Appointment with Kalidasa

Author(s): G K Bhatt
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 15

Appointment with Kalidasa
(i) A large number of scholars like Lassen, Keith, Bhau Daji, Rameshchandra Dutt, Haraprasad Shastri, Pathak, Mirashi cic. think, with some variations, that Kālidāsa must be assigned to the Gupta period of Indian history.
(ii) On the other hand, William Jones, C. V. Vaidya, Kunhan Raja etc. are inclined in favour of the early date, first century B.C., which is linked with 57 B.C., the beginning of Vikrama Samvat.
Evidence for Gupta Age :
The variations in the opinions of those who assign Kālidāsa to the Gupta age are due to the fact that the period of the Gupta empire extends fron: 320 to 569 A.D.5 Different centuries within this period have been considered for Kāli lasa by different scholars.
Sixth Century A. D.
(i) A poet Abhinanda says in his epic poem Ramacarita that the works of Kālidāsa or the poet himself were raised to unique fame by 'Sakārāti'. This sakārāti is Yaśodharman, the powerful king of Mal-va, who ruled in the sixth century A.D. and who had defeated Mihirakula, the formidable Hun king. Yaśodharman assurned the title Vikramāditya and put his learned friend and poet Mātrgupta on the throne of Kashmir. This Mātrgupta is identical with Kālidāsa. This evidence, which is upheld by Haraprasad Shastri,7 puts Kalidāsa in the sixth century A.D.
Historians find a confusion of history in these assumptions. Huen-Tsang was in India at this time; the king whom he mentions with respect and esteem is not Yaśodharman, but silāditya [ of Valabhi. Further, it does not appear from the inscriptions of Yasodharman that he had taken the title Vikramaditya.
(ii) The famous astrologer Varāhamihira belongs to the sixth century. He fixed the beginning of monsoon as from the first day of the month Aşadha. The reference in Meghadüta, 'aşadhus ya prathamadivase', 8 bears a striking resemblance to Varähamihira's opinion.
However, it cannot establish that Kālidasa was a contemporary of Varahamira. More important is the fact that monsoon breaks in the beginning of Aşadha in some parts of India; and one can see the rain-filled black clouds with one's eves. Is it necessary to seek the authority of a work on astronomy to support such a patent experience ?
(iii) A verse in the Jyotirvidabharanao states that the work was composed by Kālidāsa, who was patronised by Sakāri Vikramaditya, and who was one of the nine jewels' of the king's court.