________________
DHANAPALA AS A PROSE WRITER
21
"The words of Yāyāvara poet i.e. Rājasekhara imbued with virtues such as grace or perspicuity and other qualities and shining with qualities of etymologies, appear like the tendencies of the yogis that are ripe with circumspection and shining with the qualities of concentration." "Mahendra, the sole savant with his literary status is to be eulogised by the learned whose speech brings marvel to the poets whose maturity is suited even to the gems.”2
“Like Siva (Rudra) who is eulogised, being the destroyer of Andhaka full of pride, who welcomes Rudra who destroys the posts blind with hauteur whose Kathā called Trailokyasundarī is full of puns and is graceful."
"To whom would not appeal the sweet saying of Kardamarāja or how appealing wouldn't be the sweet saying of Kardamarāja who has his father the repertory of intellect, for the poet (author of) Trailokyasundarī”4
So Dhanapāla pays tributes to Vālmīki, Vāyas, Guņādhya, Pravarasena, the author of Tarangavati, Jivadeva, Kālidāsa., Pulinda, Bāņa Māgha, Bhāravi, the author of Samarāditya, Bhavabhūti, Vākpatirāja, Bhadrakīrti, Rājasekhara, Mahendrasūri, Rudra and Kardamarāja.
These predecessors of his must have influenced him. He has quoted similes, metaphors and many social and cultural characteristics from the Rāmāyana and Mahābhārata. The very description of Ayodhyā is full of such allusions. Gunādhya might have supplied him the very basis for the plot of his romance. Kālidāsa, Bāna, Māgha and Bhāravi must have given him many sided views about the accomplishment of ornamentation. Gaudhavadha, Bappa, Bhatti-Caritam (Bhadrakīrti) and Trailokyasundari might have supplied him greater details about claboration of descriptive and narrative materials. In verse 37 Dhanapāla remarks that
“Some are skilled in reflection, some in expression, while some take complete interest in the palatability of the narratives; some belaud virtues such as perspicuity etc. while some are skilled in every thing."
441 ART TERTIU: 11 TM. Intr. V. 32. 1. TUTTAT:
W 41941:1 riaatti hi-fiya qay:il Ibid. V. 33. 2. E a aqEr 4:
p rifcbafari :Ibid. V. 34. 3. स मदान्धकविध्वंसी रुद्रः कैर्नाभिनन्द्यते।
Efecacafeta 424 71 HPTEîn lbid. V. 35. 4. सन्तु कर्दमराजस्य कथं हृद्या न सूक्तयः।
afacerERi PR Vate: franil Ibid. v. 36.