15. The Shringaralapa Manuscript

A BIG ANTHOLOGY OF SRNGARA VERSES BY RAMA AND ITS RARE MANUSCRIPT DATED A. D. 1556 Recently I sent for publication a paper on the date of an anonymous anthology of the title Subhasita-muktavali composed some time before A.D. 1600. While examining MSS in the Government MSS Library at the B. O. R. Institute under this title I came across the following MS which is dated Sarvat 1612 ( = A.D. 1556) and hence very useful to the students of the history of Sanskrit Subhasita literature:No. 92 of 1883-84 ( subhasitamuktavali-srngaralapa ), folios about 82, appearance old, well preserved, prstamatra s used occasionally. The MS begins:- " om || namo sri makaradhvajaya || sarasvati namastubhyam varade kamarupini | vidhasye lepa ( kha ) narambham siddhim karotu sarvada || 1 || indradidevatanam ca khecaranam tathaiva hi | (likhyate ) padannatva ca srmgarasya satam khalu || 2 || sronibamdhastyajati tanutam sevate madhyabhagah padbhyam muktastaralagatayah samsrita locanabhyam | dhatte vaksah kucasacivatamadvitiyam tu vaktram tadgatranam gunavinimayah kalpito yauvanena || 3 || " ' Folio 9 - " tanvamgyadhara sannidhau - vyajena dhumavali || 105 || cha || || iti sri slokasamgrahe subhasitamuktavalyam damgaralape prathamam satam || cha || cha || * Journal of the University of Bombay, Vol. XV, P. 2, pp. 81-88. 1. This verse is identical with verse 43 on p. 268 of subhasita- ratnabhandagara ( N. S. Press, Bombay, 1911 ), which reads as follows:-- sronibamdhastyajati tanutam sevyate madhyabhagah 8.I.L.H.-7 66 padbhyam muktastaralagatayah samsrita locanabhyam | dhatte vaksah kucasacivatamadvitiyam tu vaktram tadgatranam gunavinimayah kalpito yauvanena || 43 || " (97)

atah param pravaksyami srmgarasya dvitiyakam | satam caivadhuna ramyam savalokamanoharam || 1 || lokanam dhairyaharanam kaminivallabham tatha | kamdarpadhikya katturim atisaubhagyadam tatha || 2 || loke prasiddham tatha ramyam dampatyoh pritivarddhanam | na pibedamrtam cedam samsare satrso bhavet || 3|| " Folio 10- " om namo srimakaradhvajaya || || uttamgastanaparvatadavataranchalat || 1 || " etc. Folio 16 - " kumkumapamkakalamkitadeha gaurapayodhara kampitahara | nupurahamsaranatpadapadma kam na vasam kurute bhuvi rama || 103 || kare veni venisadrsanayana snanaviratau dadhanau saudhagre haranayanabhasmikrtamapi | - itham mugdha dugdhabudhisalilakallolasadrsi dasa bhuyoramanasijatarum pallavayati || 104 ||| 2 || cha | | || iti slokasamgrahe subhasitamuktavaya srmgaralape dvitiyam satam samaptam || srih || " Folio 17 - " om || namo kusumasaraya || kamdarpaya namastubhyam yo jayatribhuvanadikam | satam ca trtiyam nunam likhyate tu yathakramam || 1 || aye keyam dhanya ......jayati madanah smeravadanah || 2 || " etc. Folio 22 - "..hara dagdhasya manobhavatkramasya || 111 || cha || - || eft: 11 iti sri slokasamgrahe subhasitamuktavalyam srmgaralape trtiyam satam sampurna || cha || cha || cha || cha || " 1. Vide p. 265 of subha . ra. bhandagara, verse 13 :- 66 kukumapankenankitadeha gaurapayodharakampitahara | mapurahamsa ranatpadapadma kam na vasikurute bhuvi rama || 13 || " 2. Vide p. 284 of subha • ra • bha0, verse 46 :- 'kare venimenisadrsanayana snanaviratau dadhana harmyane haranayanatejo hutamapi | iyam mugdha dugdhambudhibahalakallolasadrsa drsa varamvaram manasijatarum palavayati || 46 || "

Folio 23 -- " om || srimatsya lamchanaya namah || abhamguragunodayasimjanikamdhanu || 1 || " etc. Folio 26 - " agami dirghaviraham ciramavirasit ......... - **** 99 . caranayudhanam || 47 || balayascetasi caranayudhasabdena pratarutpadyate | netaratha parapurusasparso mabhudityabhiprayah | iti sriramanatakadudhrte sloka samgrahe subhasitamuktavalyam srmgaralape sitaramavilaso nama || srih ramasya sapat vanagamanam || " etc. Folio 30 - " jalpanti sarddhamanyena pasyamtyanyam savibhramah | hrdaye cimtayamtyanyam priyam ko nama yositam || 101 || iti sri subhasitamuktavalya lokasamgrahe srmgaralape caturtha satam samaptam || cha " 66 Folio 31 - " om || jaganmohaya namah || namo visvaikajaitrai || sarasvati namastubhyam varade kamarupini | likhyate hi satam nunam srmgarasyatu pamcamam || 1 || visramya ravanasramanam chaya sutanvi visvacara kacit | stanottariyena karoddhrtena nivarayamti sasino mayukhan || 1 || Folio 34 - " vairagye simcatyeko nitau bhramati caparah | srmgare ramate kascit drstibhedah parasparam || 38 || yadyasya nabhirucitam na tatra tasya sprha manojnepi | ramaniyepi sudhamso na nama kamah sarojinyah || 39 || || cha || srmgaratilakat || " Folio 39 - " citram citragatopyesa mamali madanopamah | samunmulya calalaja mulamthayati manasam || 172 || iti srisubhasitamuktavalyam slokasamgrahe srmgaralape pamcamam satam sampurna || cha || cha || || srih || 1. Vide p. 364 of subha • ra0 bha • verse 5 :- " jalpanti sardhamanyena pasyantyanyam savibhramam | " hrdaye cintayantyanyam priyah ko nama yositam || 5 || " ( Index p. 44 mentions this verse as " bhagavato vyasasya " ) 2. Vide p. 288 of subha • ra • bha • verse 16 66 visramya visramya vanadrumanam chayasu tanvi vicacara kacit | tanuttariyena karoddhrtena nivarayanti sasino mayukhan || 16|| "

Folio 40 - " om || namo kamapradipaya || irsya kulastrisu na nayakasya nihsamka ke lirna paramganasu | vesyasu vai tadvitayam prarudham sarvasvametavadaho smarasya || 1 || " Folio 48 - " srmgaratilako nama gramthoyam grathito maya | vyutpattaye nisevate kavayah kamaniscayam || 81 || kamanikavyakathakihak vaidagdhi ko rasagamah | kim gosti vibudhaih sarddham srmgaratilakadrte || 82 || syama yauvanasalini madhuravak saubhagyabhagyodaya karnatayatalocanaticatura pragalbhyagarvanvita | ramya balamaralamantharagatimattebhakumbhastani bimbosti paripurnacamdravadana prapnotu bharya bhavan || 83 || " - 66 raghuvamsat trtiyasargat | tadananam mrtsurabhiksitisvaro " etc. Folio 49 - " anena margena visesarabhyam sambhogasrmgaramimam vitanvan | bhavekavibhavi rasambuviddha vidagdhagosti vanitamanonyah || 102 || || cha || iti sri subhasitamuktavalyam slokasamgrahe srmgara- lape sastham satam sampurnam || subham bhavatu || yajnika ganesasuta rama pathanartham || ganesaya namastubhyam surasurerhi pujitah | likhyate cadhuna saptam satam ca lokamohanam || 1 || om || namah srimanobhavaya || rtuvarnanam || navamasarge vasamtavarnana atha samavaghrtai kusumairnavai " etc. Folio 52 - "... anamgamohitah || 43 || kumarasambhavat ... nivarayanti || 101 || idam satam punyakrtatmanipriyam pratiksanam caiva vilokanitham | mayoddhatam sadarakena namna " Folio 55 - " ramena caidam kulinainam nunam || cha || - || idam subhasitamuktavalyam srmgaralape saptamam satam sampurna|| " Folio 56 - " om || namo puspacapaya || matastarnakaraksanaya yamunakachena gacchamyaham kasmadvatsa pinasti pivarakucadvamdena gopijanah |

bhrusamjnavinivaritopi bahudha jalpan yasodagrato gopipanisarojamudritamukhi damodarah patu vah || 1 || " " 66 Folio 61 - " idam pavitram lokesmin sukhadam pustivarddhanam | - kamadam rupadam caiva sambhogyasya karanam || 99|| saubhagyadam tatha nrnam lokanam hitakamyaya | uddhrtam ca maya nunam svalpabuddhya tatah param || 100 || indriyanam vanam caiva kaministhanakam tatha | madanasya balam caiva raterupam taya kila || 101 || srrmgarasamgraho nunam na karoti ca yah puman | sara samsararupehi trsitah sa sada bhavet || 102 || atohi paramutkrsto srrmgarasya tu samgrahah | karttavyo hi tato pumsamanyonyo cittaharakah || 103 || srrmgarena vina rajan jayate rasanisprhah | | nisprho hi sada skami puruso kamaharakah || 104 || saratsarataram gramtham kathitam svalpabuddhina | aghatavyo sada gramtham brahmayajnam yatha kila || 105 || vilokaniyam sada pumsa kamina kamarupina | atodhikam katham vaktum sakyate hi maya khalu || 106 || || cha || || cha || 11 eft: 11 101 iti subhasitamuktavalyam srmgaralape astamam satam samaptam || || subham bhavatu || cha || " Folio 62 - " om namo minalamchanaya || ramaviraha varnyate - mayakuramga vinihatya ramo || " etc. Folio 65-66 ramanatakat | hanuman janaki " Folios 65-66 - Verses 49-59 begin with adyapi e.g., tani mrdumanmathabhasitani " etc. - 59 Folio 66-" " " || meghadutas | kascitkamtavirahaguruna " etc. 1. Vide p. 24 of subha • ra0 bha0 verse 146:-- matastarnakaraksanaya yamunakaccham na gacchamyaham " kasmadvatsa pinasti pavirakucadvandvena gopijanah | bhrusamjnavinivarito'pi bahuso jalpanyasodagratah gopapanisa roja mudrita mukho gopipatih patu vah || 148 || " " adyapi

102 Folio 70 STUDIES IN INDIAN LITERARY HISTORY 66 bhojayamasa sasvat || 109 || || cha || || cha || || cha || || iti subhasitamuktavalyam srmgaralape purusa- virahavarnanam nama navamam satam samaptam || subham bhavatu || || kamarupamidam nunam satam caiva dhrtam khalu | anekebhyo hi gramthebhyo bhrajate janamohanam || 1 || " Folio 71 - " om namo srikamaya || asmin prayanasamaye " etc. Folio 73 - " bhaginim ca yatha bamdhum rajaputrim hi bilhanah | kalidaso yatha vesyam tathaham tavadarsanam || " Folio 76-" ramanatakat | hanumatam prati " Folio 78 - " || yaduktam || mahisam dadhisarkara payah kalidasakavita navam vayah | " etc. Folio 79 - ( dasama sata has no colophon ) ......tvam vina kapicetah || 100 || " - ekadasa sata begins here. Last Folio 82 - " || rativilapo samaptah || 103 || sugamdhavanitavatra ganam tambulabhojanam | vahanabharanam caiva astabhogah prakirtitah || 104 || iti sri subhasitamuktavalyam srmgaralape ekadasamam satam samaptam || || yajnika madanasuta yajnikadharanidharasuta yajnikakamasuta yajnikahanasuta yajnikamadhusudanasuta yajnika nilakamthasuta yajnikaganesasuta ramenedam svahastena svasmai pathanaya likhitam | paropakrtaye ca || subham bhavatu || sam 1612 varse vaisasudi .........' " of The foregoing description of the rare MS of the subhasitamuktavali discloses the following facts about this work and its importance :-- (1) The total number of verses in this big anthology on Love (Srigara) is about 1145 as can be seen from the following table :Chaptar I IIIIII IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI Total Verses 105 104 111 101 102 102 102 106 109 100 103 - 1145

This is perhaps the biggest anthology on Love devoted to Srngara alone. (2) The date of this MS No. 92 of 1883-84 () is Samvat 1612 A.D. 1556, as recorded in the olophon at the end. (3) The MS was written by one ( svahastena ) and for his own study ( svasmai pathanaya ). genealogy of his family as follows:in his own hand rama gives the madana ( yajnika ) Son dharanidhara Son kama Son hana 1 Son ganesa Son TH (who copied the MS in A.D. 1556) (4) As regards the name of the author I have to state that I could not trace his name anywhere except in the following verse on folio 55 at the end of the 7 th Chapter of the 66 idam satam punyakrtatmani ( ti ! ) priyam pratiksanam caiva vilokaniyam | mayoddhrtam sadarakena namna ramena cedam kulinena nunam || " SIT :- The author states that this 7 th Chapter of 100 verses or so was composed by him, of the name rama (maya ... namna ramena uddhrtam ) of a respectable family. Evidently this is the author of the entire anthology of 1145 verses. (5) We have seen above that rama ganesa of the yajnika family copied this MS in A.D. 1556 with his own hand and for his own study. It is possible to suggest that this very rama (yajnika ) is identical with kulina rama, the author of the srmgaralapa . He has recorded the genealogy of his for six generations. This fact perhaps explains why he calls himself in the verse quoted above. If the above identity is accepted this very cn becomes the author of this rare

anthology and the date of its composition becomes identical with A.D. 1556, the date of the copy before us. Possibly this is an autograph copy of the anthology compiled by H from several previous works. (6) Rama, the author of this anthology, has taken care to tell us in 8 verses (verses 99-106 at the end of Chapter VIII) that Syngara or Love is holy (cra). It is the giver of pleasure and prosperity (sukhada and pustivarddhana ) It indicates good fortune (sobhagyada ). In fact the author beleives that Love is the essence of life and consequently an anthology devoted to Srngara is the best anthology ("raf c¶TACHI HITES I A: "). A man loses all interest in life without Love ("j faar vraq arga cafa: "). The author, therefore, exhorts his readers to read his present collection of Shringara verses () frequently for pleasure and profit.' (7) As Love is the central theme of this anthology the author appropriately invokes the God of Love at the beginning of each Chapter with varied epithets such as makaradhvajaya, kusumasaraya, matsya lamcha- matsyalamcha- naya, jagansohaya, kamapradipaya manobhavaya, puspacapaya, etc. He is confident that this anthology will stimulate love among married couples as it is an elixir in the absence of which a man must remain ever thirsty (" loke prasiddham tatha ramyam dampatyoh pritivarddhanam | na pibedamrtacedam samsare satrso bhavet || 3 || " ) (8) The author does not record the names of the works from which he has drawn for his anthology. I note below some names of works and authors which came to my notice during my study of the srmgaralapah- fol. 26, 65, 76 srmgaratilaka - fol. 34, 48 raghuvamsa (trtiyasarga ) - fol. 48 kumarasambhava - fol. 52, (rativilapa ) 103 TH (author himself)- fol. 55 meghaduta - fol.66 fa fol. 73 - kalidasa - fol. 73, 78 1. Compare Plato's remarks on Love :- "Love is the eldest, noblest, and mightiest of the gods, and the chiefest author and giver of virtue in life and happiness after death." (Vide p. 255 of Dictionary of Quotations, by. Rev. James Wood London, 1922).

The name of fagor in the above list enables us to fix about A.D. 1100 as the earlier limit to the date of as the Kashmirian author bilhana, who is probably identical with bilhana mentioned here, flourished between A.D. 1030 and 1100. As regards from which our author quotes on folios 34 and 48 I have to point out that it is identical with rudra or rudra bhatta as the following evidence will show :of Verses 81 and 82 on folio 48 of a MS read as follows:- 66 srmgaratilako nama gramthoyam grathito maya | vyutpattaye nisevate kavayah kamaniscayam || 81 || kamani kavyakatha kidrk vaidagdhi ko rasagamah | kim gosti vibudhaih sarddham srmgaratilakatate || 82 || " These verses are found at the end of B. O. R. Institute MS of (No. 217 of 1882-83) as follows:of 66. srmgaratilako nama gramthoyam racito maya | vyutpattaye nisevata kavayah kaminah svayam || 82 || kamya kavyakatha kidrk vadagdhye ko rasagamah | kim gostimamdanam hamta srmgaratilakadrte || 83 || " It is clear from the above verses, which are practically the saine in the MSS of srmgarala and srmgaratilaka of rudra that the author of the anthology is indebted to for these verses. The B. O. R. I. MS of ja which contains these verses is dated Samvat 1654 =A.D. 1598. The work has been printed in the Kavyamala Series Pt. III, 1887. The identity of rudra or rudrabhatta, the author of srmgaratilaka, with rudrata the author of who flourished in the first-half of the 9 th Century has been questioned by some scholars, but Dr. J. B. Chaudhuri' observes that "as early as 1200 A.D. Rudrata and Rudra, authors of the Kavyalamkara and the Srngara-tilaka, were considered to be identical." The present MS of dated A.D. 1556 is very important as all verses in it are earlier than this date. Without a Pratika 1. Vide p. 113 of Intro. to the Padyaveni of Venidatta, Vol. I, Calcutta, 1944. Vide article on (A. D. 800-850) in af, by S. Chitrav, Poona, 1937, p. 710.

Index to all the verses in this big anthology it is impossible to trace them to their sources. On a cursory comparison of some of these verses with those in the subhasitaratnabhandagara (N.S. Press, 1911 ) I find them recorded in this compendium but unfortunately this record is useless for our purpose as the sources of these verses are not indicated by the compilers. It is difficult to edit this anthology on the basis of the single MS but this task would be easy if a Pratika Index to the entire anthology is first prepared and then used for tracing many of the verses in earlier sources. Such an Index would give us a chronological control over the material incorporated in this anthology and in this way the work of reconstructing the history of our Sanskrit anthological literature would be facilitated. My friend Dr. E. D. Kulkarni, M. A., Ph.D., has agreed to my suggestion for the preparation of such a Pratika Index and let me hope that he will start his work on it in the near future. The rare MS of the Srngaralapa described here discloses the following evidence regarding the chronology of this anthology :- - (1) Most probably Rama, the author of the anthology, is identical with Rama Yajnika who copied the whole MS in his own hand in A.D. 1556. If this statement is correct, the date of this work is A.D. 1556. (2) Even if the above identity of the author and the scribe is not accepted we can assign the anthology to the period, A.D. 1100 -1556, as it mentions Bilhana of the 11 th Century on the one hand and is represented by a MS of A.D. 1556 on the other. evidence in support of these limits can be furnished only when the several verses in the anthology are traced to their sources. More