Tilakamanjari

Author(s): Dhanpal, Sudarshankumar Sharma
Publisher: Parimal Publications

Page 15

PARTI
INTRODUCTION PERSONAL HISTORY OF DHANAPĀLA Unlike Bāna who has given a detailed account of his pedigree along with a history of the personal life till he reached the court of King Hars avardhana of Kannauja and Thanesar and returned home to start with the biography of the king in the first two and a quarter of the IIIrd Ucchvāsas of Harşacarita and Introductory Verses of Kādambari Dhanapāla has felt satisfied in giving a very few facts about his pedigree in the last three introductory Verses of his Tilakamañjarī. Besides Tilakamañjarī Prabandhacintāmaņi of Merutungācārya will also form the second source for tracing the personal account of the poet. According to Tilakamañjari'
"There was a twice-born (Brāhmana) born in the abode known conspicuously or popularly Sāmkāsya in the entire range of Madhyadeśa, who, even though adorned with the seerdom among the Dānavas attained to prominence as a seer among the gods”. "He was well versed in the Scriptures, skilled in activities or arts (
fr or Art), attained to perfection in creative faculties and interpretations or philosophical dissertation; his self-born or son came to be a great soul, the illustrious Sarvadeva a peer to Svayambhū or Brahmā".
"Having attained to the smattering of learning on waiting upon the lotus feet of his progenitor, his son, a Brāhmaṇa, the illustrious Dhanapāla, composed this unblemished Kathā. Even though unparalleled in composing sweet sayings of unrivalled import, he was spoken in the court, by the overlord of the earth, Illustrious Muñja, the ocean of all the lores, the speech; like this. Therefore, according to Dhanapāla himself, he was the son
1. आसीद द्विजन्माऽखिलमध्यदेशे प्रकाशशांकाश्मनिवेशजन्मा।
अलब्धदेवर्षिरिति प्रसिद्धि यो दानवर्षित्वविभूषितोऽपि।। शास्त्रेष्वधीती कुशल: क्रियासु (कलासु) बन्धे च बोधे च गिरां प्रकृष्टः । तस्यात्मजन्मा समभून्महात्मा देवः स्वयम्भूरिव सर्वदेवः।। तज्जन्मा जनकाघ्रिपंकजरजः सेवाप्तविद्यालवो विप्रः श्रीधनपाल इत्यविशदामेतामबध्नात् कथाम्। अक्षुण्णोऽपि विविक्तसूक्तिरचने य: सर्वविद्याब्धिना Pin ana hafi anutya eg: 11- TM: Intro., V. 51. 53, pp. 40-42 Vol. I