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The word `avadana' in Sanskrit means good, noble, illustrions or heroic act. A section of Buddhist literature is called `Avadana' because it deals with the tales pertaining to the noble, illustrious or heroic acts of the Buddha or any of his disciples. Through the medium of these tales which were mostly drawn from the folklore of the time, the Buddhist scholars tried to preach the people the law of karma by presenting before them the examples of these tales.

The Sardulakarnavadana is an Avadana par excellence. Through the well-known story of Prakrti, a canda girl and Avadana, an ardent disciple of the Buddha, this Avadana propagates the order in society based on worth rather than birth. It also has a vast store of contemporary knowledge regarding the constellations, stars, planets, omens, dreams etc. and their assumed effect on life on earth. A comparative and analytical study of the same has been presented in this book in a classified manner.