________________ Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra www.kobatirth.org Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir SANSKRIT MANUSCRIPTS. 233 of Hiranyakepin. They consist of a few families in the Tamil land and for reasons unknown, form a subordinate community. They are neither. allowed to uningle, nor to enter into marital relationship with the other classes of Brahmins. The author "might possibly have been a member of that class. His great grandfather was a great scholar and poot famous by the title "Balakavi". His heirs. living at present also affirm that the author was also the recipient of that title. He was the court poet of the King of Tanjore and was removed from that place by the King owing to mischievous plots set on foot by the orthodox Vaisnavites and Madhvas. Being thus left adrift into the world again with no support at all to make both ends meet, he took to agriculture and purchased a buffalo. Owing to the systematic troubles given by the official world he stopped cultivation and com: posed a small kavya "Mahasa Sataka" in which all the officers were severely criticised under the guise of panegyrizing his buffalo. The Maha. Raja learning all these facts, invited him to the Court and gave him many presents. All these incidents are described by Balakavi himself in the introductory verses of his Mahisasataka. The author himself states that Balakavi, was his great grand-father. Saunaka and other Acaryas are referred to in this work. The work is complete and consists of three paricchedasi For Private and Personal Use Only
