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54. Nilakantha Sukla, a romantic and pugnacious Pupil of Bhattoji Diksita and his Works Between A. D. 1610 and 1670 * - So far only two MSS of the poem Cimani-Carita were known. Both of them are in the Govt. MSS Library under the following numbers :- (1) No. 698 of 1886-92, dated Samvat 1800 = A. D. 1744. 66 "miharamunim du (2) No. 357 of 1884-87, dated Samvat 1744 = A. D. 1688. Both these MSS record the date of composition of the work represented by the chronograms "fi" in MS No. 357 of 1884-87 and "fig" in MS No. 698 of 1886-92. In 1928 I proved in a note' published in the Annals of the B. O. R. Institute that the chronogram "fig" found in the MS of A. D. 1688 was correct, being equal to 12 (= = Sun), 7 (g), 1 (g) = Samvat 1712 or A. D. 1656. Recently I have published a paper² on the historical background of the fanatafa in which I have presumed the identity of the author of the Cimani-Carita with the author of a work on grammar called the Sabda-Sobha composed in A. D. 1637, both these authors having the same name and surname viz. nilakantha sukla . After the publication of this paper my friend Dr. V. Raghavan of the Madras University informed me that there is a third MS of the Cimani-Carita in the Anupa Library of Bikaner. Through the courtesy and kindness of the DirectorGeneral of Education of Bikaner and the Librarian of the above library I got prepared a copy of this MS which bears No. 3036 of that Library. This MS is very important as it is dated "Samvat 1726" = A. D. 1670. It was written 14 years after the date of * New Indian Antiquary, Vol. V, pp. 177-183. 1. Annals, Vol. X, pp. 331-332. 2. Vide pp. 149-158 of the Poona Orientalist, Vol. VI, (1941- "The Historical Background of the Cimani-Carita, a Romantic lovepoem by a pupil of Bhattoji Diksita dealing with the love of the daughter-in-law of Allaha Vardi Khan Turkman (Between A. D. 1606-1659)." (468)

composition of the Cimani-Carita. It is also older than the B. O. R. Institute MS of A. D. 1688 by 18 years. We get, therefore, the following dates of the work and its subsequent copies :- A. D. 1656 Cimani-Carita composed by a 1670 Date of the Bikaner copy of the poem. - . 66 " 1688 ,, 1744 " } Dates of the B. O. R. I. MSS of the poem. Bikaner MS of the poem useful from the textual " It is clear from the above dates that the is the oldest dated copy and hence very point of view. This copy contains the correct reading of the chronogram viz. "fa" unlike the approximately correct "mihira munindu reading miharamunindu " or the hopelessly incorrect reading 'mahismunimdradu " or its suggested emendation "mahimunimdra " ( = 1471 Samvat) by Peterson. The Bikaner MS justifies my correct interpretation of the date viz. A. D. 1656 and at the same time illustrates the importance of the oldest-dated copies of works not only for determining their texts but also for the verification of dates left uncertain by the readings of comparatively later copies of these works. It should, therefore, be noted that in the present stage of our chronology we must endeavour to bring to the notice of scholars all dated MSS' of works and then to point out the oldest dated MSS of these works. I have accordingly published some papers on these lines with a view to studying the chronological perspective of both the original works and their subsequent copies. With these remarks about the oldest dated MS of the Cimani-Carita I record below my evidence regarding the identity of the authors of the Cimani-Carita (a love poem) and the Sabdasobha (a work on grammar). This work was composed in A. D. 1637.3 A MS of this work is dated 1680 (Samvat 1736). This is 1. My friend Dr. S. M. Katre has been collecting some data regarding dated MSS in different MSS Libraries. 2. So far I have published the following papers on the oldest dated MSS of works: Annals (B. O. R. I.) Vol. XX. pp. 145-152; A. Vol. XX, pp. i-iv; J. O. R. (Madras), Vol. XIII, pt. i, pp. 47-53; NIA. Vol. I, pp. 249-253; NIA, Vol. I, pp. 558-561. 3. Vide Annals (Tirupati ) Vol. I, pt. 2 - My paper on Bhattoji Diksita, p. 122. 4. MS No. 183 of 1882-83 in the Govt. MSS Library (B. O. R. Institute). The Bikaner copy of the Cimani-Carita was prepared in A. D. 1670.

the oldest dated MS of the Sabdasobha so far discovered by me. In the concluding verses' of the Sabdasobha we get the following details about its author :- ( 1 ) He was the son of sukla janardana . (2) He was the son of the daughter of one vachacarya . ' (3) He was the pupil of bhattojidiksita and had studied sabdasastra . (4) His name was nilakamtha kavi . There are similar verses at the end of the cimanicarita, which 1. These verses read as follows in MS No. 183 of A 1882-83 :- " sukkujanardanaputro vachacaryasya dauhitrah | abhyastasabdasastro bhattojidiksitachatrah || 1|| mahasi praptanijajanma kavi nita (la) sarma nirmitamenam | vinirmame saivah || 2 || yadyapi khala baha loci na drsaklesastadapyesah | tusyatu tadeva tejo vilasati yasya prasadoyam || 3 || trinavasadekamabdetikramte vikramadityat | sivaratrau sivapadayo nijakrtiradhayi nilakamthena | " The chronogram trinavasadeka = Samvat 1693 = A. D. 1637, the date of composition. 2. This vachacarya needs to be identified. 3. I quote verses from the Bikaner MS of the Cimani. Carita dated A. D. 1670 :- 65 sukkajanardanaputro vachacaryasya dauhitrah | pathitalamkrtisastro bhattasri mamdanachatrah || hirabhidhana pativrata mahasiprapta nijajanma | kavi nilakamthasarma niramaccimanicaritramidam || mihiramunindumitebdetikramte vikramadityat | sivaratri sivapadayo nijakrtiradhayi nilakamthena || iti nilakamthakavikalpitam cimanicaritre samaptam | samvata 1726 || " The genealogy of the author as recorded in the above verses is as follows :- janardana sukla x hira daughter of vachacarya Son nilakamtha [ pupil of bhatta srimamdana who was his guru in alamkarasastra pare the epithet verses of sabdasobha ]. (pathitalamkrtisastrah ). Com- abhyastasabdasastra " in the 66

bear close objective similarity to the verses at the end of the Sabdasobha, besides furnishing identical details regarding parentage. The verses of the Cimani-Carita give us two important details about nilakamtha sukla viz. (1) hira, the name of his mother, (2) bhatta srimamdana the guru of nilakamtha in alamkrtisastra . While in the sabdasobha he states that he was the pupil of bhattojidiksita, in the cimanicarita he states that he studied almkrtisastra under d fz,' whose identity needs to be investigated. It is clear from the verses about Nilakantha in the Cimani-Carita and the Sabdasobha that these works are by the same author as they contain identical particulars viz:- (1), the name of the author. (2) sukka janardana, the name of his father. (3) vachacarya, the name of the matamaha of the author. (4) Both the works viz. (A. D. 1637) and fata (A. D. 1656) were completed and dedicated to god fTa on a fcIf day. (In both these works we find the following line com- sivaratrau sivapadaye nijakrtiradhayi nilakamthena " ). To these details common to both the works we may add the following found in either of these works:mon:- 66 (5) bhattojidiksita was his guru in sabdasastra . (6) bhatta srimamdana was his guru in alamkrtisastra . (7) hira was the name of his mother, the daughter of vachacarya, who was the maternal grandfather of nilakamtha . My study of the Cimani-Carita has proved the romantic nature of Nilakantha Shukla. He appears to have composed this work in his old age (in A.D. 1656) when he was no longer under the influence of the veteran grammarian Bhattoji Dikshita, his early guru in We must, therefore, see if our author of a romantic bent of mind composed any works on the lines of the Cimani-Carita, based on a contemporary scandal in the harem of Allah-Vardi-Khan Turkman, a great Muslim nobleman of Shah Jahan's Court (between A. D. 1606 and 1660 or so). 1. I wonder if H 3, the guru of af in Alamkarasastra is identical with mandanamisra sahityarasaposin, the author of nanarthasabdanu- (Vide Burnell's Cata. of Tanjore MSS, p. 50, London, 1879). This work is described as a dictionary of homonyms alphabetically arranged according to the finals. It appears to have been based on the lexicon Vaijayanti to a considerable extent. (Vide Aufrecht CC I, 285).

poem of the name ostasataka by one nilakamtha has been recorded by Aufrecht'. The only MS of this poem is described by Weber² in his Catalogue of Berlin MSS. It is in the Chambers Collection and consists of 118 verses. This small work of fis devoted to a poetical description of a young lady's lower lip as stated in verse 2 at the commencement of the poem. The concluding verses³ of the poem mention details about the author, which are practically the same mentioned in the cimanicarita ; viz. (1) father's name sukla janardana, (2) vachacarya maternal grandfather, (3) bhatta sri mamdana, the guru of the author in alamkarasastra, (4) hira, the mother of the author. In fact there is almost complete objective identity of the verses in the cimanicarita with those in the ostasatakam . It is, therefore, clear that the author of the sabdasobha and the cimanicarita com posed this romantic poem viz. the gata represented by the rare MS in the Berlin library. There is another work mentioned by Aufrecht called the jara- jatasataka . It is also represented by a MS in the Berlin Library (Chambers Collection) described by Weber in his catalogue on the 1. CC I, 76 - " osthasataka " Kavya by Nilakantha, W. p. 171. - 2. Cata. of Berlin MSS by Weber, Vol. I, 1853, p. 171; MS 586 ( Chambers 740 ) - " sri kavi nilakamtha osthasatakam " Begins :-- 65 vadanakamalamudyanmandahasapracaram viracayati nikaram yatprasadatsudhamsoh | tadidamadharavimbamjivanam minaketo- mama vacasi vidhattam dhuryamadhuryadharam || 1 || kasyascinnavavayaso lavanimakallolaniyamanamanah | viracayati nilakantho bimbadharavarnanam tadapi || 2|| " 3. Ibid., these verses read :- 65 suklujanardanaputro vachacaryasya dauhitrah | pathitalamkrtasastro bhattasrimamdanachatrah || 117|| hirabhidhana pativrata mahasi praptanijajanma kavinilakamthasarminirmitamena vinirmamah (me ) saivah || 118 || iti srikavi nilakamtha viracitam osthasatakam sampurnam || " 4. CC I, 206 - "jarajatasataka by Nilakantha jarajatasataka by Nilakantha Sarman, Weber, p. 171,"

same page' where he has described the TMS. This MS begins :- 66 yah kascanasmadiye kadhye parakiyatamavadan | tasya krte kartumidamarabdham jarajatasatakam || yah parakiyam kavyam sviyam vrate'tha corayedyo'rtham | iha tavapi prasaktau mantavyau jarajatataya || " The purpose of the jarajatasatakam as defined by our author nilakamtha in the foregoing lines seems to be a tirade against literary plagiarism, a subject of perennial interest in all countries and in all ages characterized by literary activity. This whole poem is not before me but judging by the 2 introductory verses I have reason to believe that the poem contains a fling and also a sting at some of the contemporary critics of Nilakantha, the author of the TT, sabdasambha, cimanicarita and ostasataka, 2 who may have entertained feelings of 1. Weber's Cata., Vol. I, p. 171 faiz zada acanda in 110 verses. It contains a chronogram:- 66 - munimi hi kampahadharamahimite radam " which Weber corrects as - ( " muni sitamsu mahidhara mahimite varse ? " = 1717. This chronogram is continued as - 66 vyatikrano ( krante ) nrpasahasamkasamayat " ) If Weber's correction of the chronogram is approved the date of composition of the work is Sam. 1717 = A. D. 1661. ff was composed in A. D. 1656 (Sam. 1712). by a in 2. Prof. S. R. Bhandarkar notes a MS of c the State Collection at Bikaner not catalogued in R. Mitra's Catalogue of Bikaner MSS (Vide p. 49 of S. R. B. Report of Second Tour - 1904-05, 1905-06). He observes on page 51 as follows:- - 66 by Saiva Kavi Nilakantha, son of Sukla Janardana and Hira, grandson on the mother's side of Vatsacarya and pupil of Bhatta Mandana (same as g, Weber's Berlin Cata., p. 171 ). The author seems to be the same as that of the noticed above (p. 44)." Page 44-T by Nilakantha, pupil of Bhattoji Diksita and (Continued on the next page)

pugnacity towards his contemporaies. A work of Nilakantha Sukla not recorded in Aufrecht's catalologue is srngarasataka in 124 slokas. A MS of this work has been described by H. P. Shastri' in his Catalogue of Kavya MSS in the library of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. This work also shows the romantic vein of Nilakantha - (Continued from the previous page) son of Sukla Janardana and grandson on the mother's side of Vatsacarya" - This MS was in a private collection at Jesalmere. Prof. Bhandarkar's suggestions contained in the above remarks are amply borne out by the details about the works of Nilakantha Sukla set forth in the present paper. - - 1. Des. Cata. of Kavya MSS. ( Vol. VII) A. S. B. Calcutta, 1934 - Page 168 - MS No. 5204 - srmgarasatakam by Nilakantha Sukla, son of Sukla Janardana and Hira, daughter's son of Vatsacarya and the pupil of Bhatta Mandana, Folios 28. Beginning :- " tani pradhi dinani yesu rajani sehe tamisrapadam srstih sa virarama yatra bhavati jyotsnamayo natapah | adyanyah samayastathahi tithayo yasyamukhasyodaye hasta hastikaya harati sataso rakavaraki yasah || 1 || gurumadhye harinaksi mrdgutikabhih prahartukamam mam | darayamtrita rasanayam sacakitanayana nivarayamcake || 2 || " End on Folio 13 A :- 66 sukkajanardanaputro vatsacaryasya dauhitrah | pathitalamkrtisastro bhattasri mandanachatrah | hirabhidhana patitrata mahasi praptanijajanma | kavi nilakanthasarma nimmitimenam vinirmame saivah || tridivamapi vijetum prasthitatsahasankat muni vasurasacandraih sammitebde vyatite | apaciti vidhayainamatmanah kavyakaluptim sivapadi sivaratri nilakamntho vyadhatta || iti nilakamthakalpitam srngarasatakam sivarpanamastu " From Folio 16 to 24 A the MS contains adharasatakam of Nilakantha Sukla, which begins as in the Berlin MS described by Weber and ends " iti nilakamtha kavikalpitamadharasatakam | " as I have not been able to trace any MS of jarajatakam of our author in Indian libraries so far.

Sukla even from the very commencement of his career as the work was composed in Samvat 1687 i.e. A. D. 1631. He composed his work on grammar six years later in A. D. 1637. This work also was completed by the author on a Sivaratri day like the and the faaa. I close this paper with the following tabular statement regarding the works of Nilakantha Sukla :Date of Work Composition Dates of MSS A. D. A. D. 1. srngarasataka 1631 2. sabdasobha 1637 1680 3. cimanicarita 1656 1670 1688 1744 4. osthasataka of adharasataka } 1661 (?) 5. jarajatasataka Remarks A poem. A work on grammar. A poem based on a Contemporary scandal in the harem of a Muslim nobleman. A poem on the lower lip of a young lady. (A poem on plagiarism. No date has been recorded by Weber.