Indian Antiquary Vol 55

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 88

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[APRIL, 1926
The poetry of the inscription is admirable and deserving of close study, but the name of the author is nowhere mentioned. On the other hand Bijjaya Nayaka is belauded in several places. Thus, for example, it is stated that the wise have bestowed upon Bijjaya Nayaka the epitheta Varnnakavi' and 'Kannadajana.' Another verse indicates that Bijjaya Nayaka Was both principal minister and court-poet of Rayamurári Soyi.
The distinctive word 'Kannadajana' appears in several verses. The authors of Lives of the Kannada Poets have quoted several verses containing this word, which they consider may be the special epithet of certain poets, as it appears at the end of their compositions. They cannot however decide to which or what particular poets the epithet was applied, but suggest that they belong roughly to the period about A.D. 1500. Now considering that Bijjaya Nayaka, as is shown by the MAdagih Al inscription, was a renowned poet and was dubbed 'Varnnakavi' and 'Kannadajana' by the wise, is it out of place to suggest that the author of verses bearing the distinctive word 'Kannadajana 'was none other than Bijjaya NAyaka ? If this theory is accepted, we shall have to carry the holder of the epithet back from A.D. 1500 to A.D. 1172. Of what works Bijjaya Nayaka was the author, we unfor tunately have no knowledge whatever.
11. Bhaskara. circa A.D. 1127. Near the Subehdar's Kacheri in Pattanacheru, in the Nizam's Dominions, is an incription of the Chalukya Bhulokamalla Someśvara (scil. Someśvara III), written in Chalukya Vikrama year 51 (=A.D. 1127), which records that on the occasion of his formal installation on the throne Someśvara made a gift of land to the astrologer Nanneya Bhatta, for having fixed an auspicious hour for this great festival. One of the verses of the inscription, which is an ornate composition, declares that one Bhaskara was the author.
12. Bhaskara. circa A.D. 1186. An inscription (Madras Epigraphical Collection for 1916, No. 546) records that when MAlaparasa, the invincible Dandanayaka of the Chalukya Someśvara, was ruling the 'Sindavadi thousand,' he made in Saka 1108 an irrevocable gift of certain land revenues for the maintenance of a lamp to be kept always alight as an offering to the God Sri Mallikarjuna in Nandapur. The concluding verse of the inscription states that it was composed by Bhaskara, who is described as 'Suka vipadmaprabhAkaro,' and is also given the title of Kukavimukhamudra' ('the seal on the lips of bad poets '). Bhaskara was an accomplished scholar of both Sanskrit and Kanarese. The inscription gives no further information about him.
13. Udayaditya. circa A.D. 1198. A certain UdayAditya, whoever he may be, described as 'VasudhanAthana SomanAthana Sutam Cholodayadityam' and 'Somamahibhsinnandanam,' wrote an Alankara work entitled Udayaditydlankára (Lives of Kannada Poets, vol. I, pp. 132–3]. It appears that he was the son of a Chola king, Somanátha, and that he ruled after a formal coronation. The authors of Lives of Kannada Poets suggest A.D. 1150 approximately as the date of this poet.
In the north-western wall of the enclosure of the famous temple of Rameshwar in Tadpatri town, Bellary District, is an inscription containing the following information (Madras Epigraph : Collection for 1892. No. 338). A Maharaja Udayaditya, 'scion of the royal and famous Lunar race,' (Bhuvana prakhydta somanvyajanila), was governing his territory in the palace of Taţiparrapur (Tadpatri), which was the capital of Pennapari-nadu. Udayaditya's father was Somadeva. On the occasion of a solar eclipse on Thursday the 15th Magh, Saka 1120, Kalayukta Sanvatsara, Uday&ditya "made a grant of inam land for the repair of the dilapidated shrine of the gods Chandranatha and Parshvanatha and for defraying the cost of the prescribed worship and for expenses of food, etc." These facts show that the author of the Alaukera work must be this MahArdja Udayaditya,