The author of the Sahitya-Darpana [7] speaks of the Katha as follows:
'In the Katha (tale), which is one of the species of poetical
composition in prose, a poetical matter is represented in verse,
and sometimes the Arya, and sometimes the Vaktra and Apavaktraka are
the metres employed in it. It begins with stanzas in salutation to
some divinity, as also descriptive of the behaviour of bad men and
others.' To this the commentary adds: 'The "Kadambari" of Banabhatta is
an example.' Professor Peterson corrects the translation of the words
'Kathayam sarasam vastu padyair eva vinirmitam,' giving as their sense,
'A narration in prose, with here and there a stray verse or two,
of matter already existing in a metrical form.' [8] According to his
rendering, the Katha is in its essence a story claiming to be based
on previous works in verse, whether in this case the original were
Bana's own metrical version of 'Kadambari,' [9] or the work which
was also the original of the Katha-Sarit-Sagara story.
The story of Pundarika and Mahaçveta receives mention, firstly, for
the introduction of death, contrary to the canon; secondly, for the
determination of the nature of their sorrow, and its poetic quality,
and consequent appeal to the feelings of the reader. Firstly: (§ 215)
'Death, which is a condition to which one may be brought by love,
is not described in poetry and the drama, where the other conditions,
such as anxiety, etc., are constantly described, because it, instead
of enhancing, causes the destruction of "Flavour." [10] But it may be
spoken of (1) as having nearly taken place, or (2) as being mentally
wished for; and it is with propriety described (3) if there is to be,
at no distant date, a restoration to life.' The commentary takes
the story of Pundarika as an example of the third condition, and
describes it as a 'case of pathetic separation.' Secondly: (§ 224)
'Either of two young lovers being dead, and being yet to be regained
through some supernatural interposition, when the one left behind is
sorrowful, then let it be called the separation of tender sadness'
(karunavipralamhha). The commentary gives Mahaçveta as the instance,
and continues: 'But if the lost one be not regainable, or regainable
only after transmigration in another body, the flavour is called the
"Pathetic" simply, there being in this case no room for any admixture
of the "Erotic"; but in the case just mentioned--of Pundarika and
Mahaçveta--immediately on Sarasvati's declaration from the sky that
the lovers should be reunited, there is the "Erotic in its form of
tender sadness," for desire arises on the expectation of reunion,
but PREVIOUSLY to Sarasvati's promise there was the "Pathetic";
such is the opinion of the competent authorities. And as for what
some say in regard to the case of Pundarika and Mahaçveta, that
"moreover AFTER the expectation of reunion, excited by Sarasvati's
promise to that effect, there is merely your honour's variety of
"love in absence," (§ 222) the one which you call "being abroad"
(§ 221)--others hold it to be distinct, because of the presence of
that distinction, DEATH, which is something else than merely being
abroad.' These are the passages in which direct mention is made of
'Kadambari,' and in § 735, which defines special mention (parisamkhya)
as taking place 'when something is affirmed for the denial, expressed
or understood, of something else similar to it,' the commentary adds:
'When founded upon a Paronomasia, it is peculiarly striking, e.g.,
"When that king, the conqueror of the world, was protecting the earth,
the mixture of colours (or castes) was in painting, etc.,"--a passage
from the description of Çudraka in "Kadambari" (P. 5).'
References to Bana in other works are given by Professor Peterson, so
that three only need be mentioned here. The first I owe to the kindness
of Professor C. Bendall. In a collection of manuscripts at the British
Museum (Or., 445-447) 'consisting chiefly of law-books transcribed
(perhaps for some European) on European paper in the Telugu-Canarese
character,' one, Or., 446 c., the Kamandakiya-Niti-Çastra, contains
on folios 128-131 a passage from 'Kadambari' (pp. 76-84, infra) [11]
on the consecration of a crown-prince, and the duties and dangers of a
king. It forms part of an introduction to the Kamandakiya-Niti-Çastra
and occurs without any hint of its being a quotation from another
work. The author of the Nalacampu not only writes a verse in honour
of Bana, [12] but models his whole style upon him. A curious instance
of the long popularity of 'Kadambari' is that in the 'Durgeçanandini'
by Chattaji, an historical novel, published in 1871, and treating
of the time of Akbar, the heroine is represented as reading in her
boudoir the romance of 'Kadambari.' [13]