2023-02-23 18:48:18 by ambuda-bot
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GENERAL INTRODUCTION
II
where he is put in one compound with Bāṇa. In the Süktimuk-
tävali, the reading in the present verse is canḍāla Divakara for
matanga Divakara.'
I believe that Peterson is right in not permitting the identifica-
tion of matanga with Mānatunga, the more so since I have shown
below (see p. 18) that there is reason to believe that Mänatunga
was not a contemporary of Bāṇa and Mayūra at all, but flourished
in the third century A. D. I would, therefore, as Peterson does,
regard mätanga as a common noun, equivalent to caṇḍala, 'out-
cast,' but I would adopt the reading matanga rather than caṇḍāla,
because matangadivākara is the traditional form of the name,
candāladivakara seemingly being found but once. If then we
accept the rendering of matanga as 'outcast,' the meaning of the
stanza appears to be that the power of literary excellence is great
enough to enable its possessor, even though of the lowest caste,
to gain access to the charmed circle of royal literati. This would
be a not improbable state of affairs, when it is remembered that
Buddhism, the great leveling and democratic force in India, was,
although beginning to wane, still comparatively strong in the days
of Harsa.¹
bhaso ramilasomildu vararuciḥ śrisahasankaḥ kavir
mentho bharavikalidāsataralaḥ skandhaḥ subandhuś ca yaḥ
dandi banadivakardu ganapatiḥ kantaś ca ratnākaraḥ
siddha yasya sarasvati bhagavatt ke tasya sarve 'pi te
This Aufrecht (ZDMG, 27.77) translates as follows: 'Bhasa, Rāmila,
Somila, Vararuci, der Dichter Sähasänka, Mentha, Bharavi, Kālidāsa,
Tarala, Skandha, Subandhu, Daṇḍin, Bāṇa, Divākara, Gaṇapati, und der
reizende Ratnākara: wer mit der erhabenen Redegöttin wohl vertraut
ist, was braucht sich der um alle diese zu kümmern?' The text of the
stanza may also be found in the Paddhati of Sārngadhara (Aufrecht,
ZDMG, 27. 77, or Peterson, no. 188), and in the Subhasitaratnabhaṇḍāgāra,
p. 56, stanza 68.
1 Hüan Tsang, the celebrated Chinese pilgrim who visited India in the
seventh century A.D., testifies that there were many Buddhist monasteries
scattered throughout the Indian peninsula, and that he expounded some
of the tenets of the Buddhist faith to the emperor Harşa; cf. Vincent A.
Smith, Early History of India, p. 344-345, 3d ed., Oxford, 1914.
II
where he is put in one compound with Bāṇa. In the Süktimuk-
tävali, the reading in the present verse is canḍāla Divakara for
matanga Divakara.'
I believe that Peterson is right in not permitting the identifica-
tion of matanga with Mānatunga, the more so since I have shown
below (see p. 18) that there is reason to believe that Mänatunga
was not a contemporary of Bāṇa and Mayūra at all, but flourished
in the third century A. D. I would, therefore, as Peterson does,
regard mätanga as a common noun, equivalent to caṇḍala, 'out-
cast,' but I would adopt the reading matanga rather than caṇḍāla,
because matangadivākara is the traditional form of the name,
candāladivakara seemingly being found but once. If then we
accept the rendering of matanga as 'outcast,' the meaning of the
stanza appears to be that the power of literary excellence is great
enough to enable its possessor, even though of the lowest caste,
to gain access to the charmed circle of royal literati. This would
be a not improbable state of affairs, when it is remembered that
Buddhism, the great leveling and democratic force in India, was,
although beginning to wane, still comparatively strong in the days
of Harsa.¹
bhaso ramilasomildu vararuciḥ śrisahasankaḥ kavir
mentho bharavikalidāsataralaḥ skandhaḥ subandhuś ca yaḥ
dandi banadivakardu ganapatiḥ kantaś ca ratnākaraḥ
siddha yasya sarasvati bhagavatt ke tasya sarve 'pi te
This Aufrecht (ZDMG, 27.77) translates as follows: 'Bhasa, Rāmila,
Somila, Vararuci, der Dichter Sähasänka, Mentha, Bharavi, Kālidāsa,
Tarala, Skandha, Subandhu, Daṇḍin, Bāṇa, Divākara, Gaṇapati, und der
reizende Ratnākara: wer mit der erhabenen Redegöttin wohl vertraut
ist, was braucht sich der um alle diese zu kümmern?' The text of the
stanza may also be found in the Paddhati of Sārngadhara (Aufrecht,
ZDMG, 27. 77, or Peterson, no. 188), and in the Subhasitaratnabhaṇḍāgāra,
p. 56, stanza 68.
1 Hüan Tsang, the celebrated Chinese pilgrim who visited India in the
seventh century A.D., testifies that there were many Buddhist monasteries
scattered throughout the Indian peninsula, and that he expounded some
of the tenets of the Buddhist faith to the emperor Harşa; cf. Vincent A.
Smith, Early History of India, p. 344-345, 3d ed., Oxford, 1914.