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૪૭ Rajasekhara contains several anecdotes regarding Someśvarra and his patrons, the two ministers. It appears from one of the Prabandhas that there was great jealousy between Someśvara and the Jaina Panditas of his time. One of these Harihara1 came to the court of Viradhavala. By his wit and learning he gained the favour of the king as well as of the minister Vastupala. This roused the jealousy of Somesvira, who never attended the court when Harihara was present. But once the king sent for Somesvara, and asked him to read before Harihara a poem consisting of one hundred and eight verses which he (Someśvara) had composed for being inscribed on a tablet in a new temple of Vira Nārāyaṇa, built by the king. Harihara heard the verses, and said they were good-he knew them. The king looked surprised, but Harihara immmediately recited them word for word. Someśvara was overwhelmed with shame. When all left the court, he went to Vastupala and assured him that the poem was really his own composition, and asked him how he could free himself from the unmerited disgrace. Vastupala advised him to seek the friendship of Harihara. Someśvara was obliged to listen to the advice, and when he was thus humbled, Harihara one day went to the king's court and related how he had acquired by certain austerities the power of committing to memory, only by hearing once, any number of verses not exceeding one hundred and eight. He assured the king that the poem in question was an original composition of Someśvara. Someśvara's credit was re-established. The Prabandha goes on to say that Harihara, after some days, left the court, being disgusted with the jealousy of Somesvara.
to the first edition of KIRTIKAUMUDI
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It will appear from the sequel that Someśvara's influence at the court remained undiminished even after the accession of Visaldeva to the throne of Paṭṭana, and that he was able to prove the sincerity of his love to his patron by saving him from the effects of the displeasure of that young king.
I have been told that there is a commentary on Kavyaprakasa written by Somesvara, and also a life of Kumarapala. There is a copy of the first at Jessalmir, and one of the second in the celebrated Bhandara at Paṭṭana. I tried hard to get at this book, but to no purpose.
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As to the poetical merit of the present work, I humbly think that it does show that the author possessed to a certain extent the vision and the feculty divine. It must be admitted that his taste was affected by the corrupt tendency of his age. His work is full of play upon words and all varieties of alliteration. But he employes these generally whenever he is writing on worn out and exhausted topics. Whenever he has got anything new to say, and he frequently has it, his expression is happy and full of feeling. The dream of Viradhavala, containing the wail of the guardian deity of the kingdom of Gujarat for her past glory, is a splendid composition. It is translated into English by Dr. Bühler.-( See Indian Antiquary, page 189, volume VI., Part LXIX). The descriptions of the morning and evening and of the seasons are also remarkable. Some of the reflexions on moral and political subjects are extremely well conceived. In describing the disinterestedness of his hero, he says, he (the minister) was not only free from the desire of appropriating the wealth of the people, but was even above the
1 He is mentioned in Kirtikaumudi. See page 3 (P. 4 in this edition) St. 25.
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