Jivanandana of Anandaraya Makhin (Study)
by G. D. Jayalakshmi | 2019 | 58,344 words
This page relates ‘Works of Anandaraya Makhin’ of the study on the Jivanandana (in English) which is a dramatic play written by Anadaraya Makhin in the 18th century. The Jivanandana praises the excellence of Advaita Vedanta, Ayurveda (medical science) and Dramatic literature as the triple agency for obtaining everlasting bliss.
Works of Ānandarāya Makhin
The following records give information about Ānandarāya Makhin and his works–
(1) National Catalogus Catalogorum (NCC), Vol. II. p.111:
“Ānandarāyamakhin son of Nṛsiṃharāya, son of Gaṅgādharādhvarin and eldest brother of Tryambakarāya; minister of Kings Śāhāji (1684-1710) and Serfoji (1710-1728) of Tanjore; patron of Vedakavi (real a. of the two plays Jīvānanda and Vidyāpariṇaya), Vāsudeva Dīkṣita (a. of Adhvaramīmāṃsā-kutūhalavṛtti) and Appadhvarin (a. of Ācāra-navanīta etc., see NCC. I. p. 201b.) and father of Nṛsiṃha-rāya II (a. of Tirupuravijaya Campū, T.D. 4036).
See Sāhendravilāsa, Tanjore Sarsvati Mahal Series, Intro., pp.25-9.
-Āśvalāyanagṛhyasūtravṛtti. MT. 4177. TD. 11763.
-Jīvānandanāṭaka. Ptd. (1) K.M. 27 (2) Adyar Lib. Ser. 59.
-Vidyāpariṇayanāṭaka. Ptd. K.M.39”
(2) National Catalogus Catalogorum (NCC), Vol. II.p.218b:
-C. Ānandacandrikā by Ānandarāya of Tanjore. Adyar. Burnell 13b. Hz. 1777. MT.4177. Mysore I. p.68. R.A. Sastri II.p.210. TD.11763.
(3) NCC. Vol. VII, pp.297-98:
“jīvānanda(na) nāṭaka–symbiotic drama dealing with med.; composed by Vedakavi and ascribed to his patron Ānandarāya Makhin. Alwar 1003. Gov. Or. Libr.Madras 29. PUL. II. p.281. Rice 256 (an). Ptd. (1) K.M. 27. (2) Adyar Library Ser. 59.1947.”
(4) NCC. Vol. XXIX. p.132:
“vidyāpariṇaya (Vidyāpariṇaya) or ºpariṇāma, an allegorical drama like the Prabodhacandrodaya, in 7 acts. The plot is based on the marriage between the Jīvātman or the individual soul and Vidyā or spiritual wisdom. The drama is said to have been enacted on the occasion of the festival of goddess Ānandavallī, worshipped in Tanjore.
See S.N. Dasgupta, HSL. Classical Period, Vol.I.pp.486.764.
-by Vedakavi, ascribed by him to his patron Ānandarāya Makhin, son of Nṛsiṃharāya and eldest brother of Tryambakarāya, minister of kings Sahaji (1684 -1710 cen.) and Serfoji (1710 -1728) of Tanjore.
-See Kuppuswami, his preface to Patañjalicarita, p.9.”
(5) History of Classical Sanskrit Literature by M. Krishnamachariar:
-(under entry 165 on p.247)–“Ānanda or Ānandarāya Makhin wrote the plays Vidyāpariṇaya and Jīvānanda, allegorical like Prabodhacandrodaya”.
-(under entry 761, on p.681) he also records–“Ānandarāya Makhin describes the marriage of Jīvātman or the individual soul and Vidyā or spritiual wisdom. The real author of this play VIDYĀPARIṆAYA was VEDAKAVI and by him it was attributed to his patron Anandarao Peshwa, minister of Sarabhoji I and Tukkoji, kings of Tanjore in the 18th century. Ānandarāya is referred to by Vāñcīśvara in his Mahiṣaśataka. Vedakavi also wrote Jīvānandanaṭaka, a play of similar import”.
(6) Dr. V. Raghavan’s Introduction (p.29) to his edition of Śāhendravilāsa
“He figures as the main patron, by the side of King Śāhaji, of most of the leading writers of the day like Rāmabhadra Dikṣita.
In his name are found some works:
1. Āśvalāyana-gṛhyasūtravṛtti. Tanjore Ms. 11763, Madras Ms. R. 4177.
2. Jivānandanāṭaka. Printed in Kāvyamālā 27.
3. Vidyāparinaya. Tanjore Ms. 4511. Printed in Kāvyamālā 39. Also a commentary on it.
The second is a medical allegorical play and the third a philosophical allegorical play and has the author’s commentary. (Ms. in the Adyar library). While the former was composed in Śāhaji’s time, the latter was written in Serfoji’s reign. Both were really the work of Vedakavi.”