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MAITRAKA-GURJARA PERIOD
175
A.D.
644
A grant of land was issued by Maitraka Mahārājādhirāja Parameśvara Dharasena IV donating the revenues of the village Yodhāvaka to: a Buddhist vihāra erected by Divira pati Skandabhata at Yodhāvaka in Hastavapra Ahāra in Surāșțra. The Dütaka of the royal edict was Prince Dhruvasena, and it was issued in the (Valabhi) year 326 (644 A.D.) and composed by Divira pati Skandabhata.-(Bhavanagar Plate ; IA., I, 45).
645
From Valabhi, Maitraka Mahārājādhiraja Dharasena IV granted to Brāhmaṇa Arjuna of Bhāradvāja gotra, an emigrant from Simhapura, a land situated near Sarkarāpadraka in Kālāpaka Pathak in Surāṣtra, and to Brāhmaṇa Mankasvāmin of Bhāradyāja gotra, an emigrant from Simhapura, a land situated near villages Kikkațāputra and Sarkarāpadraka. The royal edict was executed by Prince Dhruvasena, and issued in the (Valabhi) year 326, Āsādha su. 10 ( 645 A.D.). It was composed by Divirapati Skandabhața.-(JBBRAS; X 66; IA; I 14).
The Gurjara king Dadda II Praśāntarāga was succeeded by his son Jayabhatta Il at about this time.
646-650
Rāvaņa-Vadha by Bhatti, popularly known as Bhatti-Kavya, the story being drawn from the Rāmāyaṇa, was composed at Valabhi, the capital of the Maitraka kingdom, during the regime of King Dharasena who was, in all probability, Dharasena IV (641-650 A.D.). The Bhatti-Kāvya has 22 cantos narrating the story of the Rāmāyaṇa and at the same time supplying illustrations on grammar, figures of speech and other rhetorical devices. It has, therefore, justifiably been honoured by being commented upon by Mallinātha, the reputed commentator of the Pancha Mahākāvvas.
It is most probably the earliest known specimen of this type wherein the threads of the plot of a story and illustrations on grammar and rhetorics are interwoven. On this model Hemachandra modelled his Dvāśraya Kāvya. It was composed with the two-fold purpose of illustrating the rules of Sanskrit grammar and rhetoric, and of providing literary entertainment. In such a work naturally the poet is smothered by the grammarian. Tradition gives a great position to Bhatti, for his skill in achieving this dual purpose of dubious literary value.
The list of Alankāras given by Bhatti is in a certain measure original, when compared with those of Dandin and Bhāmaha. Its source is still unknown. It is said of this poem that “it is a lamp in the hands of those whose eye is Grammar, but a mirror in the hands of the blind, for others” -(Bhattikävya, Vol. II, verse 33, p. 310):
दीपतुल्यः प्रबन्धोऽयं शब्दलक्षणचक्षुषाम् । हस्तादर्श इवान्धानां भवेद व्याकरणादृते ॥ ३३ ॥
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