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Authors and Subjects Studied In Rājasthān
८५९
practically all the classical dramas, besides those written by Jain writers themselves. How comprehensive the study of some of the Jain writers could be can be seen from the ai of Ramachandra and Gunachandra who quotes from fifty-five dramas, some of them, now no longer extant. 119 Bhavabhūti, praised by Dhanapala is well known. But in this age, when form predominated over sense, Murari appears to have been specially popular.
of
Jaisalmer has a palm-leaf Ms. of a commentary on Murari by Narachandra120 who is known to have been connected with Jain families in Nagor.121 His Guru Devaprabha's opinion on Murari is worth quoting:
qŝda qża qeu fagaria: gararefa-syafa agar sandteeqnazazygl | aЯdızgaea yea woftđì'quodiaffnar gaar gågûì fastanyà atur: quìfazza: 112
Pradyumnacharya, also, when speaks of his studies of dramas, mentions मुरारिनाटक only, 123 1. 6. अनर्घराघव. Narachandras pupil, Narōndraprabha, on the other hand, exemplies dramas by saying ag-aalangafty", showing thereby that Kalidasa still maintained his supremacy as a dramatist, 124
Minor poets
Rajasthanis must have studied the works of many other poets, now no longer extant. It was not every Kavya that received the encour agement of the Jain teachers. They banned in temples the performance of popular plays like those dealing with the life of Rama and Ravana; they presented only those dramas which induced people either to
119. Published in the Gaekwad Oriental series, see the Introduction, 120. Catalogue of Mss. in Jaisalmer Bhandars p. 215.
121. “ वि. सं. १४०५ वर्षे राजशेखरसूरिमन्त्रिवस्तुपालमातृपक्षगुरुत्वेन सुरत्राणसन्मानितनागपुरीय साधुपूनस्य वन्दनीय कुलगुरुत्वेन च गुरुमेनं समसूचयत् ।
33
(Introdution to
122. Catalogue of Palm-leaf Mss. in the Pattan Bhandaras p. 301. The quoted lines are the first halves of Verses 3 and 4.
I have come across no greater Praise of Murāri.
123. खरतरगच्छपट्टावली of जिनपाल ( unpublished ).
G.O. S. p. 15).
124. aognaglasa, comment on V. 5 of Kāvyas. Narendraprabha says ' काव्येषु, रघुवंशादिषु.
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