2023-02-26 04:07:22 by ambuda-bot
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SUMMARY OF CONTENTS*
CHAPTER I
Ancestors of Dandin
King Simhavişņu of the Pallava dynasty was ruling over
Kañci, the matchless city of Dakṣiṇāpatha, hallowed by the
feet of Agastya. One day when the king was in his audience
hall a Gandharva approached him and recited a song in āryā to
the accompaniment of the lute. The king was pleased and
asked about the author of the song. The Gandharva bowed
and said: "O King, in the city of Anandapura [the capital of
Anarta in Gujarat] in the north-west of Aryadeśa there was a
great abode of Brahmans; and from among them a group of
families of Kausika gotra migrated and settled in the city of
Acalapura (near Nasik) founded by Müladeva for his friend
Acala. Nārāyaṇasvāmin, one of these settlers, had a son
named Damodara whom the poetic muse marked, even in his
youth, for her own. The young poet associated himself with
the great poet Bharavi and through him secured the friendship
of prince Vișnuvardhana. He once accompanied the prince in
a hunting excursion. On the way, being afflicted with hunger,
he was forced to take flesh in a forest. It is sacrilege to a
Brahman to resort to animal food, unless it is the residue of
the oblation offered to Gods in a sacrifice. To expiate the
sin Damodara started on a pilgrimage and visited several
sacred centres; and in the course of the journey he came into
contact with Durvinīta, the Ganga king. He now happy,
in the company of that king; and the āryā that I recited was
composed by this boy poet".
(Av. Sāra, I. 1-26; Av. pp. 1-10)
Life of Dandin
On hearing this the Pallava king was eager to see the
author of that verse and with repeated invitations, he brought
*This summary is based on the Avantisundarī Kathā Sāra (Av.
Sāra) edited here and on the original Avantisundarī (Av.) of
Dandin published as Trivandrum Sanskrit Series 172. References
to both are given at the end of the respective paragraphs. Relevent
information contained only in the original Avantisundarī (Av.) is
given within brackets.
CHAPTER I
Ancestors of Dandin
King Simhavişņu of the Pallava dynasty was ruling over
Kañci, the matchless city of Dakṣiṇāpatha, hallowed by the
feet of Agastya. One day when the king was in his audience
hall a Gandharva approached him and recited a song in āryā to
the accompaniment of the lute. The king was pleased and
asked about the author of the song. The Gandharva bowed
and said: "O King, in the city of Anandapura [the capital of
Anarta in Gujarat] in the north-west of Aryadeśa there was a
great abode of Brahmans; and from among them a group of
families of Kausika gotra migrated and settled in the city of
Acalapura (near Nasik) founded by Müladeva for his friend
Acala. Nārāyaṇasvāmin, one of these settlers, had a son
named Damodara whom the poetic muse marked, even in his
youth, for her own. The young poet associated himself with
the great poet Bharavi and through him secured the friendship
of prince Vișnuvardhana. He once accompanied the prince in
a hunting excursion. On the way, being afflicted with hunger,
he was forced to take flesh in a forest. It is sacrilege to a
Brahman to resort to animal food, unless it is the residue of
the oblation offered to Gods in a sacrifice. To expiate the
sin Damodara started on a pilgrimage and visited several
sacred centres; and in the course of the journey he came into
contact with Durvinīta, the Ganga king. He now happy,
in the company of that king; and the āryā that I recited was
composed by this boy poet".
(Av. Sāra, I. 1-26; Av. pp. 1-10)
Life of Dandin
On hearing this the Pallava king was eager to see the
author of that verse and with repeated invitations, he brought
*This summary is based on the Avantisundarī Kathā Sāra (Av.
Sāra) edited here and on the original Avantisundarī (Av.) of
Dandin published as Trivandrum Sanskrit Series 172. References
to both are given at the end of the respective paragraphs. Relevent
information contained only in the original Avantisundarī (Av.) is
given within brackets.