Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Kalidasa included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, 鈥榯he five characteristics of a Purana鈥�).
Story of 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补
The greatest poet and dramatist in Sanskrit. Some scholars opine that 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补 flourished in the 8th Century B.C. while others place his date upto the period 11th Century A.D. At any rate most of the scholars consider the period between 1st Century B.C. and 5th Century A.D. as the most probable date of the great poet. Some of the main theories in this regard are as follows;鈥�
Eighth century B.C.
Towards the close of Raghuva峁兣沘 Mah膩k膩vya 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补 has referred to the son of King Agnimitra. Therefore the poet must have lived in the 8th Century B.C. This is the view of the scholar Hippolyte Fanche.
Second Century B.C.
According to Dr. Ku帽jan 搁腻箩腻 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补 lived in the second Century B.C., the reasons for the belief being as follows. The poet was a contemporary of King Agnimitra of the Su峁単a dynasty. This Agnimitra is eulogised in 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补鈥檚 惭腻濒补惫颈办腻驳苍颈尘颈迟谤补. Agnimitra is referred to in the Bharatav膩kya (epilogue) of the drama also.
First Century B.C.
The traditional belief is that 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补 was a member in the assembly of poets and scholars of the court of emperor 痴颈办谤补尘腻诲颈迟测补, who started the Vikrama era in B.C. 56.
"诲丑补苍惫补苍迟补谤颈办峁辫补峁嘺办腻尘补谤补蝉颈峁僪补-艣补峁卥耻鈥�惫别迟腻濒补-产丑补峁弓补-gha峁璦karpara-k膩lid膩s膩岣� / khyato var膩hamihiro n峁沺ate岣� sabh膩y膩峁� 谤补迟苍腻苍颈 vai vararucir nava vikramasya."
Fifth Century A.D.
According to Dr. Keith, 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补 lived in the fifth Century A.D. One Candragupta II, who defeated the 艢补办补蝉 in 339 A.D. was King of Ujjain. He was known as 痴颈办谤补尘腻诲颈迟测补 also. Dr.Keith thinks that the great poet might have been a member of this King鈥檚 court. Perhaps 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补 had remembered his royal patron 痴颈办谤补尘腻诲颈迟测补 in his drama called Vikramorva艣墨ya. Dr. Keith is further of the view that 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补 composed 碍耻尘腻谤补蝉补尘产丑补惫补 after attending the birth celebrations of 碍耻尘腻谤补驳耻辫迟补, son of King 痴颈办谤补尘腻诲颈迟测补.
Sixth Century A.D.
Three scholars, Fergusson, Max Muller and Kern have opined that 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补 lived in the sixth Century A.D.
Whichever be the date of 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补 it could be known from his works that he spent the major part of his life in Ujjain, and was inextricably indebted to the city in many ways. Raghuva峁兣沘 and 碍耻尘腻谤补蝉补尘产丑补惫补 are his two mah膩k膩vyas. He had also written three dramas, Abhij帽膩na艣膩kuntala, Vikramorva艣墨ya and 惭腻濒补惫颈办腻驳苍颈尘颈迟谤补 and a lyric called 峁歵usa峁僪膩ra. He wrote also a world-famous poem called Meghasande艣a.