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INTRODUCTION
17
Ullasa
Parīkşana Name of the author IV
3
Sri Kumbhkarņa (11)
Kālasena (5) Thus Kumbhakarņa is mentioned 11 times, and Kālasena 5 times. In the body of the text, however, the Ms. C refers to Kumbhakarna as follows: Ullasa Parīkşana Sloka Mention of the Name
Kumbhaņrpopadhiḥ . 96 Sri Kumbhakarņa-Sangita
Gitagovinda, etc.
102 Kumbhabhūbhujā IV.
159 Kumbhagvāmi Thus as far as the three Mss. of Nộtyaratnakosa are concerned, the majority of the references gives to Kumbhakarņa the title of authorship.
We have also consulted the other Ratrakos/as in the Samgitarāja Ms. belonging to the library of the Oriental Institute of the M.: University, Baroda. They uniformly mention in their colophons Kumbhakarna as the author."
The crucial evidence, however, is the mention of Kumbha in Ms. C. in the body of the text of Pariksaņa i of Ullāsa I (p. 3. v, 17. p. 9 v. 96.) whose colophon gives Kālasena as the name of the author. Here, one may say, the scribe has been caught napping.
The colophon of the second Pariksaņa of the fourth Ullasa of Pāțhyaratnakosa mentions Kālasena as the author of the work. The verse preceding the colophon, however, is as follows:
न्यस्य लक्षणसंघातं यस्मिन् मेने कृतार्थताम् ।
aya: Fatu dari sat ASTUTİNE: 11 09 (9.60) Here is a veiled reference to the author. There can be no doubt that the act of depositing (+297) can be properly done in a Kumbha (a jar) and not in Kāla (time or black colour). We, therefore, think that Kumbha is indicated in this verse and not Kāla. If the reference is to the myth of the drinking of the ocean by Agastya, it would also be suggestive of Kumbha, because Agastya is called Kumbhsambhava.
In the light of the evidence discussed above it is reasonable to conclude that as between Kālasena and Kumbhakarna, the authorship of Nrtyaratnakos'a should be assigned to Kumbhakarna.
1. See Appendix I to the Introduction.
