Indian Source of the Kakawin

Abstract

The primary purpose of the present research was to find an account of the Śivarātri story in India similar to that contained in the Old Javanese kakawin. Before the discussion can commence, however, two things must be pointed out. In the first place the present research can in no way be described as complete. What is found below is simply what has come to light as the result of brief and incomplete searching in both Sanskrit texts and in secondary works about India. In the second place, the nature of the material collected for comparison must be made clear. The Sanskrit texts are taken from the Purānas, works of diverse and sometimes vast content whose origins and distribution throughout India are still obscure. In the case of both the Sanskrit texts and the secondary sources the stories are presented sometimes in great detail, sometimes only the briefest summary is given, and in the case of the secondary sources there is perhaps the added hazard of wrong or partially understood information having been passed on, which only a detailed and thorough investigation could bring to light. In view of this, it was thought best to give a more or less detailed account of the material contained in the Sanskrit texts which have been read, mentioning the secondary material in footnotes only, and, keeping the purpose of the exercise in mind, to devote most attention to that Sanskrit account which was closest to the Old Javanese kakawin.