumstances: Firstly, our suspicion is roused
by the fact of the work having two recensions for the last portion, one
composed by Bhîmakavi who asserts that the Râmacarita was left incomplete
by the author and that it was his turn to complete the poem. Secondly, in
both the supplements there is a complete absence of the verses composed in the
praise either of the poet or of the patron king Háravarsa, though they fre-
quently make their appearance in the earlier sargas. Thirdly, there are two
verses at the end of the 36th chapter which also indicate that Abhinanda had
closed his poem with the 26th canto. In the first verse it is stated that this
work of Aryavilasa (Abhinanda) which is respected by the learned persons
should become supreme and famous throughout the country along with the
glory of king Haravarṣa. The second verse is actually a benedictory stanza
which is often to be observed at the end of a work of this kind. In this verse
the author suggests the remainder of the story while saluting and paying his
homage to the army of monkeys and God Siva whom he characterizes as
ultimately responsible for the violent death of Ravaṇa.
Under the circumstances, it is quite plain that the first supplement to
the Râmacarita comprising sargas 37 to 40 were composed
by some other author though the colophons show the author
as Abhinanda himself. The abrupt difference of style
noticeable in this supplement from that of the previous
cantos, and the omission of supplement in several MSS also prove that the
First Supple-
ment.