स्वप्नवासवदत्तम् (महाकवि भास - संस्कृत मूल एवं हिन्दी अनुवाद)

Chânakya, the contemporary of Nanda, not to have followed the rules of Pânini who was only a pupil of Varshopâdhyâya, another contem- porary of Nanda; on the other hand, it only adds grace to its extreme antiquity. It is also possible that some errors might have crept in, as these works which were out of circulation would have passed through the hands of several unlettered scribes.

In the same way, even the defects pointed out by Bhâmaha in Pratijnânâtikâ, to which we have already referred, may be explained.

Bhâmaha considers it extremely improbable that such an illustrious king as Vatsarâja would have been unaware of his enemies' stratagem in resorting to the fictitious elephant, either through the absence of spies or the negligence of his ministers; or that he would not have been mur- dered by his infuriated enemies, while he was alone and had fallen into their hands or that he could not have distinguished a fictitious elephant by day. The first statement does not require any serious refutation, for it is quite possible that even a far-sighted king, with all his spies and his devoted and efficient ministers, in his great eagerness for ele- phant-hunt, might disregard his ministers' advice and proceed alone in haste.

Again, a prudent and generous-minded minister like Sâlankâyana could well have prevented the attempted murder of Vatsarâja on the grounds that it would be more pleasing to his lord if such a valiant and honourable foe could be taken captive, and that it would be a very mean act to kill a captive who was already stupefied by blows. It must be, for these reasons, that Bhâmahâchârya refers to the fictitious elephant as the last ground of his objections; but on a minute examination, even this is of no account, for in Pratijnânâtikâ, Hamsaka, in reference to the deception practised upon Vatsarâja, speaks:—

“ तदो दिउणं विअ अद्धाणं गच्छिअ साळळुक्खच्छाआए सवण्णणट्ठ- णीळदाए परुब्भासिदेहि असरीरविणिक्खित्तेहि विअ दन्तजुअळेहि सूइदो धणुस्स- दमत्तेण विअ दिट्ठो सो दिव्ववारणपडिच्छन्दो ।”