VIII which is a novel idea of H.M., following his predecessors, the author also makes fun of a few social customs prevalent in South India. In fact, an event that is dealt with at some length in this short play and that prevents even the initiated garbhadhana to be celebrated, is the fixing, by the aged Lingoji and his first wife Purnapolikā (with the assistance of his youthful sccond wife Cinca), the marriage of their adolescent daughter Raktamilika "fresh like mango blossoms". Raktamulikā was already in love with her paternal uncle's youthful son Grijanadri, who also favourably responded to her. But the young girl is suddenly betrothed by her parents to Grijanādri's elder brother Lasuna Panta who is wealthy, too old for marriage, and sickly. This oral agreement was fixed on account of the would-be bridegroom Lasuna Panta agreeing to offer to Lingoji and his wife, large sums of cash in gold coins and also some of his fertile lands where he was profitably growing garlic, onions etc. This gift was to cover his own intended marriage and for his anticipatory cremation rites. That anything may happen to Lasuna at any moment is clear from what happens immediately after his betrothal. For, like a dutiful daughter Raktamulikā agreeing to the new arrangement, comes affectionately to Lasuna Panta and moves towards him. He also happily tries to laugh but getting a spasm falls down in a swoon. Luckily he is revived within a short while. Lingoji and others are of course glad that the rich old son-in-law is alive and Raktamülikä's marriage as well as property have been secured. H.M. while highlighting the greed for money of a few characters, indicates in the Nandi verse itself that even lord Siva advocates the second puruşartha of Artha and has also "acquired abundant wealth" (pracuravibhava - karta). ix The above incident also involves a local custom prevalent in the South Indian families, namely of marriage alliances among related cousins. In the play this practice is said to be a matter for gossip amongst the South Indian pandits themselves who are declared to be, among other things, those "openly making fun of marriage with the maternal uncle's daughter" (matula-kanyopahasa-vikasvarah). At a later occasion also, while the pandit guests from the North India are announced, the dramatist says that the South Indian pandits "who are ridiculing the mutual marriage amongst uncle's daughter and such other topics could be averted since the northerners who are capable of exposing others' faults satirically have just arrived". It could be seen therefore that the häsya situations and characters presented in P.M. are not of the usual type that are found monotonously in many Prahasanas, old and new. The humour sometimes degenerates to obscenity, as in the low quality of the different types of invitees for the garbhadhana function (pp. 46,47). However this coarseness and "slapstick" is an integral part of the features of Sanskrit farces. As shown by Drs. Raghavan and Artola, H.M. had a knowledge of all the Sastras, especially the Alamkära Sastra, as is proved in his Sahrdayananda. The style of H.M. is classical, simple, and smooth, and quite fits in with the general trend of a prahasana. The alamkaras used by him are apt and original. His vocabulary is quite ordinary. Only in some contexts he uses words like "catura' and 'potika in special meanings. In a short work of dialogues and 13 verses, he has used as many as 8 metres Anustubh (verse 13), Indravajra (v.12), Upendravajra
