Said to have been written by Bodayana whose identity is not known is mentioned in an inscription along side another called prahasna.
An ascetic called bhagavan makes his soul enter into the deadbody of a courtesan by name Ajjuka by his yogic powers after directing his disciple Shandilya to guard his body well.
The God of death finds that the time for Ajjuka's death has not yet come and directs his men to take her soul back to earth and place it in her body. Finding that another soul has already entered her body they place her soul in the body of Bhagavan. Now the real fun starts. The courtesan begins to discourse on asceticism and philosophy while the Bhagavan begins to talk about love to the utter amazement of his disciples. all such incomplete works are found weather serious or mischief but this has been preserved mischief can be seen in the names used too. throwing light on the stateof affairs during the early ages. could be legends too.
Shukasaptathi is another interesting collection of popular tales narrated by a parrot to its erring mistress in order to refrain her from betraying her absent husband. these stories contain very high moral and are narrated in simple prose style. the author or date of the work is not known.
Simhasana dvithishika is another collection of 32 stories supposed to have been narrated by the images supporting the steps of the throne of Vikramadithya to Bhoja who attempted to ascend the throne. The stories recount the great feats of Vikramaditya. the author and date of the work are not known.
Made into tv serial and famous is Vetalapanchavishatika a colection of 25 stories supposed to have been narrated by a vampire to King Vikramaditya. King Vikrama goes to the burrial ground to fetch a corpse hanging from a tree for the magic rite of an ascetic. A vampire that has taken possession of the dead body narates a story to the king while he is carrying the corpse and puts a question in the end. the moment the king answers the vampire returns to the tree with the corpse. everyday the incident is repeated, a new story is narrated and the question is answered. This continues for 24 days and on the 25th day Vikrama proceeds without answering the question and the ascetic offered the corpse as an oblation into the fire and gained his object. He was turned into a semi divine being and he departed after granting the king many boons. these stories are very old first being written in Prakrita dilects. the sanskrit version was written by one Shivadasa in the 12th century A.D.
An ascetic called bhagavan makes his soul enter into the deadbody of a courtesan by name Ajjuka by his yogic powers after directing his disciple Shandilya to guard his body well.
The God of death finds that the time for Ajjuka's death has not yet come and directs his men to take her soul back to earth and place it in her body. Finding that another soul has already entered her body they place her soul in the body of Bhagavan. Now the real fun starts. The courtesan begins to discourse on asceticism and philosophy while the Bhagavan begins to talk about love to the utter amazement of his disciples. all such incomplete works are found weather serious or mischief but this has been preserved mischief can be seen in the names used too. throwing light on the stateof affairs during the early ages. could be legends too.
Shukasaptathi is another interesting collection of popular tales narrated by a parrot to its erring mistress in order to refrain her from betraying her absent husband. these stories contain very high moral and are narrated in simple prose style. the author or date of the work is not known.
Simhasana dvithishika is another collection of 32 stories supposed to have been narrated by the images supporting the steps of the throne of Vikramadithya to Bhoja who attempted to ascend the throne. The stories recount the great feats of Vikramaditya. the author and date of the work are not known.
Made into tv serial and famous is Vetalapanchavishatika a colection of 25 stories supposed to have been narrated by a vampire to King Vikramaditya. King Vikrama goes to the burrial ground to fetch a corpse hanging from a tree for the magic rite of an ascetic. A vampire that has taken possession of the dead body narates a story to the king while he is carrying the corpse and puts a question in the end. the moment the king answers the vampire returns to the tree with the corpse. everyday the incident is repeated, a new story is narrated and the question is answered. This continues for 24 days and on the 25th day Vikrama proceeds without answering the question and the ascetic offered the corpse as an oblation into the fire and gained his object. He was turned into a semi divine being and he departed after granting the king many boons. these stories are very old first being written in Prakrita dilects. the sanskrit version was written by one Shivadasa in the 12th century A.D.
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