Five Apbhramsa Verses Composed by Munja the Parmara king of Malava

Author(s): H C Bhayani
Publisher: Z_Agarchand_Nahta_Abhinandan_Granth_Part_2_012043.pdf

Page 3

phodeņti je hiadaü appaņaū tāhā parāi kavana ghện rakk hějjahu lovaho appaņā
bālalė jāyā visama thana
Translation : Those who burst open their own heart-what compassion can they have for others ? Men, be on your guards-the breasts of the young girls have become terrific.'
Apart from the evidence from the Chandonuśasana, some further evidence, although indirect, is now available in support of Muñjś authorship of the abovequoted verses. The Apabhramsa poem Jambūsāmcariya was composed by Vira in V. S. 1076 ( = 1020 A. D.)1 Vīra was connected with the places called Simdhuvarisi and Gulakheda in the Mālava country, which was ruled by King Bhoja from 1010 to 1055 A, D. Bhoja was preceded by Sindhurāja (995-1010 A. D.) and the latter by Muñja (975-995 A, D.) The Jamūsāmicariya was composed some twetyfive years after the death of Muñja. Now from this work of Vira it can be seen quite clearly that not only he was familiar with important literary works of his times including the Apabhramsa works of Puşpadanta (C. 930-980) and Svayambhū (end of the ninth century), but he was also intimately influenced by them. Jambūsāmicariya reveals numerous borrowings in ideas and words, from earlier well-known Apabhramśa, Prakrit and Sanskrit works. Thus Vira cannot but be famliiar with the Apabhramśa compositions of the royal poet Mañja, who was famous also for his literary patronage--so much so that later on it was extolled in such terms as 'gate Muñje yasaḥ.puñije niralamba sarasvati', ? i. e. 'with the departure of the glorious Munja, the Goddesss of Learning has become a homeless wanderer. And from one passage of the Jambūsāmicariya we get an actual indication of the influence of Muñja's Apabhramsa poems.3 Describing the love-lorn condition of the ladies of Rājagpha at the sight of Jambūsvåmin, the poet says:
kähi vi virahāṇal sampalittu amsujalohaliñ kavolelkhittu pallattai hatthu karamtu suņņu damtimu cüdullau cuņņu euņņu kahi vl harsyanmdaņarasu ramei laggamtu anglě chamachamachamei
(Jambūsāmcariya, 4, 11, 1-3).
Translation : 'In the case of some lady the fire of separtion so flared up that it reduced to powder the ivory bracelet that was drenched with tears due to
1. Edited by V. P. Jain, Bharatiya Jñänapitha, Varanasi, 1968. 2. Prabandhacintamani, F. 25, line 2. 3. In this connection it is also significant that Vira has stated that he was closely
associated with the state business. See Jambūsāmicariya, Prasasti, V. 5.
९२ : अगरचन्द नाहटा अभिनन्दन-ग्रन्थ