2023-02-23 18:48:16 by ambuda-bot
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GENERAL INTRODUCTION
tions Mayūra, and does not also include the name of Bāṇa, is a
rara avis, so far as I have been able to find.
The contemporary evidence, to which reference has just been
made, is as follows. In Bana's Harşacarita¹ (ed. Führer), the
author, when enumerating the friends of his youth, includes a
certain jänguliko Mayūrakaḥ, which is rendered by Cowell and
Thomas in their translation of the Harşacarita as 'a snake-
doctor Mayūraka.' The commentary of Samkara, in the Führer
edition of the Harşacarita, and also in that of Parab and Vaze,
gives as the gloss of jängulika the word gärudika, 'dealer
in antidotes.' Max Müller, Peterson and Dutt* have accepted
this statement of Bāṇa as a reference to the poet Mayūra.
Bühler, however, denies such identification, for he says: 'Der
von Bāṇa selbst als ein Jugendfreund genannte Schlangengift-
beschwörer (jängulika) Mayūraka (Harşacarita, p. 95, Kaś.
Ausg.) wird schwerlich mit dem Dichter identificirt werden
können."
Unless there is some reason why a jängulika could not become
a poet-and Bühler gives none-I am inclined not to agree with
his conclusion, but to side rather with Müller and Peterson, and
to believe that the 'dealer in antidotes,' or 'snake-doctor,' was
our poet. Besides I believe that this view is strengthened by a
1 Edited by A. A. Führer, Bombay, 1909-see p. 67; Parab and Vaze,
Bombay, 1892, p. 47. Cf. translation by Cowell and Thomas, cap. 1, p. 33,
Cambridge, 1897.
2 F. Max Müller, India: What Can It Teach Us?, p. 329, London, 1883.
8 Peter Peterson, The Subhashitavali of Vallabhadeva, introd., p. 86,
Bombay, 1886.
R. C. Dutt, A History of Civilisation in Ancient India, vol. 3, p. 448,
Calcutta, 1890.
5 G. Bühler, Die indischen Inschriften und das Alter der indischen
Kunstpoesie, printed in Sitzungsberichte der Philosophisch-Historischen
Classe der kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften, vol. 122, part II,
p. 14, footnote, Wien, 1890.
*Some years earlier, however, Bühler identified the Mayüraka of the
Harşacarita with the poet Mayūra; cf. Bühler, On the Chandikaśataka of
Banabhaṭṭa, in IA, vol. 1 (1872), p. III.
7 Many great poets have been men of humble origin and limited means
of education. Plautus was a miller and an actor's servant; Shakespeare
held horses; Kālidāsa may have been a slave.
tions Mayūra, and does not also include the name of Bāṇa, is a
rara avis, so far as I have been able to find.
The contemporary evidence, to which reference has just been
made, is as follows. In Bana's Harşacarita¹ (ed. Führer), the
author, when enumerating the friends of his youth, includes a
certain jänguliko Mayūrakaḥ, which is rendered by Cowell and
Thomas in their translation of the Harşacarita as 'a snake-
doctor Mayūraka.' The commentary of Samkara, in the Führer
edition of the Harşacarita, and also in that of Parab and Vaze,
gives as the gloss of jängulika the word gärudika, 'dealer
in antidotes.' Max Müller, Peterson and Dutt* have accepted
this statement of Bāṇa as a reference to the poet Mayūra.
Bühler, however, denies such identification, for he says: 'Der
von Bāṇa selbst als ein Jugendfreund genannte Schlangengift-
beschwörer (jängulika) Mayūraka (Harşacarita, p. 95, Kaś.
Ausg.) wird schwerlich mit dem Dichter identificirt werden
können."
Unless there is some reason why a jängulika could not become
a poet-and Bühler gives none-I am inclined not to agree with
his conclusion, but to side rather with Müller and Peterson, and
to believe that the 'dealer in antidotes,' or 'snake-doctor,' was
our poet. Besides I believe that this view is strengthened by a
1 Edited by A. A. Führer, Bombay, 1909-see p. 67; Parab and Vaze,
Bombay, 1892, p. 47. Cf. translation by Cowell and Thomas, cap. 1, p. 33,
Cambridge, 1897.
2 F. Max Müller, India: What Can It Teach Us?, p. 329, London, 1883.
8 Peter Peterson, The Subhashitavali of Vallabhadeva, introd., p. 86,
Bombay, 1886.
R. C. Dutt, A History of Civilisation in Ancient India, vol. 3, p. 448,
Calcutta, 1890.
5 G. Bühler, Die indischen Inschriften und das Alter der indischen
Kunstpoesie, printed in Sitzungsberichte der Philosophisch-Historischen
Classe der kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften, vol. 122, part II,
p. 14, footnote, Wien, 1890.
*Some years earlier, however, Bühler identified the Mayüraka of the
Harşacarita with the poet Mayūra; cf. Bühler, On the Chandikaśataka of
Banabhaṭṭa, in IA, vol. 1 (1872), p. III.
7 Many great poets have been men of humble origin and limited means
of education. Plautus was a miller and an actor's servant; Shakespeare
held horses; Kālidāsa may have been a slave.