Sambodhi 1977 Vol 06

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 41

Historical data in the...
To create liistorical figures out of the characteristic confusions of the bygone and extant characters is pretty hazardous a task. But it hardly precludes the possibility of screening the characters of the writer of a play in the covert characters of the bygone days in whom he normally reflects his own personality experiencing many dolours and debacies while trudging along in the training of life. Hence to view in Udayana the true replica of Harsa depicted as such in the two plays and in contradistinction to that of Bhāsa, will not be an erroneous proposition to assume here for the solution of our problems.
To start with the identification of Vikramabāhu the king of Ceylon (Simhala) modern Śrılarkā we have three sources of the history of Ceylon available at hand!4, whereby the line of Aggahodhi I (A.D. 568-601) propagated by Aggabodhi II (601-611 A.D.) carried on by Hathadatha alias Dāthopatissa (650-658 A.D.)1 5 through Aggabodhi III, IV, V (not mentioned by these sources) Aggabodhi VI and Vil (759-785 A D.) etc. does not contain any name Vikramabāhu as such. May be that Aggabodhi Il whose period synchronises with that of Harsavardhana was a variant name of Vikramabāhu or Vikramabāhu as such might have reigned between A.D. 611 and A.D. 650, The reign period of Harsa Vardhana (A.D. 606-A.D. 648) about whom these sources have dropped the link in a chain. He might have had a daughter Ratnāvali by name for whose hand Harsa's minister Skandagupta16 represented here by Yaugandharāyana (in the drama Ratnāvalı) contrived a plot for the political gain of his master. Väsavadattā might have been the first wife of Harşa either bearing a variant name or the same name as such because “Parasparagatā loke drśyate nājnatulyatā" 17 She might have been the niece of Vikramabāhu (her mother's brother). Vasubhuti could well might be the minister of Vikramabahu. Babhravya as the chamberlain of Harsa could easily play adjunct to Vasubhati in the endeavours of the two parties. Rumanvan might represent Simhanādals of Avanti!9 (The Supreme minister for the peace and war Maha-Sandhivigrahādhikrt), being the chastiser of the king of Kośala who might have been Pula kesin II who, as postulated by 14 The Vākā aka Gupta Age by Dr. A. S. Altekar and R.C. Majumdar pp. 231-243.
Journal of Indian History (JIH), Vol. 46, Pt. 1, April, 1968, pp. 1-18 Cf. p. 15,
The age of Imperial Kannauj, pp. 167-177. 15 JIH Vol. 46, Pt. 1, pp. 15-16. 16 Aseşagaja Sädhanādhikytanie Skandaguptam HC VI CE p. 678 and Datako'tra
mahapramatāramahäsämananta Sri Skandaguptah. Banskhera CP of Harsa, p. 113, Dr.
B. Upadhyaya. 17 Composed on the parody of Bhisa (SVD VI 14. p. 126, M. R. Kale) Parasparagata
loke dysyate rūpatulyatā 18 HC. VI, asya piturapi mitrai selapatih Samagravigrala prāgraharah.............
Sirihani danāma, pp. 635, 642 C.E. 19 Harsa by VD-Cangal, p. 36.