A Story of Vikrama's Birth and Accession

THE Vetdlapancavinsati in its various Sanskrit versions shows a considerable number of interpolations. Some of these are found only in one manuscript or group of manuscripts, others have become integral parts of a version. One of the former type will be presented in this article, and another will be described. These will complete the list of all such insertions which have been found in available manuscripts. Consequently, it seems useful to classify all the interpolations and to indicate the rationale of their insertion. Two types emerge from the mass and will be treated after a short preliminary account of the versions and plan of the work. The versions of the story-collection known as the Vetdlapancavinsati are five in number according to the hand books on Sanskrit literature.' Of these, Somadeva's and Ksemendra's versions (in the Kathdsaritsdgara and the Brhatkathdmafijarl respectively) may for our purpose be regarded as two versions of one original, the Brhatkathd. Their subject-matter is identical in the Vetdlapaficavinsati section. Jambhaladatta and givaddsa provide a second and a third independent version. The shadowy Vallabhaddsa version is, as I hope to show at some later time, nothing but a sub-version of givaddsa, if it may be dignified with even as much independence as this. We have, then, to deal with three independent versions. Of these the Brhatkathd versions and the givaddsa version agree in their general outline. There is a frame-story in which king Vikrama (this and several other names are used) and the vetalainhabited corpse set out on the road to the false ascetic, the vetala telling stories on the way, and, when they finally arrive, the king, following the instructions of the vetata, outwits the ascetic. The vetdla on the road tells 24 stories, the conclusion of the frame-story being the 25th story which makes up the number of the title. The 24 stories in these versions agree in subject-matter, though 'ivadasa handles the details in a manner which is different from, and independent of, the Brhatkathd versions. We must conclude that these

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