रामचरितम् /15
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XV
expressed through the mouths of Jambavan and Mandodari¹. The idea
expressed in those two places is that the original form of God is composed of
the two halves known separately as Siva and Vișnu. This sameness of
expression also confirms the contention that Aryavilasa was only another
name of Abhinanda-the author of the present work.
Bengal must have been the place of our author's residence and of
birth. One of the reasons for considering him as a Bengali
His native place. is that his verses are quoted extensively by the authors who
flourished in Bengal. Further, he praises the goddess
Devi or S'akti on the lines of the Tantriks of Bengal in the 16th chapter of
the Ramacarita which also confirms that the author was a Bengali because
Bengal was in the mediaeval times the home of Tântrism both Buddhist and
Hindu. But the question of fixing his native place largely depends on the
circumstance that the author was patronized most lavishly by Devapála alias
Haravarsa, one of the kings of the Pâla Dynasty as will be shown in the sequel.
S'atananda the father of Abhinanda also probably belonged to Bengal as he
is quoted only in those anthologies which were composed in that country. But
it cannot for a moment be denied that Abhinanda's fame was not confined only
to Bengal; but on the contrary he was well-known in the whole of India as
is evident from a large number of quotations and references in the works of
eminent writers such as Mahimabhaṭṭa and Mammața of Kashmir, Bhoja of
Dhara, Soddhala and others of Deccan and Guzarat.
The plot of the Ramacarita itself shows that our author is quite a pious
Hindu and believer in the Paurânika form of religion. The
descriptions of several incarnations of Visnu, the birth of
Brahma from his navel, and the begging of Siva in spite of
his friendship with Kubera the Lord of Wealth, also makes the author a firm
believer in the Paurânika religion. He was not even a sectarian: because
he believes that Siva and Visnu represent the two halves of the same God who
His sect.
1. ध्रुवं विनाऽमुनेदानीमर्धेनार्धेन्दुशेखरः । दिवि सीदति शून्यायां धावकसुहृदा धृतः ॥ 9. 52.
अर्धे पुंसः पुराणस्य देवी हरिहरावुभौ । एकं तत्व प्रपन्न प्रद्वेषः कस्तवापरे । 24, 112.
2.
In this connection it may be pointed out that only one among the five
MSS on which the present edition is based gives the panegyric of the
Devi. Thus there is room for doubting its authenticity and considering
the portion as an interpolation. But Sarvânanda Vandyaghatîya of 1159
A.D. in his commentary on the Amarakos'a quotes one of these verses under
the name of Abhinanda. This shows that the panegyric is a gennine
composition of Abhinanda.
expressed through the mouths of Jambavan and Mandodari¹. The idea
expressed in those two places is that the original form of God is composed of
the two halves known separately as Siva and Vișnu. This sameness of
expression also confirms the contention that Aryavilasa was only another
name of Abhinanda-the author of the present work.
Bengal must have been the place of our author's residence and of
birth. One of the reasons for considering him as a Bengali
His native place. is that his verses are quoted extensively by the authors who
flourished in Bengal. Further, he praises the goddess
Devi or S'akti on the lines of the Tantriks of Bengal in the 16th chapter of
the Ramacarita which also confirms that the author was a Bengali because
Bengal was in the mediaeval times the home of Tântrism both Buddhist and
Hindu. But the question of fixing his native place largely depends on the
circumstance that the author was patronized most lavishly by Devapála alias
Haravarsa, one of the kings of the Pâla Dynasty as will be shown in the sequel.
S'atananda the father of Abhinanda also probably belonged to Bengal as he
is quoted only in those anthologies which were composed in that country. But
it cannot for a moment be denied that Abhinanda's fame was not confined only
to Bengal; but on the contrary he was well-known in the whole of India as
is evident from a large number of quotations and references in the works of
eminent writers such as Mahimabhaṭṭa and Mammața of Kashmir, Bhoja of
Dhara, Soddhala and others of Deccan and Guzarat.
The plot of the Ramacarita itself shows that our author is quite a pious
Hindu and believer in the Paurânika form of religion. The
descriptions of several incarnations of Visnu, the birth of
Brahma from his navel, and the begging of Siva in spite of
his friendship with Kubera the Lord of Wealth, also makes the author a firm
believer in the Paurânika religion. He was not even a sectarian: because
he believes that Siva and Visnu represent the two halves of the same God who
His sect.
1. ध्रुवं विनाऽमुनेदानीमर्धेनार्धेन्दुशेखरः । दिवि सीदति शून्यायां धावकसुहृदा धृतः ॥ 9. 52.
अर्धे पुंसः पुराणस्य देवी हरिहरावुभौ । एकं तत्व प्रपन्न प्रद्वेषः कस्तवापरे । 24, 112.
2.
In this connection it may be pointed out that only one among the five
MSS on which the present edition is based gives the panegyric of the
Devi. Thus there is room for doubting its authenticity and considering
the portion as an interpolation. But Sarvânanda Vandyaghatîya of 1159
A.D. in his commentary on the Amarakos'a quotes one of these verses under
the name of Abhinanda. This shows that the panegyric is a gennine
composition of Abhinanda.