Abstract:
The reason for chossing the story of Pururavas and Urvasi as the topic of this thesis originates from the idea that the story, which appeared in several forms in the Sanskrit literature of different periods, had substantial variations, causing uncertainty among students regarding the original version or the direct source of other versions. Another point of interest which makes the story of Pururavas and Urvasi a good topic for a thesis is the story itself which has been given a number of interpretations by various scholars. Some interpret that it alludes to a natural phenomenon. Some are of the openion that it is an ordinary folktale. Others believe that this romantic story is a reflection of a certain convention of a people of remote past respecting a certain agreement which was an important condition of the marriage of the bride and the groom. This agreement was later on abolished and finally forgotten, but not before it developed into a simple but lovely myth which remains until later times.The aim of this thesis is to determine which is the original version and which interpretation is most convincing. To achieve this goal, the researcher collected from Sanskrit texts all of the available data concerning the story of Pururavas and Urvasi as well as related pieces of literature and opinions of scholars. These data were translated and critically analysed. The researcher came to the conclusion that the story of Pururavas and Urvasi in the Big Veda was the original which was the direct source of the story of Pururavas and Urvasi in Satapatha Brahmana which in turn developed into many other versions of the story of later periods. It is the researchers believe that the story as found in the Satapatha Brahmana is the oldest version with the most complete details. These details necessarily vary in later stories which are to be expected. Changes are naturally introduces in ordes to suit the new objective, time and classes of literature concerned. With to the various interpretations, the researcher believes that the story reflects a discontinued practice of a certain marriage conditions of some people of antiguity.