33. Sanskrit and Hindi Works of Maharaja Vishvanathasimha

33. Sanskrit and Hindi Works of Maharaja Vishvanathasimha of Rewah Between A. D. 1813 and 1854* Aufrecht in his Catalogus Catalogorum makes the following entries about a royal author of the name Visvanathasimha or Visvanathasimha-deva :- " CC I, 585 - " visvanathasimha or visvanathasimhadeva an officer of sitarama- candrabahadura and pupil of priyadasah- - - - ramagitatika ' ramacandrahnika and Comm.2 ramamantrartha nirnaya - - 'vedanta sutrabhasya ' - sarvasiddhanta " 5 About the so-called "far" referred to in the above entries by Aufrecht we find the following entries in the Catalogorum:- ying New Indian Antiquary, Vol. IX, pp. 1-12. " 1. CC I, 510" T. Oudh X, 22. 2. CC I, 553-" and Comm. by fq. 73; Oudh V, 30 XIII, 10. 3. CC I, 518-"Oudh, V, 28, XV, 128." 4. CC I, 385-Radhavallabha doctrine by ff. Oudh, 1876, 24. " - 5. CC I, 702-3 - " sarvasiddhanta - a dialogue between rajakumara visvanathasimha and bhiksukacarya on the divinity and worship of rama - - L. 2329 - -Oudh III, 20; V, 24; XIII, 98, 111 -Oppert 6269" None of the above MSS is available to me for examination. I shall, therefore, base my evidence in this paper on the description of some of these MSS as found recorded in the Catalogues. (242)

CC I, 723 "rajabahadura sitaramacamdra, patron of visvanathasimha ( ramacandra- campu ) L. 73 " Aufrecht has not identified either "sitaramacamdra bahadura or visvanatha- simhadeva ." I shall, therefore, try to examine Aufrecht's entries and try to identify these persons. In June 1945 : Dr. C. K. Raja of the Madras University gave me an extract' from the MS of samgitaratnakaravyakhya called samgitasetu available in the Alwar Darbar Library (No. 4628-33 ). Dr. Raja asked me to study this extract and fix the date of the author and his patron. The extract from the Alwar MS of the tag supplied by Dr. Raja gives us the following points for verification :- (1) The author of the work was one gamgarama, son of tularama of mathurakula, 1. This extract reads as follows :- 'jiyadraghavasundari kulapatiryanadabhumisvari yasadikharanupura ranitayuktanodbhavalapagih | gramaditrika saptakavrtimayi murcchasamucchrapaga sa sricakramayi satasrutiganahuta videhatmaja || 1 || idrk taddasavaryah ksititalapatibhrnnaivajato na bhavi yo'yam visvadhinathah sarigamapadhani lapasamlapanadhyah | srutyorevam srutinam ganamanilasitah saktadhi gramakute jute tanatmake'sau sa iha vijayate ragarupo nrpendrah || 2 || tadajnayaham karavani setum samgitasindho vrajabhasayaiva tatrasahayasya sahayavante bhavantu santah priyadasavaryah || 3 || sahantu te'ti sahasam kulalacakrakanane | upasthitam vimarsanat svaradivatasamkrame || 4 || srigurucaranasaroje dhyatva setuparisthito'pi gamgarameti samjnah kurverime saprityaham | mathuramanikulajanma jijnasunam vinodaya tadvatsamgitajnamatamanukalayan subodhaya || 5 || iti srimaharajadhiraja srimaharaja srirajabahadura- sitaramacandra krpapatradhikara visvanathasimhadeva tadajnaprayukta srimadhurakulamani-tularamagarbhasamudbhata gamgaramakrta samgitaseti ....... " 8

(2) The patron of our author was King visvadhinatha or visvanatha- simhadeva who was a lover of music. " " " maharaja- (3) visvanathasimhadeva is described in the colophon as dhiraja " and "srirajabahadura . He is further described by the epithet sitaramacandra krpapatradhikari ", which suggests that he was a devotee of god sitaramacandra . sita is referred to in verse 1 of the extract as "raghavasundari " and "videhatmaja ." (4) The work a was composed in cccc by our author by the order of faarf as stated in verse 3 at the beginning. (5) In verse 3 at the beginning of the work our author makes a respectful reference to one who needs to be identified. Before proceeding to record evidence on the points mentioned above let us see if we can trace any other MS of the of * in our published catalogues of MSS. Fortunately for us there is a complete MS of this work in the Sarasvati Mahal Library at Tanjore. In the description of this MS the editor of the Tanjore MSS Catalogue observes as follows:- - "Sangitaratnakaravyakhya-Setu A Hindi Commentary. Though the text of Sarngadeva is published this Commentary is not published. As this author says this work is written in Vrajabhasa or a north Indian Dialect. This commentary is called Sangitasetu and as the author says, is written at the bidding of a prince called Visvanatha-simha Sudeva. He mentions his father's name as one Tularam belonging to a family residing in Muttra. The MS in this library represents the commentary on all the seven chapters." (The entire commentary is represented by MSS Nos. 10754 to 10782 -Vide Pp. 7282-7283 of Vol. XVI of the Tanjore MSS Catalogue). No MSS of the several Sanskrit works ascribed to Visvanathasimhadeva by Aufrecht are available to me. I shall, therefore, 1. Vide p. 7279 of Vol. XVI of Des. Cata. of Tanjore MSSNo. 10754 (Burnell's Catalogue. No. 6598 a (Page 59) sheets 102 Begins ; - jiyadraghavasundari etc and Ends :- " iti srimaharajadhiraja srimaharajabahadurasotaramacandra krpapatradhikaravisvanatha- simhasudevatadajnaprayukta srimathura kulamanitularamagarbhasamutadbhagangaramakrta sangitasetiravaha ( svara- ga ) tadhyayah prathamah samaptimagamat tadetadvidusam subham bhuyat || " srimaharajabahadurasitaramacandrakrpapatradhikaravisvanatha-

cord below the description of the MSS of two Sanskrit works of this royal author as given by Rajendralal Mitra :- - (1) ramacandracampu with tika (MS No. 73 described by R. Mitra on p. 41 of Notices, Calcutta, 1871, Vol. I ) - A romance on the life of Rama and his consort Sita, by Visvanathasimha - folios 43 Country paper-MS belongs to Babu Hariscandra of Benares. The MS begins :- " saktiryesa na pumsam bhavati na kavita lokasastradyaveksam | naipunyam caiva naivabhyasanamapi tatha siksaya kavya- ganam | kavya kurvanta te'pi prabhuragunayutam yatkrpato premanam calabhyam tadavanitanayapadapadmam labhante | namami | " The MS ends :- "visvanathanubhutoditam dhyanam hanta bhavabandhajalam | iti srimaharajadhiraja srirajabahadura sitarama - candrakrpapatradhikari visvanathasimhabhudeva vira- citaramacandrahnikatikayamastamo yamah " The above extract clearly proves the identity of the author of this Sanskrit work with his name-sake mentioned in the Hindi work viz. the tag already described by me on the strength of the extracts from the Alwar and Tanjore MSS of this work. This Sanskrit work ramacamdranhika with commentary gives us the following particulars :- (i) Its author is King visvanathasimhadeva . 66 ", raja- (ii) In the colophon he is called "maharajadhiraja " " bahadura " and "sitaramacamdra krpapatradhikari . " These epithets are invariably mentioned in the colophons of the MSS of the Hindi works of our author like the samgitasetu and others. - (2) sarvasiddhamta A MS of this Sanskrit work is described by Mitra in his Notices, Vol. VII, Calcutta, 1884, Pp. 99-100 - No. 2329, folios 85, Extent 3300 slokas. This work is described as "an essay on the divinity of Ramacandra and the truth of the dual theory of the elder Vedanta. By Raja Kumara Visvanathasimha." The MS begins :- 88 sandranandasudhambudherudayabhuh satyapratijnavasi | prayesapratipadakopanisadam pramanyameva svayam | sitalaksmanavayusunusahitah sarvvesvareso vibhurjnanadyadbhutabhurisaktiravatu sriramacandrah sa nah ||

saktih samvidasau hareh pranayini jadayam harantam nrnam | muktakunda + + ndukambumihika karpurakantadyutih | vinavadana harsitarttajagati hastaksamalamatihamsiva pratigahatamaviratam me manasam bharati || vyasavyasaktacittaprathita harigunanarthadharavagaham | sadyo ya lekhitum tananupamamasrnam modakam matrdattam | sundagre sandadhanastrutitaradarayo vighnarajo madiyam | pratyuham kandamasmin haratu duri .....vamanodariyam || patitoddhrtimahimanah sadayahrdaya priyadasagurucaranah | visvanatha- hrdayastha manasiddhantam tanvate svayameva || bhi maharajakumara visvanathasimhadeva bhavatramitabhasaprabandharamayanaprati- paditasriramaparasvaparyalocanaya buddhimat pravaragragananiya- samadhigatasamastavedantatatva- bhavadamatya srimadbhodulalasatatapratipadita dvaitamataparsthalocanaya ityadi | The MS ends :- 66 candralalo'niruddho vai yugbhabhaktipravarttakah | yatah sriradhikakrsnakrpapatram hi madvapuh || guruttamasya kesasya tviyam suddha parampara | tanotu mangalanyasu priyadasanirupita || tasya sisyo'smadacaryyah paramanandarupavan | bhuvane sripriyadaso nityam tasmai namo namah || iti sriguruparampara - iti srisarvasiddhante srimaharajakumara srivisvanatha- simhaviracite bhiksukacaryyasamvade pancamah siddhantah | samaptascayam granthah || " We get the following information from the above extracts :- (1) The author of this work was visvanathasimhadeva who is called "srimaharajakumara " and not "maharajadhiraja ' as in the rama- candracampu and Gangarama's samgita ( ratnakara ) setu . It appears, therefore, that the afia was composed by our author before his coming to the gadi. (ii) The guru of our author was one priyadasa ( priyadasaguru- caranah ). The guruparampara begins with one camdralala and ends with priyadasa . (iii) When visvanathasimhadeva was a maharajakumara there seems to have been a minister of the name mentioned "amatya sri bhodulala " at the bginning of the work.

(iv) One fra is mentioned in the colophon. We must see if this person is imaginary or historical. From the data so far recorded it is clear that our author was interested in c and that by his order and under his patronage Gargarama composed the samgitasetu in vrajabhasa priyadasa mentioned by Gangarama with respect is evidently identical with far the guru of Gangarama's patron farafa. The spiritual genealogy of this guru has also been recorded by this author in his Sanskrit work af composed by him when he was an heir-apparent, maharajakumara . In view of our author's interest in ct we must see what works in this language were composed by him. In my search for these works, I have found the following Hindi works in the catalogues of Hindi MSS available to me :- (1) Rai Bahadur Hiralal in his Report on the Search of Hindi MSS, Allahabad, 1929, makes the following remarks on "Visvanatha Simha" :- - 66 P. 117 205. Visvanatha Simha Maharaja of Rewah, who ascended the throne in 1835 A. D. has written many books of which Parama Tatva Prakasa (a work on yoga and devotion) and Ragasagara on music have been found in the present search in the Fatehpur district. The first MS is dated 1837 A. D. which appears to be the date of its composition. The second Visvanatha Simha' was a poet of has no date. eminence.'' P. 488 MS No. 205 (a)-caby Visvanatha Simhaji, leaves 15, 64 slokas - Date of composition :- " Samvat 1892 (= A. D. 1835). MS ends :- ' iti srimaharajadhiraja srirajabahadura sitaramacandra krapatatradhikari visvanathasimha ja devakrta paramatatvaprakasa gramtha samapta etc. " In the beginning our author refers to his guru priyadasah- " jaya ganesa hariguru priyadasa carana dhari sisa || " 1. visvanathasimha the Maharaja of Rewa should not be confounded with fc, a Bhat of Biswan (Dist. Sitapur) who composed darasa in A. D. 1815 for one jalimasimha and another work alamkaradarpana in the same year (Vide pp. 243-244 of Triennial Report - Hindi MSS, Allahabad, 1924).

No. 205 (b) by Maharaja Visvanatha Simha of Rewa 6 leaves - 270 slokas" " raga raginiyom ke varnana MS Begins- cautara etc. 99 - " atha lipyate ragasagaradi maharaja visvanathasimgha kratata (2) Syam Sundar Das in his Triennial Report (Hindi) MSS, Allahabad, 1912, records the following note on our author :Pages 92-93-"No. 249-faaar (1813-1834): of Rewah. Besides being a liberal patron of learned men he was himself a good author (See No. 43 of 1900). The following works of his have been found :- (a) uttamaniticandrika An unusually large commentary or the eight Kabittas on morals or policy written by himself and named af. The MS is dated 1847 A. D. dhruvastakaniti . (b) anamdaraghunamdana nataka - A dramatic work dealing with the story of Rama. pakhamda khamdini (c) - A commentary on the works of Kabira Dasa. (d) work on morals and policy in prose. (All these MSS are described on P. 326 of this Report). (3) The Triennial Report (Hindi MSS), 1914 (Allahabad) contains the following remarks about visvanathasimhah- - Page 23 (Report) "(52) His Highness Maharaja Viswanatha Simha of Rewah who from 1813 to 1859 was one of the voluminous authors and 10 of his works have been noticed, only two of which appear to have been known before. may add that his son and successor Maharaja Raghuraja Singha (1854-80) is alone a well-known and voluminous author." I Page 443-"No. 329-Viswanatha Singha, Maharaja of Rewah (1813-1854) is one of the voluminous poets of Hindi (See No. 52 in the body of the Report. His ten works have been noticed :- (a) a commentary on Kabira's Bijaka. (b) basanta dealing with god and soul. (c) atatat on Spiritual Knowledge. cautisi (d) caurasi ramaini - MS dated 1847 A. D. gloss on the Ramaini of Kathiawar.

(e) on spiritual knowledge and precepts, being comments on Kabira-Dasa's "Karha." - (f) or the Story of Rama. ramayana (g) -MS dated 1839 A. D., being a commentary on Kabira's "Sabda." sakhi (h) at MS dated 1847 A. D., Commentary on Kabir's - "Sakhi." " - (i) MS dated 1846 A. D., on spiritual knowledge, devotion and unworldliness. (j), on cooking food. These MSS have been described on pages 444-45. The MS of ramayana (f) refers to gurupriyadasa . This work was composed when our author was an heir-apparent or as the Colophon reads " iti uttarakamda ramayana samapta srimaharajakumara sri babusahaba visvanathasimha ju deva- krta || . The following MSS descrite the author as "maharajadhiraja sri maharaja raja bahadura " and hence they were composed when he had come to the gadi of Rewa :- " (g) To dated Samvat 1896 = A. D. 1840. (h) ft dated Samvat 1904 = A. D. 1848. (i) ia dated Samvat 1903 = A. D. 1847. visvabhojanaprakasa ' (j) - This is a treatise on cookery (7030 slokas). (4) The Annual Report (Hindi MSS), Allahabad, 1905, contains the following MSS of the works of Visvanatha-simha :- MS No. 22 - anubhavaparapradarsani tika - Prose and Verse - Annotations on the 12 books of Kabira Das by Maharaja Visvanatha singha of Rewa (1834 A. D.). The MS copy was made in Samvat 1905 (1848 A. D.)- The extracts given in the Catalogue refer to guru fat and the author as priyadasa maharajadhiraja etc. 66 - " MS No. 53 - Prose and Verse-1195 Slokas- uttamakavya prakasa A book on Hindi composition with special reference to sarcastic style by Maharaja Visvanatha Singh of Rewah. The MS is dated: Samvat: 1896 (1839 A. D.) in which year, 1. Cf. (MS No. 1515 of 1891-95) composed by Girdhari in A. D. 1739. This author was a Court-poet of Sevai Jaising of Amber (A. D. 1699-1743).

it appears, the work was also completed. The extracts refer to guru fa and author as priyadasa " maharajadhiraja " etc. MS No. 54-ia - Prose and Verse -2580 Slokas - A samta sataka book dealing with spiritual subjects by Maharaja Visvanatha Singha of Rewah. The book is divided into 3 chapters, dealing with worldly renunciation, spiritual knowledge and final beatitude. The MS is dated Samvat 1895 (A. D. 1838) See No. 53 - The extracts refer to priyadasa and the author as " maharajadhiraja " etc. - No. 115 s (in verse)-13,448 slokas-570 folios. The Story of Ramacandra's life by Maharaja Visvanatha Singh of Rewah (1840). The MS is dated Samvat 1889 (1832 A. D.) The MS refers to guru far and the author as maharajakumara sri babusaheba visvanathasimha ju deva . No. 172 - magia with Commentary-composed in A. D. gitaraghunamdana 1832 MS dated A. D. 1833 (see No. 44 of 1900. The date 1844 given in this note is of the MS and not of the composition of the book). No. 173 by Visvanatha Singha. (5) Annual Report (Hindi MSS) Allahabad, 1903, records the following MSS of the works of Visvanatha Singha :No. 43. - - (in verse)-34 folios-210 slokas A poem in Doha Coupai and Soratha metre describing the diary of Rama and Sita during the 8 watches of one whole day and night, written in Samvat 1877 (1830 A. D.) by Maharaja Visvanatha Singh of Rewah. He was a great patron of poets and during his reign Rewah was one of the centres, where Hindi poets flourished in their greatest brilliancy and whence standard works on Hindi poetry were issued. No. 44 - gita raghunandana with tika pramanika - Prose and Verse-39 folios-1432 slokas - A commentary (with text) on - , a poem regarding Sri Ramacandra by one Gosai Jamunadasa the author of commentary is Maharaja Visvanatha Singha of Rewah, who completed it in Samvat 1901 (=A. D. 1844)-See No. 43-The colophon refers to the author of the commentary as maharaja kumara sribabusaheba visvanathasimha . " "

No. 47 (Text and commentary)-Prose and Verse -22 folios -495 $lokas of Rewah - by Maharaja Visvanatha Singha This is a treatise on the art of using the bow and the arrow MS dated Samvat 1911 (= A. D. 1855). - paramatatva prakasa - No. 48 Verse 16 folios-210 Slokas - A book on the Bhakti (devotion) of God by Maharaja Visvanatha Singha. (See No. 43)- The Colophon refers to the author as " maharajadhiraja etc.". (6) Annual Report (Hindi MSS), Allahabad, 1904, records the following MSS of Visvanatha Singha's works :- - - Verse 250 No. 6 - anandaramayana ( ayodhyakanda to uttarakanda ) folios 14000 Slokas - the story of Sri Ramacandra's life in verse. The book is divided into 7 parts, out of which the first part is missing. In the midst of the MS there is an extra page on which is written that the first book consisted of 40 leaves and extended to 2480 slokas. The author of this book is the well-known Maharaja Visvanatha Singhji of Rewah some of whose works were noticed in the Report for 1900. He composed the book before he was installed on the gaddi. The dates of the different parts of the MS range between Samvat 1880 and 1890 (1833-1843 A. D.)- The extracts refer to guru f and the author as sribabusaheba visunathasimgha ju deva ." " No. 16 (4) - paramadharmanirnaya ( prathama khanda ) Verse and Prose - 130 folios -2730 slokas-A treatise on Vaisnavism by Maharaja Viswanatha Singha of Rewah. It deals in detail with all the forms, ceremonies and beliefs of the Vaisnavas as propounded by the professors of that religion. It is divided into four parts of which three only have been noticed. The MS is dated Samvat 1905 (1848 A. D.)- The author refers to his guru fara at the beginning of the work. In the Colophon the author is called "srimaharajadhiraja sri- maharaja srirajabahadura sitaramacandra krpapatradhikari visvanathasimha ju deva ' - The MS was copied by lala ramadayala . " - No. 17 - paramadharmanirnaya ( dvitiya khanda ) Verse and prose 104 folios - 2574 slokas This part treats of love of God and the expiation of sins.-The MS is dated Samvat 1905 (1848 A. D.) Colophon similar to the above Colophon of No. 16. No. 18 (a)-112 folios- Verse and Prose-2630 slokas- This part treats of duties and ceremo-

nies which may be performed by the four varnas in cases of danger and difficulty. - Colophon as in No. 17. No. 19-folios folios 11-370 Slokas - This is a biographical account of Priya Das, the preceptor of Maharaja Visvanatha Singha of Rewah. Priya Das was a Maharastra Brahmin, Son of Basudeva and his former name was Krsna Datta. He was reputed for his deep knowledge of Bhagavata and probably he rendered that book into the Bundelakhandi dialect as mentioned by Ward (View of the History of the Hindus, Vol, II, p. 481) but he cannot be the same Priya Das (1712 A. D.) who wrote the well-known gloss on the Bhaktanamavali of Nabha Das, as the time of Priya Das alias Krsna Datta must be fixed in the first half of the 19 th Century, when Maharaja Visvanatha Singha, his disciple flourished at Rewah. The author of this MS is one Dronacarya Tiwadi, who was a disciple of Priya Das and who wrote this life in Samvat 1910 (1853 A. D.).Syamsundar states that Priya Das composed many Sanskrit and Bhasa works. No. 20-Verse - 15 folios - 226 Slokas - This is a treatise on archery based on the laws of Manu, by Maharaja Visvanatha Singh of Rewa. A similar treatise was noticed last year but it was in Sanskrit with a commentary in Hindi, - Colophon as in No. 18. (7) The Annual Report (Hindi MSS by Syamsunder Das, Allahabad, 1907. Records the following MSS of the works of Visvanatha Simha :No. 38 - ananda raghunandananataka 1 Prose and Verse 85 folios - 2225 slokas story of Ramacandra's life in dramatic form by Maharaja Visvanatha Simha of Rewah (1830 A. D.). " The MS is dated Samvat 1887 (1830 A. D.) The Colophon refers to the author as srimaharajakumara sribabusaheba visvanathasimha ju deva " Mr. Das states that this work was composed by its author before his coronation - The MS was copied by one dilaraja lala . - - - vedantapamcaka satika bhasa No. 84 - Prose and Verse-folios 13- 300 slokas A small book on Vedanta by Maharaja Visvanatha Simha of Rewah, The author refers to fara at the beginning of the work-The Colophon mentions its author as srimaha- - 66

rajadhiraja srimaharajasrirajabahadurasrisitaramacandra 'krpapatradhikarivisvanathasimha ju deva ". No. 114 - gitavali purvarddha verse, 91 folios -2460 slokas - An account of Ramacandra and the city of Ajudhya by Maharaja Visvanatha Simha of Rewah. The MS is dated Samvat 1887 (1830 A. D.) The Colophon describes its author as " srimaharajakumara sribabusaheba visvanathasimha ju deva . " - 5 No. 145 - uttamakavyaprakasa by visvanathasimha composed in A. D. 1840 MS is dated A. D. 1840 (See No. 53 of 1903)- This MS is not fully noticed in the catalogue but is mentioned with the above details in Appendix I. I have recorded above some account of the Sanskrit and Hindi works of Visvanatha Simha on the strength of scattered notices of them in Sanskrit and Hindi MSS Catalogues.2 This account may not be exhaustive as the catalogues available to me 1. In the jagadisasataka (MS No 82 ) and ramarasikavali (MS No. 89 ) by maharaja raghurajasimha (son of visvanatha simha ) the author is called " srikrsnacamdra krpapatradhikari . " 2. My friend Mr. K. M. K, Sarma, M. O. L. Curator, Anup Sanskrit Library, Bikaner, reports to me the following MSS of the works off in the Anup Library: Sanskrit: -(1) vat 1891 (=A. D. 1835) - (Sanskrit) folios 15-Dated SamIt 'ends :- " iti siddhi srimanmaharajadhirajasrijayasimhadevasunusrivisva- nathasimha ju devakrta etc. " Hindi: (1) in 7 Vols. Dated Samvat 1891 (= A. D. 1835). In the Colophon the author is called " sri babusaheba visvanatha " (2) ananda raghunandana (3) sikara ki kavitta - dated Samvat 1891 (A. D. 1835). No date. (4) ayodhyayaso varnana - No date. (5)-dated Samvat 1893 (A. D. 1837). (6)-dated Samvat 1890 (A. D. 1834). (7) viravijayakara - No date. (8) citrakutamahatmya - No date. I am thankful to Mr. Sarma for the above information sent by him on 20-9-1945.

are not many. It is, however, clear from my account that Maharaja Visvanatha Simha was a highly religious personage with voluminous literary work to his credit. My friend the late Diwan Bahadur Janaki Prasad of Rewa, whose contact with me for a few years prior to his sad demise created in me a strong desire to study the cultural and literary history of Baghel Khanda, had sent to me a typewritten copy of his History of the Rewah State. In this copy I find the following remarks about Maharaja Visvanatha Simha :- " Maharaja Jai Singh Deva abdicated in favour of his son Maharaja Kumar Vishwanatha Singh (afterwards Maharaja Vishwanatha Singh) in 1813 and from this time onward Vishwanatha Singh controlled the administration of the state until his father's death in 1833. Jaisingh was a good scholar and author of several works as well as a patron of learning. He was married at Manda and at Gauria. He had three sons: (1) Vishwanatha Singh, who as already stated succeeded him. (2) Lakshman Singh who was granted the chaurasi Madhogarh and (3) Balbhadra Singh of Amarpatan. ........... - 30. Vishwanatha Singh (A.D. 1833-1854)- We have seen that Vishwanatha Singha was administering the state for 20 years before his accession to the Gadl. He was a very able ruler and administered the state with great success. Like his father he was a lover of literature and patron of learning. Misunderstanding arose between Maharaja Vishwanath Singh and the heir apparent. Some of the Sardars of the state endeavoured to create misunderstanding between Maharaja Vishwanatha Singh and the Yuvaraja Maharaja Kumar afterwards Maharaja Raghuraja Singha. They partially succeeded in doing so and the result might have been disastrous to the state but for the foresightedness and sagacity of Maharaja Vishwanatha Singh and good sense and filial love of Raghuraja Singh........... (Some Sardars were expelled from the state)...... these Sardars went to Lahore and were in the service of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the "Lion of the Punjab. " They were called back to Rewa some years afterwards at the suggestion of Sir Henry Hardinge, the Governor General. Raghuraja Singh was born in 1823. Maharaja Vishwanath Singh delegated most of his powers to Raghuraja Singh in 1842 when the Yuvaraja was in his 19 th year......... Maharaja Vishwanatha Singh on the delegation of powers to him by his father made Pande Bhondu Lal his Diwan............

Vishwanatha Singh had only one son and three daughters. He had five Maharanis......Raghuraja Singh (A. D. 1854-1880). Born in 1823. He ascended the Rewa Gadi in 1854 and died in February 1880. Like his father and grand-father he was a patron of learning and was a Hindi poet of no mean order. He was Sanskrit Scholar and knew English" I believe, the above remarks of Diwan Bahadur Janaki Prasad give us the cultural background of the several Sanskrit and Hindi works of Maharaja Vishwanatha Singh of Rewah. It is also noteworthy that three Rewa Maharajas in succession viz. Jai Singh, Vishwanatha Singh and Raghuraja Singh were not only patrons of learning but were men of high literary attainments and capable administrators. I now close my account of the Sanskrit and Hindi works of Maharaja Vishwanath Singh of Rewa with the following table showing the dates of composition of these works as also the dates of their available MSS noted in this paper :Date of Date S. Lang- Name of Work Compo- of MS No. uage 1 Sanskrit ramagitatika 2 " 3 4 5 " ,, ,, ramacandrahnika and Comm. ramamantrarthanirnaya bedanta sutrabhasya sarvasiddhanta sition O ... Remarks V = visvanathasimha 6 7 " ,, 8 Hindi 9 "" ramacandracampu samgita raghunamdana paramatatvaprakasa ragasagara ... 1835 V called maharajakumara - mentions amatya bhodulala V Called maharajadhiraja 1835 1837 V - " maharajadhiraja d, 10 "" uttama niticandrika 1847

Date of s. No. Date uage Lang- Name of Work Compo- of MS sition Remark V = visvanathasimha 11 Hindi anamdaraghunamdana nataka 1830 1835 V "maharajakumara babusaheba " 12 " pakhandakhandini 13 14 " dhruvastaka adimamgala " 15 basanta " 16 cautisi " : : 17 caurasi ramaini 1847 " 18 kanha "" 19 ramayana "" 1835 V - " maharajakumara 18325 babusaheba " 20 20 sabda 1839 " 21 sakhi 1847 V - " maharajadhiraja V- " srimaharajabahadura " 22 23 23 22 1846 " 24 24 25 26 " samtasataka visvabhojanaprakasa anubhavapara prada- rsani tika uttama kavyaprakasa samtasatakah 1848 V - " maharajadhiraja " - - Do - 1840 1840 - ... 1838 Do - 1833 gitaraghunamdana by 1832 jamunadasa Do-with tika pramanika by Visvanatha Simha " 1844 V- maharajakumara babu saheba " " 22 27 " 25 28 29 29 30 30 99 = " bhajana astayamaka ahnika 1830 ***

S. No. Date of Date Lang- Name of Work Compo- of Ms uage 31 Hindi dhanurvidya ( Sans krit) with tika (Hindi) 32 " anamdaramayana 33 ,, paramadharmanirnaya sition 1855 Remark V = visvanathasimha 1833 V - " babusaheba to 1843 " 1848 V - " maharajadhiraja srimaharaja sriraja • bahadura 34 35 86 36 == " " 37 ,, 38 39 40 41 " ,, " 15 " " * | priyadasacarita- 1853 mrta by drona- carya tivadi dhanusavidya vedantapancaka satika bhasa gitavali (purvarddha ) sikaraki kavitta ayodhyayasovarnana vinayamala viravijayakara ... ... : : 1834 ... 42 " citrakutamahatmya V - " maharajadhiraja etc." 257 1830 V 1837 66 maharaja sribabu- saheba ' 1834 After this paper was written I received a copy of the Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of H. H. the Maharana of Udaipur (Mewar) by M. L. Menaria, (1943). Pages 188-286 of this catalogue contain a list of Hindi and Rajasthani MSS. In this list I notice the following MSS of the works of visvanathasimhah Page 190 - No. 323 - ayodhyaji ke bhajana - - Kavya. 99 - " 119 - ayodhya mahatmya - Mahatmya. Page 194 - No. 113 - anamda rathanamdana nataka - - - Nataka. Page 204 - No. 114 - gitavali (purvarddha ) - Kavya. S.I.L.H.17 -

Page 206 - No. 57 - citrakutamahatmya - Mahatmya - vi . sam . 1890 (=A. D. 1834). Page 240 No. 325 - - bhajana - Kavya. Page 252 Page 264 No. 326 - - No. 279-- Niti. vinayamala - Kavya. vi . sam . 1890 No. 674 Do - Do-far. . 1430 (= A. D. 1834). - No. 322 - saravijaya Dhanurvidya. " Page 266 Page 272 ,, " No. 327 santisataka - Kavya. - - No. 278 - sikara ke kavitta - Kavya. No. 321 Do - Do Page 274 No. 324- - srngara ke kavitta - Kavya. Page 284 - No. 280 - hanumanajike kavitta - Stotra - vi . sam . 1889 (=A. D. 1833). - No. 335 - Do Do - " It is possible to trace the MSS of the works of Maharaja Visvanathasimha [Vishwanath Sinha] in many other MSS Libraries, both private and public. In H. I. Poleman's Census of Indic MSS in U. S. A. and Canada (1938) he records a MS of anandaraghunandana nataka ( Hindi ) P. 302 MS No. 5820. This is the only MS of Visvanathasimha's works recorded in this Catalogue.