1879.] G. A. Grierson — Some Kurilier Notes on Kalidasa. 39 



Dalian. This is a poetical composition. 



King. Of what poet ? 



Dalian. Of this ingenious gentleman here. 



King. Let it be read. 



Kalidasa. I proceed to read. But first, let the wanton tinkling of 

 the bracelets on the slender arms of these damsels, beautiful-eyed as 

 lotuses, as they wave their chaunris round thee, be stopped for an instant. 



By this display of learning Dalian was obliged to confess himself con- 

 quered, and ever after Kalidasa retained the post of honour near king 

 Bhoja. 



At King Bhoja's court, there were three pandits whose names are now 

 unknown, but who are called collectively the three S'rutidharas.* Now, 

 one of these three was such that he could repeat a composition when it was 

 repeated before him once, another could do the same when it was repeated 

 twice, while the third could do so when he had heard it thrice. In 

 order to attract poets to his court, King Bhoja offered a prize of a lakh of 

 rupees to any one who could compose an original piece of poetry. Num- 

 bers of poets became candidates for the prize, and recited their original 

 compositions in the presence of the king and the three S'rutidharas : but 

 always with the same result. S'rutidhara No. 1 exclaimed that the composi- 

 tion was an old one, that he had heard it before, and backed his opinion by 

 repeating it, which he could, of course, do, as he had heard it once. Then 

 No. 2, who by this time had heard it twice, also averred that it was an old 

 one, and also repeated it, and the same course was followed by No. 3, who 

 by this time had heard it thrice. In this way all the poets were driven 

 with shame from the palace. Kalidasa, however, was not to be beaten, 

 and going before the king as a competitor recited the following sragdhard 

 verses. 



TT^^r *TT %5TTT5! I 



*nfR w fqcn« ft n 



°\ - 



* A similar trio is met in the Kathd Sarit Sagara, (Introduction — story of Vara- 

 ruchi) . They lived, however, at Pataliputra, being patronized by king Nanda. The 

 three were named Vararuchi, Vyadi, and Indradatta. The story tells how there was 

 a brahman named Varsha, who was an idiot. Kartikeya, however, had granted him 

 as a boon, that he should be endowed with every science, with this proviso, that he 

 could only communicate his learning to a brahman who should be able to acquire it 

 all at one hearing. Vararuchi was such a person, and Varsha communicated his lore 

 to him in presence of the other two. Vararuchi thereupon repeated it to Vyadi, who 

 was able to remember a thing on hearing it twice repeated, — and Vyadi again repeated 

 it to Indradatta, who thus heard it three times, and was then himself able to repeat it. 



