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SEPTEMBER, 1877.]
THE RAJATARANGIŅI.
267
Kasmirians have been able to detect any differ- Alam kâra who immediately preceded and ence in the style of the two parts. The incorrect followed Kalhana, especially the Haravijaya, Calcutta text is hardly a fair basis for the argu- the Srikanthacharita, Bilhana's Vikramankadevament. The MSS., finally, in which the last books charita, Jonarâja's and Srivara's Rdjataranginís, are wanting are secondary sources, modern trang. &c. A close attention to their style, similes, and cripts, which prove nothing.
turns of expression will solve most of the difficultWhile it is thus not difficult to meet the objec. ies which arise from Kalhana's style. Next the tions against Kalhana's authorship of cantos vii. ancient geography of Kasmir must be minutely and viii, there are some important facts in favour studied. Nearly all the localities mentioned can of it. The first is that the vith canto ends too be identined with more or less precision by means abruptly to be considered the real conclusion of a of the Nilamatapurdna, the Mahatmyas, the later mahakdvya. Secondly, the obscurity of the nar- Rdjataranginis, Sahebr&m's Tirthasangraha, the rative in the viiith canto, of which Mr. Troyer set of native maps procured by me, the large map justly complains, is such as might easily be of the Trigonometrical Survey, and the works and caused in contemporary history by the chroni- articles of modern travellers and archæologists. cler's omitting, as superfluous, details which were But some of the geographical questions will pro80 notorious that he might presume them to be bably require a final re-examinatior in Kasmir. known to his readers, or, to speak more accurate. | As regards the use of the contents of the Rdjataly, to his hearers. Thirdly, and this is the really rangint for the history of Kasmir and of India, conclusive argument, Jonarája, who wrote, about a great deal remains to be done for the earlier two hundred years after Kalhana, a continuation portion, up to the beginning of the Karkota of the history of Kasmir, states distinctly that his dynasty. Kalhana's chronology of the Gonandiya predecessor's work ended with the reign of Jaya dynasties is, as Professor Wilson, Professor simha, which is described in the viiith canto of Lassen, and General Cunningham have pointed the Rajatarangini. He says in the beginning of out, valueless. An author who connects the hishis poem,
tory of his country with the imaginary date of a Grigonandamukhasir dharmasarmukhair & kaleh kila legendary event, like the coronation of Yudhishkašmíraka yapi bhúpair apdli gunaśdlibhih || 4 || thira, and boasts that "his narrative resembles a tes hdm abhagyahemantani atamasi tishthati
medicine, and is useful for increasing and dimin. naiva kaschid apaśyat tart kdvydrkdradaydch ishing the (statements of previous writers regard. chiram || 5 |
ing) kings, place, and time," must always be rasamayyd gird vriddhan nityatdrunyam dpipat sharply controlled, and deserves no credit whatatha fríjayasimhántari tatkirtiria kalhanadvijah | 6 | ever in those portions of his work where his
(4) "From the beginning of the Kaliyuga, narrative shows any suspicious figures or facts. righteous kings, endowed with great) qualities, the The improbabilities and absurdities in the first first among whom is the illustrious Gonanda, three cantos are so numerous that I think the protected Kasmir-land, the daughter of Kaśyapa. Rdjatarangini ought to be consulted much less for
(6) " As long as the darkness of night caused) the period comprised therein than has been done by the winter of their misfortune lasted, nobody by the illustrious Orientalists named above. I perceived them. For late it was ere the sun of would not fill the intervals between the historipoetry rose.
cally certain dates of Asoka, Kanish ka, and (6) " Then the Brahman Kalhaņa gave, by Durlabha ka by cutting down the years of the the nectar of his song, eternal youth to the kings placed between them by Kalhana. But I ancient fame of these (princes), the last among would altogether ignore all Kaśmirian kings for whom was the illustrious Ja ya sim ha."
whose existence we have no evidence from other I think we may trust Jonarkja's word and wc- sources, be it through Indian or foreign writers, cept it as a fact that Kalhana wrote the whole of or through coins, buildings, and inscriptions. If the eight cantos which go under his name.
Kalhana had merely given the stories reported A new attempt to translate and to explain the by Suvrata and other predecessors, there might Rdjatarangins, and to use its contents for the be a hope that we could re-arrange them. But history of India, ought to be made. But it is we do not know what materials he had, nor how a work of very considerable difficulty, and will he treated them, if in any particular case he require much time and patience. As no commen- lengthened or shortened the reigns, and if he distary on the book exists, it is firstly necessary to placed or added kings or not. General Cunningstudy all the Kasmirian poets and writers on ham's constant search for Kasmirian coins, which,
Tan instead of tart is the reading of the Sarada MSS. &c. refers to fame. But the general sense of the passage • In the text the adjoctive translated by last of whom, is the same.
+ Rajat. i. 21.
