The Dasa-kumara-carita or 'Adventures of the Ten Princes', contains stories of common life and reflects a faithful picture of Indian society during the period.
The Dasakumaracarita consists of (1) Purvapithika, (2) Dasakumaracarita proper, and (3) Uttarapithika. The Purvapithika consists of five Uchchhvasas of which the first one deals with the birth of the ten boys, the second with the Digvijaya of Rajavahana, the third with the adventures of Somadatta and his marriage with Princess Vamalocana, the fourth with the adventures of Puspodbhava and his wedlock with Balacandrika and fifth with the marriage of Rajavahana with Avantisundari. The Dasakumaracarita porper consists of eight Uchchhvasas which deal with the adventures of (1) Rajavahana, (2) Apaharavarman, (3) Upaharavarman, (4) Arthapala, (5) Pramati, (6) Mitragupta, (7) Mantragupta, and (8) Visruta. The Uttarapithika which is a short chapter by way of supplement winds up the story which ends with the slaying of Manasara and the annexation of Malava to Puspapura and division of the empire into several principalities.
The edition consists of variants, English translation, explanatory and critical notes and an exhaustive introduction. It is designed to meet the requirement of the University students in all respects.
Preface:
The second edition of the present work had become unobtainable for the last two years, but having other works on hand, I was not able to take up the work of revising it for a fresh edition till February last, although my publishers were pressingly after me, there being a demand for copies of the book from the different parts of India ; and in issuing this new edition I have tried to revise it as thoroughly as the short time at my disposal allowed me to do it. Several better readings have been adopted in the text and improvements made in the commentary ; copious additions have also been made in the notes ; a new Index of important words in the text has been added ; while the Introduction has been entirely recast, so as to increase its usefulness to the reader, by making it accord with new information about the work brought to light in recent times. The somewhat extensive summary of the stories has been replaced by a very brief one, as the former was unnecessary, now that a full translation has been added at the end. The translation appended to the last edition, which was originally prepared by one of my friends, was found to be much free, but was printed then with some alternations here and there ; it has now been carefully revised, in some parts almost rewritten, so as to make it quite literal and better suited to the requirements of the University student. In all this work of revision I derived considerable assistance from the editions of Messrs. Agashe and Gajendragadkar, to whom my best thanks are due. Any suggestions &c. as regards further improvements will be cordially welcomed.
BOMBAY, November 1925.
Preface to the Fourth Edition:
The present edition is a reprint of the Third edition which was unobtainable for last several years. My thanks are due to Shri Sundarlal Jain of M/s. Motilal Banarsidass who gladly undertook publication of this work of my father late Shri M. R. Kale, in a short time, to meet the needs of needy students.
V. M. Kale Bombay-16 (DD) September 1966.
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