Indian Antiquary Vol 42

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 57

FEBRUARY, 1913.)
MISCELLANEA
53
(Leaf 1 (number 3), page 2, lines 4-11). and thereafter, tradition remembered them as From this we learn that Vistnudharma (plural) rivals of almost equal eminence and remembered was a kiloya of Blasa and it was put in the fire a kdvya by the latter named Vishnudharma. for being tested. The commentator, Jonaraja
CHANDRADHAR GULERI. (son of Bhatta Nonaråja, son of Lolarâja) who Mayo College, Ajmer. commented on the Kirátůrjuniya and Srikantha- [There are two works of the name of Vishnucharita also, calls Bhasamuni, and says that he dharna or Vishnudharmottara, of which one, and Vyasa were rivals and one work of each was according to Bühler, is as old as A. D. 500 (ante, thrown into the fire, which, as a referee, did Vol. XIX., p. 408). Both professing to be Purinot consume the excellent work of Bhasa named
nas, one was naturally attributed to Vyasa, who Vishnudharma. It is not said whether the work
is supposed to be the auther of all Puranas. As of Vyasa escaped unhurt. The submission of the
it is inconceivable that one author can compose works of Bhâss to the ordeal by fire is alluded to
two ditferent works bearing one and the same by Rajasekhara in Jalbana's Siktimuktiivali in
name, the other Vishnudharma appears to have the verse
been hoisted upon Bhaga. A rivalry was accordभासनाटकचकेपिच्छेकैः क्षिप्ते परीक्षितम् ।
ingly imagined to bave sprung up between him स्वमवासवदत्तस्य दाहकोभून पावकः॥
and Vyasa, and the tradition about the ordeal of where chhekaih should be taken to mean vidag.
fire which originally pertained to Srapuavasavadhain(critics), and where the surviving work of
datta was transferred to Vishnudharma. outstanding merit is said to be Suapna-V drava.
D. R. B] datta, and not Vishnudharma. The epithet jalana. - SANKARACHARYA AND BALAVARMA mitte (jvalana-mitra=friend of fire) applied to
In a note on page 200 of this Journal for 1912, Bb&sa in Gaudavalo (v. 800) refers, I think, to
Mr. D. R. Bhandarkar has made an attempt this episode in the poet's life rather than to an to fix more accurately the date of SAURAT incident in the play' (of Svapra-Vasavadatta,, as is
charya. His attempt is based on the occursaid by M. Sylvain Levi. Testing the qualities
rence of the name Balavarma in Sankaracharya's of a drama or a poem by its combustibility or
commentary on the Vedantastitras, once under otherwise is indeed quaint. In his Prabandha
Sútra IV. 3, 5 and once under Sátra II. 4, 1. kosha, Rajasekhara-suri alludes to the custom of
A Chalukya chief of the name of Balavarma authors taking their new books to Kashmir where
is mentioned in the Kadaba platest of the works were examined by Pandits and placed
A. D. 812 as the grandfather of Vimaladitya, in the bands of Bhârati or Sarasvati, who sat on
who was the governor of the Kunungil district a throne. If the work was of merit, the goddess
when the plates were issued. The period of this nodded in approval and flowers were sbowered
Balavarma would thus be, roughly, the last quarter upon the poet; if not, it was thrown to the
of the 8th century. Hitherto this was the only ground
inscription in whicb the name Balavarma was Thus there was a tradition in the 12th century found to occur. But I have recently discovered of a kávya named Vishnudharma (plural) of great
three viragals in Hirigundagal and Sankenhalli, excellence by Bh&sa. The fact that Bhasa is
Tumkur Taluk, which tell us that Balavem marasa called muni and a rival of Vy&sa, and the possi
waged a war against the Gangas during the rule bility that Vishnudharmottara, one of the Puranas of the Ganga king Sivam&ra. As the period of going under the authorship of VyAsa, looks like
the latter is also about the close of the 8th the name-sake and counterpart of the lost Vishnu
century, there cannot be much doubt about the dharma by Bb&ss, would, no doubt, be very identity of the Balavemmarasa of the viragals gratifying to Pandit Ganapati Sastri, who, car.
with the Balavarms of the Kadaba plates. Balaried away by the enthusiasm of his discovery, the varma's name also occurs in Maddagiri 93 and importance of which be it far from me to under- Tiptur 10, both of which', tbough undated, prorate, makes Bh&sa anterior to Kautilya Chånakya bably belong to the close of the 8th century. As and Panini. I shall discuss his case for this all the above inscriptions are found in the Tumassumption in another note. But those who are kur district, there can be no doubt as to the not prepared to accept Vysa and Bhisa as con identity of the Kunungil or Kuņungil of the temporaries, would admit that, in the 12th century Kadaba plates with the modern Kunigal of the
1 Chloka is a Pali word meaning skilful, expert, vide Childers' Dictionary sub voce.-D. R. B. 1 Epi. Car., X11., Gubbi, 61; Epi, Ind., IV., 332. See Mysore Archeological Report for 1910, para, 53.
Epi. Car., XII.