Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East (Vol. I: Champa; Vol. II: Suvarnadvipa) v2.c20.s5.88

v2.c20.s5.88

Special reference may be made to the Kakawin work, called in Java ‘Nītiśāstra-kawin, but now known in Bali as Nītisāra.⁷ The work may be referred to the closing years of the Majapahit period. It consists of a number of detached ślokas containing wise sayings, maxims, moral precepts, religious doctrines, etc., such as we find in Sanskrit works called Nītisāra, Pañcatantra, Cāṇakya-śataka, etc. in India. In many cases the Javanese verses may be easily traced to the Indian original. For example we have close translations of the following well-known couplets