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4. DATE OF BHALLATA
We know from Kalhaṇa's Rājatarangini that poet Bhallata
was a contemporary of king Sankaravarma of Kashmir (883-902
A.D.) who was the son and successor of Avantivarmā. Avanti-
varma's rule was examplary. Kalhaṇa has compared Avanti-
varmā with Māndhātā and his reign period with krta age when
everybody was happy and contented. He has also mentioned that
various eminent poets and scholars like Muktākaṇa, Sivasvāmī,
Anandavardhana and Ratnakara were patronized by him :
मुक्ताकणः शिवस्वामी कविरानन्दवर्धनः ।
प्रथां रत्नाकरश्चागात् साम्राज्येऽवन्तिवर्मणः ॥'
भल्लटशतकम्
The times however changed for the worse during Sankara-
varma's reign. Soon after his accession to the throne, he turned
a tyrant and began to oppress the people. He annexed temple
properties, levied heavy taxes on the villagers and created two
new revenue departments for his personal benefit. A swarm of
kāyasthas overran the poor villagers, impoverished them and
filled the private coffers of the king.2
A porter named Lavața rose to the position of king's trea-
surer and drew the salary of two thousand dināras when great
poets like Bhallata had to live without any means of livelihood.
They were rotten and had to undertake despicable works to earn
their bread. He delighted in talking slang and dismissing Sanskrit
from his court.³
5. SATIRE IN THE POETRY OF BHALLATA
Bhallata's work. Bhallata Sataka is a model of the highest
quality of satirical and poignant poetry. The poet had seen the
1. राजतर्राङ्गणी, 5, 34.
2. वही, 5. 177.
3. त्यागभीरुतया तस्मिन् गुणिसङ्गपराङमुखे ।
आसेवन्तावरा वृत्तीः कवयो भल्लटादयः ॥
निर्वेतनास्सुकवयो भारिको लवटस्त्वभूत् ।
प्रसादात्तस्य दीनारसहस्रद्वयवेतनः ॥
कल्पपालकुले जन्म तत्तेनैव प्रमाणितम् ।
क्षीबोचितापभ्रंशोक्ते देवी वाग् यस्य चाभवत् ॥
राजतरङ्गिणी, 5, 204-6
CC-0 Shashi Shekhar Toshkhani Collection. Digitized by eGangotri
4. DATE OF BHALLATA
We know from Kalhaṇa's Rājatarangini that poet Bhallata
was a contemporary of king Sankaravarma of Kashmir (883-902
A.D.) who was the son and successor of Avantivarmā. Avanti-
varma's rule was examplary. Kalhaṇa has compared Avanti-
varmā with Māndhātā and his reign period with krta age when
everybody was happy and contented. He has also mentioned that
various eminent poets and scholars like Muktākaṇa, Sivasvāmī,
Anandavardhana and Ratnakara were patronized by him :
मुक्ताकणः शिवस्वामी कविरानन्दवर्धनः ।
प्रथां रत्नाकरश्चागात् साम्राज्येऽवन्तिवर्मणः ॥'
भल्लटशतकम्
The times however changed for the worse during Sankara-
varma's reign. Soon after his accession to the throne, he turned
a tyrant and began to oppress the people. He annexed temple
properties, levied heavy taxes on the villagers and created two
new revenue departments for his personal benefit. A swarm of
kāyasthas overran the poor villagers, impoverished them and
filled the private coffers of the king.2
A porter named Lavața rose to the position of king's trea-
surer and drew the salary of two thousand dināras when great
poets like Bhallata had to live without any means of livelihood.
They were rotten and had to undertake despicable works to earn
their bread. He delighted in talking slang and dismissing Sanskrit
from his court.³
5. SATIRE IN THE POETRY OF BHALLATA
Bhallata's work. Bhallata Sataka is a model of the highest
quality of satirical and poignant poetry. The poet had seen the
1. राजतर्राङ्गणी, 5, 34.
2. वही, 5. 177.
3. त्यागभीरुतया तस्मिन् गुणिसङ्गपराङमुखे ।
आसेवन्तावरा वृत्तीः कवयो भल्लटादयः ॥
निर्वेतनास्सुकवयो भारिको लवटस्त्वभूत् ।
प्रसादात्तस्य दीनारसहस्रद्वयवेतनः ॥
कल्पपालकुले जन्म तत्तेनैव प्रमाणितम् ।
क्षीबोचितापभ्रंशोक्ते देवी वाग् यस्य चाभवत् ॥
राजतरङ्गिणी, 5, 204-6
CC-0 Shashi Shekhar Toshkhani Collection. Digitized by eGangotri