The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of Story
"The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of Story" by Somadeva Bhatta is a collection of Indian legends and folk tales written in the 11th century. This vast work contains approximately 22,000 verses organized into 350 interconnected tales. The frame story follows Prince Naravahanadatta's adventures, romances, and battles, but serves as a framework for countless nested stories. Originally adapted from a lost ancient work, these tales blend the miraculous and the everyday, featuring gods, demons, celestial beings, and mortals whose fates intertwine through divine curses and earthly adventures.