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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[NOVEMBER, 1876.
BOOK NOTICES. TRE VIKRAMÂNKADEVACHARITA! a Life of King Vikra- time at Jesalmir was limited. But with the help
mAditya Tribhuvana Molla of Kalyana, composed by his of my friend Dr. H. Jacobi, of Bonn, who kindly Vidyapati Bihana, edited with an Introduction by
lent me his assistance during the whole of my Georg Bühler. (Bombay Government Book Depot,
tour in Rajputana, the task was accomplished in 1875.)
about seven days." It is impossible not to admire Sanskrit scholars are frequently reproached the enthusiasm of these two German scholars, who with spending their lives in the study of fiction. managed in so short a time to copy a work consigt. We are told that there is no history in Sanskrit ing of eighteen cantos, the shortest of which except the somewhat unhistorical Rdjatarangini; contains 53, and the largest 151 blokas, written nothing but idle legends and cloudy metaphysics. in ancient Jaina Devanagari. It is supposed that Sanskrit scholars never touch Dr. Bühler's summary of the historical residuum the solid ground of fact until they abandon their of the poem, given in his Introduction, is very carefavourite language for the study of Comparative fully and judiciously done, and few who have the Grammar, and even this study is, we fear, looked patience to read the work itself will feel inclined upon by some as little less delusive than the litera- to add to it or diminish anght from it. The main ture which originally gave rise to it. Abeunt studia
theme of this laudatory poem is royal wars and in mores, and, if our memory does not deceive us, a royal marriages. The poet begins with a short distinguished German novelist makes one of his account of the Chalukya race, and the kings characters, who is represented as a great reader of the restored dynasty which begins with Tailapa; of Tacitus, taunt another with having so thorough he dwells at some length upon the exploits of ly imbibed the subjective spirit of Indian literature Vikramaditya's father, and describes, with all the as to be incapable of distinguishing between fact customary amplifications, the conquests of Vikra. and fiction in the most ordinary relations of life. maditya before his accession to the throne, his
But of late years this reproach has been to a dethronement of his elder brother Bomésvara II., certain extent wiped away. Sanskrit need no his defeat and capture of his younger brother, and longer be considered synonymous with an historical. his numerous wars with the faithless Cholas. The numerous inscriptions discovered throughout Dr. Bühler compares this account with the data India in that language contain, as the readers of furnished by inscriptions, and his conclusions the Indian Antiquary are well aware, the clearest must be of great interest to all engaged in the study references to historical facts. And there is every of mediaeval India. Like most Sanskřit poets, reason to believe in the existence of numerous Bilhan a deals not only with the public life of biographies of Indian princes, written by pandits who his hero, but also with his private recreations and subsisted on their favour, though as yet only two amusements. There is considerable sameness in of any importance have been unearthed the life the domestic life of kings and heroes in Sanskrit of Sriharsha by B & na, and the work which literature. Possibly the love of rhetorical comDr. Bühler lately discovered in Jesal mir, the
monplaces, which leads Bilhans to insert tedious history of the exploits of a king of the Chalukya descriptions of the seasons in his history, may dynasty named Vikramaditya, who reigned in occasionally induce him to ascribe to his hero folKalyana from 1076 to 1127, by the poet Bil. lies which seem to us Western people alien from hana, known already to students of Sansksit li
the character of a great statesman and warrior. terature as the author of the Panchalikd.*
But it is undeniable that there is much truth in An account of the discovery of the Vikramanka Dr. Bühler's remarks :Charita was read by Dr. Bühler before the Asiatic "The description of the king's amusements, to Society of Bengal early in 1874. It was found in which Bilhana, treating them apparently con amore, 3 Jaina library, carefully concealed in an inner allots nearly three whole Sargas, may be considerchamber, the entrance to which was closed by a ed as a faithful picture of the life in the inner revolving stone. After a tedious negotiation, Dr. apartments of an Eastern king. Vikramaditya's Bühler and his friend were admitted into this son, Somes vara IlI., surnamed Bhalokainner shrine of Sarasvati. and proceeded to exa. malla, wrote a handbook of amusements for kings, mine its contents. In the course of their research entitled Managollasa or Abhilashitachintamani. He they came on the palm-leaf manuscript on which
enumerates twenty kinds of sports (vinoda) and aione is based the present edition of the poem. "As twenty amusements (cridx), the latter of which soon as I recognized the great importance of the appear chiefly destined for the harem. They inMS.." says Dr. Bühler," I resolved to copy it. My clude those mentioned by Bilhana. The exciting
• For a short notice of the discovery of this work, vide Ind. Ant, vol. III. p. 89.ED.
