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Kavyanusasana
19
Now we come to the literary work of Hemachandra. Tradition credits him with the authorship of innumerable compositions, to the extent of three and a half crore verses. Some of these works are, however, of doubtful authorship; yet the works, which are undoubtedly Hemachandra's, are so extensive in volume and varied in subject-matter, as to make one agree with those who have conferred upon him the title of 'Kalikālasarvajna - The Omniscient of the Iron Age.'
Hemachandra himself provides us with definite information about his main works.
In the colophon of the T. S. P. C. already referred to, Kumārapāla, after mentioning what he did at the order of Hemachandra, says “Formerly at the request of the devoted king Siddharāja-my predecessor, you first composed a grammar with appendices, and made easy by a good commentary. Then for me you composed the fault-less Yogašāstra and for people (Lokāya ) Dvyasraya, and other Sastras – the principal among them being Chhandas, Alamkrti and NāmaSamgraha. You are always ready to do good to people; yet I make this much request that for the knowledge of people like myself bring to light the lives of sixtythree great men.
"On account of his pressure Hemachandrāchārya composed in fine language the lives of great men with the sole view of imparting Dharma" (v. 18-20). Dramaturgy--has been published in the G. O.S. It throws some new light on the history of Sanskrta Drama. His Kumāra-vihára Sataka is a fine piece of description and gives an idea of what big temples were in those days. The poem should be studied carefully by every student of Gujarat architecture and art.
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