A History of Indian Literature v3.c35.s8.166

v3.c35.s8.166

Just as doubtful as the frame, in which "the Fifty Stanzas" are to be fitted, is also the text of the poem that has suffered further worse in the hands of the copyists than any other popular work of Indian poetry. Of the fifty verses only seven are to be found in all the three chief recensions. Since the poet was of Kashmir and lived in the court of a South Indian ruler, each of the stanzas that are common to the South Indian and Kashmirian recensions should have at the most a claim to be genuine. There are 34 such verses. This great difference in recensions is, in any case, a proof of extraordinary popularity of the poem in India. And also from the stand'point of Indian sensuality the fame of this poem is easily understandable². For the taste of the people of the West, the translators had to make the poem palatable by considerably toning down the ardour permeating Indian the verses³.