Hindu Polity: A Constitutional History of India in Hindu Times c32.s1.44

c32.s1.44

1. The verse 'navaṁ śarāvaṁ' etc. is a memorial verse used in exhorting soldiers in war. Exhortation to soldiers is as old as history; the verse is based on a primitive belief which is reminded thereby—that the faithless soldiers will go to hell. If we consider the following point, it will be evident that it is not possible for K. to have borrowed from Bhāsa, but that he must have borrowed either from some other book or as he implies, अपीह श्लोकौ भवतः, from floating, current memorial verses. The point is that K. gives two verses and the Navam ś. one is the second, reading after the first (X. 3). Without the first it is incomplete. Bhāsa has only the latter one. How could it be said then that K. borrowed from Bhāsa?