Like many works of Old Javanese literature, the kakawin Arjunawijaya
(Arj. ) was first introduced to the wor1d of Western scholarship in 1849
through the well-known report of Friederich, Voorloopig Verslag van het
Eiland Baii. In this report Friederich (1959: 25) says: 'The Arjuna
Vijaya ("the Triumph of Arjuna") is fonned after the Uttarak l4a . . .
It contains the combat of Arjuna with R?vat]. a and his victory.
R?vat]. a is here bound, but not yet killed, because his time has not
yet arrived. Re is to be destroyed by R?ma . . . ' Written in 1849, when
the study of Old Javanese had barely taken the first step in its slow
progress on a long and arduous road, Friederich's report was a promising
start. It is therefore disheartening to discover how, 120 years later,
the Arj. is still little more than a closed book. To the best of my
knowledge there is not one article exclusive1y devoted to any aspect of
the poem, let alone a major publication. It would be an exaggeration,
however, to say that the Arj. is completely unknown to students of Old
Javanese. Short descriptions of the manuscripts of this kakawin, and
even outlines of their contents, have been given in the Catalogues of
the Old Javanese manuscripts in the possession of the Library of the
University of Leiden, and in the few articles and books treating Old
Javanese literature in general. Occasionally a reference to the Arj.
