ury
A.D., prepared the work now known as the 'Katha Sarit Sagara,' but
probably stories have been added to it since. At present it consists
of eighteen books, divided into one hundred and twenty-four chapters,
and containing three hundred and thirty stories, along with other
matter. Of Gunadhya, the supposed original author, not much is known,
but Vatsyayana, in his 'Kama Sutra' (printed privately for the Kama
Shastra Society) mentions the name of Gunadhya as a writer whose works
he had consulted, and gives frequent quotations from them in his
chapter on the duties of a wife. The exact date of Vatsyayana's life
is also uncertain; some time not earlier than the first century B.C.,
and not later than the sixth century A.D., is considered to be the
approximate period of his existence.

Like the 'Arabian Nights,' it is highly probable that the 'Katha' grew
by degrees to its present size. Gunadhya's original work is apparently
not now extant. Between the time it was written and the time that
Somadeva produced his edition of it, many stories may have been added,
and the same process may have continued afterwards. Somadeva, however,
says: 'I compose this collection, which contains the pith of the
"Vrihat Katha."' Again he writes: 'This book is precisely on the model
of that from which it is taken; there is not the slightest deviation;
only such language is selected as tends to abridge the prolixity of
the work; the observance of propriety and natural connection, and the
joining together of the portions of the poem so as not to interfere
with the spirit of the stories, are as far as possible kept in view. I
have not made this attempt through desire of a reputation for
ingenuity, but in order to facilitate the recollection of a multitude
of various tales.'

The 'Katha Sarit Sagara' contains many stories now existing in the
'Pancha Tantra,' or Five Chapters, in the 'Hitopodesa,' or Friendly
Advice, in the 'Baital Pachesi,' or Twenty-five Stories of a Demon,
and other Indian story-books. Owing to the total absence of dates it
is difficult to determine from what sources all these stories were
collected. But as some of the same fables and animal stories are to be
found in the 'Buddhist Birth Stories,' or Jataka Tales, in the
'Arabian Nights,' and in the 'Katha,' it may fairly be conjectured
that stories of this nature were in early years in considerable
circulation, and used as a means of conveying wisdom and advice both
to the c