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INTRODUCTION
ŚRI BALACANDRASORI
Sri Bālacandrasūri was born at Modherā in Kadi of Brahmana parents Dharādeva and Vidyut. He was named Munjāla. He was initiated by Sri Haribhadrasūri. The best part of his life was spent in the later half of the 13th century of the Vikrama era. Padmāditya the famous Rājaguru of Chaulukyas was his teacher. He obtained Sārasvata: Mantra from Udayasūri, an Achārya in the line of the famous Vadidevasūri. He wrote the famous Mahākāvya Vasanta vilāsa in the beginning of which he himself mentions his having worshipped Sarasvati and having obtained a boon from her to be a Mahākavi-great poet like Kālidāsa. He also describes himself as the adopted son of Sarasvati (Vāgdevīpratipannasūnu). He was thus a Mantrasiddha. He must have written some works on Mantras as would appear from his short Pratyangirā-Kalpa in the form of a hymn. The writer has in his possession the said Pratyangirā Stotra of 25 verses. We give below the opening verse, and also the last verse as it mentions the name of the author.
स्तोत्रं गोत्रभिदादिकरपिसुरैर्माहात्म्यतादात्म्यतः। शक्यं नैव निजावबोधसहितं कर्तु भवत्पादयोः॥ तस्मात्त्वद्वदनोद्गतागमगणव्यारव्यानमारब्यास्यतः। तन्मे नास्ति मनुष्यमात्रवपुषो प्रत्यंगिरे दूषणम्॥१॥
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श्रीमान् बालकविः कृती त्रिभुवने चंद्रः कलासंपदाम् । विख्यातो रचर्याचकार यदिदं दिव्यागमोक्तक्रमात् ।। स्तोत्रं तत्पठतां विनम्रमनसां प्रत्यंगिरा प्रत्यहम् ।
संतुष्टाखिलसंपदः प्रकुरुते सर्वाश्च हत्यापदः ।। २५॥' From the reference in the last verse to Divyāgamā one might surmise that he was a student of the Divyamārga of the Sāktas and their Agamas. He also wrote a drama named Karuņā-Vajrayudha and commentaries on the two noted works of his contemporary Asada named Vivekamanjari and Upadesakandali. He has been praised by Sri Pradyumnasūri in his 'Samarādityasamksepa' as the author of many Prabandhas.
