Śivadāsa
Encyclopedia
Śivadāsa was the author of one of the best-known versions of stories from the Vetālapañćavinśati or "Vetāla Tales"; a series of nīti-śāstras (tales of political ethics) involving the semi-legendary Indian king Vikramāditya
.
whose audience consisted of young men in the lower nobility with plenty of leisure time and a fondness for amusing stories involving warriors and courtesans. He may also have been an orator/actor who developed his stories through performance and only later wrote them down. He is believed to have lived somewhere between the twelfth to fourteenth centuries AD.
, the true origin of these tales is lost in antiquity.
They appear to have been part of a large corpus of Kathā
(narrative tales) about Vikramāditya that were first written down in Kashmir
during the eleventh century. Several versions exist, the best-known being those by Śivadāsa and Jambhaladatta.
In Śivadāsa's version, King Vikramāditya's kingdom is endangered by the machinations of a powerful necromancer. While planning what to do, he encounters a Vetala
(a form of genie
that inhabits and animates corpses). He asks for the Vetala's help. He is then told twenty-five stories, each of which end with a riddle he must solve to prove his wisdom and knowledge. After solving all the riddles, the genie helps him to vanquish his enemy.
The story is told in the Champu
literary style, (a mixture of prose and verse), which suggests the possibility of Jain influence.
Vikramaditya
Vikramaditya was a legendary emperor of Ujjain, India, famed for his wisdom, valour and magnanimity. The title "Vikramaditya" was later assumed by many other kings in Indian history, notably the Gupta King Chandragupta II and Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya .The name King Vikramaditya is a...
.
The Author
Nothing is known about him for certain. The name is probably a nom-de-plume. Based on what may be inferred from his writing, he was a very well-educated courtierCourtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
whose audience consisted of young men in the lower nobility with plenty of leisure time and a fondness for amusing stories involving warriors and courtesans. He may also have been an orator/actor who developed his stories through performance and only later wrote them down. He is believed to have lived somewhere between the twelfth to fourteenth centuries AD.
The Tales
Though often attributed to BhavabhutiBhavabhuti
Bhavabhuti was an 8th century scholar of India noted for his plays and poetry, written in Sanskrit. His plays are considered equivalent to the works of Kalidasa...
, the true origin of these tales is lost in antiquity.
They appear to have been part of a large corpus of Kathā
Katha (storytelling format)
Katha is an Indian style of religious storytelling, whose performances are a ritual event in Hinduism, and often involves professional storytellers called kathavahchak or vyas, who recite the Hindu religious texts, such as the Puranas, Ramayana or Bhagavata Purana, often followed by a commentary,...
(narrative tales) about Vikramāditya that were first written down in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
during the eleventh century. Several versions exist, the best-known being those by Śivadāsa and Jambhaladatta.
In Śivadāsa's version, King Vikramāditya's kingdom is endangered by the machinations of a powerful necromancer. While planning what to do, he encounters a Vetala
Vetala
A vetala is a ghost-like being from Hindu mythology. The vetala are defined as spirits inhabiting corpses and charnel grounds...
(a form of genie
Genie
Jinn or genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings that occupy a parallel world to that of mankind. Together, jinn, humans and angels make up the three sentient creations of Allah. Religious sources say barely anything about them; however, the Qur'an mentions that...
that inhabits and animates corpses). He asks for the Vetala's help. He is then told twenty-five stories, each of which end with a riddle he must solve to prove his wisdom and knowledge. After solving all the riddles, the genie helps him to vanquish his enemy.
The story is told in the Champu
Champu
Champu or Champu-Kavya is a genre in Sanskrit literature. It consists of a mixture of prose and poetry passages , with verses interspersed among prose sections...
literary style, (a mixture of prose and verse), which suggests the possibility of Jain influence.