- 236 - kautukat tatr-a gatah^" as compared with the Braj , ^ydha suni nrpati bilamba na tava // tupita-him sitrakuta-maha ava II duta-ka baoana 0 »> ® e "7 satya saba dekha // mamdira-maha saba kautuka pekha //n/ The story is written in the poetic form called niatravytta and is intended for recitationo° It is metrically annotated with the abbreviations soh for sorath'a^ oauh for oaupat^ and doh for doha^ The initial verse of dedication is the sole example of soratha and is entirely regular in form. The text follows with groups of five, four, four, and four and a half caupals separated by single dohas and followed by a final group of three dohas and the identification in Sanskrit of the author and story number. The caupals are regular with the exception of the fourth carana of the ninth caupal. It reads, ^kahahu hipra nija katha bakhan^," but in order to scan it in feet having the proper six, four, four, and two instants (matra), it is necessary to render the first a of katha as long and the second short, hence katha. The first and third oapanas of the second doha are also irregular in that the order of syllables in the final foot of three instants is long (with a count of two) followed by short (with a count of one), rather than the permissible reverse or the more common and equally permissible series of three short syllableso The dipthong e is counted as short as often as long throughout the story, and o is seven times reckoned short rather than long.' With one exception, short syllables followed by all conjunct consonants are read as long whether or not the second member of the conjunct is r or h. Nasals as well consistently render preceding syllables long» The translation follows 0 compassionate Sri HanKiishna, as you know me to be your devotee, be merciful unto me. Reverently F bow at your feet and at the feet of RadhS, before you who are kind to the lowly, King Bhoja came the next day, for the pundit had said that the moment was auspicious. Just as he began to mount the lion-throne, the statuette Bijaya said, "He who is worthy to sit on this lion-throne is that king who is most magnanimous." "How magnanimous?" asked the King, "please explain this to meo" "Listen, 0 King, I shall tell you the story. With my own mouth I shall sing of the glory of Bikrama: "One day he summoned his servants and despatched them forthwith to many countries. TWhen you have seen marvelous things,T said he, return with haste, and when you have come, 0 messengers, tell me what you have seen l Upon hearing these words, all of them departed and saw many mountains, forests, and citiesc One messenger, having seen something