अवन्तिसुन्दरीकथासारः /11

INTRODUCTION
 
ix
 
in a temple (guhālaya) and sees a picture of Guha playing
near his parents
near his parents[^¹] (Somäāskanda), and a son is born to her by
the grace

the grace of the God. Rājasimṁha is described in his inscrip-
tions
tions[^2] as having taken birth from Parameśvara as 'Guha from

Siva'. The representation of Somāskanda is found on the

walls of the temples built by Rājasimṁha. Dandin mentions
ṇḍin mentions
one Bāṇadeva, son of a feudatory, as holding the royal

umbrella over Raājahamṁsa; and the Bana chieftains of the
south were, many of them, feaudatories of the Pallava kings.
These and other parallel details which could not be attributed
to sheer chance, suggest that Dandin, a court-poet of Pallava
kings, was strongly influenced by the events of contemporary
history.
 
ix
 
The work contains descriptions of ancient dynasties
corresponding to the accounts given in the Matsya, Vayu and
other Puranas. There are, however, a few points of difference
which deserve mention. Unlike the Purāṇas, chieftains of the
south were, many of them, feaudatories of the Pallava kings.
These and other parallel details which could not be attributed
to sheer chance, suggest that Dandin calls
ṇḍin, a court-poet of Pallava
kings, was strongly influenced by the events of contemporary
history.
 
The work contains descriptions of ancient dynasties
corresponding to the accounts given in the Matsya, Vayu and
other Purāṇas. There are, however, a few points of difference
which deserve mention. Unlike the Purāṇas, Daṇḍin calls
the dynasty that succeeded the Brṛhadrathas, Putikas. Putika,

(Pulika or Punika according to the Purāṇas), was a king of

Avanti; he killed Viītihotra, who succeeded Ripuñjaya, and

anointed his son Pradyota as king in the realm.[^³] Pradyota

was a harsh ruler, the people called him Canda and his harem
ṇḍa and his harem
contained 16,000 ladies.[^4] The Purāṇas are unanimous

in saying that Kautalya uprooted the eight sons of Mahāpadma

and placed Candragupta on the throne; and Dandin is alone in
saying that Aṇḍin is alone in
saying that Āryaka the minister uprooted the eight sons one

after another, when the high-minded Cāṇakya, whose anger

was roused, established Candragupta Maurya on the throne.[^5
]
The minister Sakaṭāra who figures prominently in the legends

is conspicuous by his absence from Dandin. Again Puşyamitra
Sunga, the commander, says Daṇḍin. Again Puṣyamitra
Suṅga, the commander, says Daṇḍin, killed Müūladeva in
 

 
[^1]. Av. pp. 156-7., and Av. Säāra, III. 37, 38.
 

 
[^2]. S.I.I., Vol. I, p. 12. No. 24; and I.A. XLVIII (1918),

p. 231.
 

 
[^3]. In the light of Dandṇḍin's version, the passage, 'महाकालमद्दे
…¶Ù‚и¶ ÎÌÎÂÍ §', in the Harșacarita, may be read as
'महाकालमहे ..
..
…प्रद्योतस्य पौनिकस्यकं कुमारम्', in the Harṣacarita, may be read as
'महाकालमहे .... प्रद्योतस्य पौनिकस्य कुमारम्' । (N. S. Edn. p. 199.)
 
.......
 

 
[^4]. In his Svapnavāsavadatta, Bhāsa says that Pradyota's antaḥ-

pura consisted of sixteen women षोडशान्त: पुरज्येष्ठा ( TSS. p. 68.).
 

 
[^5]. Av. p. 183.
 

B