632 BLOOMFIELD— CHARACTER AND [April i8, 



and Brhatkathamanjari) the name of Muladeva's companion is 

 Cagin. The commentator Balakrsna, to Bana's Kadambarl, 19.16 

 (Peterson's edition), alkides to him as gaga " Hare."^^ This Cagin, 

 a sort of Leporello to Miiladeva's Don Giovanni, flits across the 

 Miiladeva legend with tantalizing elusiveness : we should like to know 

 more of him. It is rather curious that Devendra's novelette fails to 

 mention him. But I think that he is, after all, there by reflection. 

 When Miiladeva is driven out of Ujjeni by the Mama's machinations, 

 he starts without a penny to bless himself with for Bennayada, where 

 he ultimately becomes king. On the way he comes to an extensive 

 forest. At the sight of it he reflects that, " if he could meet some 

 other person traveling in the same direction, so that he might at least 

 have someone to talk to, the journey through might be pleasant 

 enough," Opportunely there comes along a Dhakka-Brahman, 

 which I take to mean a " Brahman of the Thugs."^" In his company 

 Muladeva crosses the forest. There is regularly a touch of facetious- 

 ness in this road-companionship, but this time the joke is rather on 

 Miiladeva. For three days they travel together. Muladeva has 

 nothing to eat, whereas the Dhakka has a well-provisioned knap- 

 sack. At each meal-time the Dhakka feasts without offering Mula- 

 deva anything, until the time comes for parting. They exchange 

 names and addresses, and Muladeva, tho treated thus shabbily, 

 expresses his gratitude for the companionship. Later on, when he 

 has become king Vikrama, he presents the Dhakka with a village. 

 The curious anecdote seems to me to reflect the companion of Miila- 

 deva, and to serve the additional purpose of placing in strong relief 

 the grateful disposition which the story explicitly ascribes to 

 Miiladeva. 



The Jaina story of Muladeva in Maharastri Prakrit, by the Jaina 

 chronicler Devendra,^^ gathers up the adventures and unfolds the 



'^ The same authority mentions also Acala (Ayala), Muladeva's rival, as 

 one of his friends. Also a personage by the name of Vipula, otherwise un- 

 heard of in the story: Karnlsutah Karatakah steyagastrapravartakah tasya- 

 khyatau sakhayau dvau Vipula-Acalasamjnitau Cagag ca mantripravarah. 



30 See the note below, p. 641. 



3^ Edited by Jacobi, " Ausgewahlte Erzahlungen in Maharastri," pp. 56- 

 65 ; elaborated, or translated by Pavolini, " Vicende del Tipo di Muladeva," 



