INTRODUCTION

Bhavabhūti, his life, and his date

1. Bhavabhūti's account of himself.—Bhavabhūti, the author of the Uttara-Rāma-charita, gives in the prologues to his three plays various items of information about himself and his family. This information is fullest in the Mahāvīra-charita,¹ which is probably the poet's earliest work. In his second work, the Mālatī-Mādhava,² there is, in addition to this information, an attempt to glorify his family (i. 7) and his own attain- ments (i. 10). There is also a note of defiance or of discontent (i. 8) at the reception accorded to his earlier work. His latest work, the Uttara- Rāma-charita, is most meagre and also modest in the biographical matter. These items may be put together as follows : In the country to the south there is a city called Padma-pura. In it live certain Brahmans surnamed Udumbara, who trace their lineage to the saint Kaśyapa. They follow the Taittirīya branch of the Black Yajur Veda, are well versed in the Brahma-lore, and have performed the Soma sacrifice.³ They are pious householders, heads of their school, revered of all men, and duly maintain the five Sacred Fires. It was to this family of the Udumbaras that that famous performer of the Vājapeya sacrifice, he who was called Mahā-Kavi (Great Poet), belonged. Fifth in descent from him is our Bhavabhūti, Bhaṭṭa Gopāla of blessed name being his grandfather, and Nīlakaṇṭha of hallowed memory being his father. His mother's name is Jatukarṇī. Bhavabhūti's original name is Śrīkaṇṭha ;⁴

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[Footnotes]

[Left Column] ¹ Mahāvīra-charita is cited from the Nirṇaya Sāgara edition of 1901 with Vīrarāghava's commentary. From v. 46¹ to the end, I cite the version given in that edition without the comm., on the pages follow- ing 247 (first sequence). ² The Mālatī-Mādhava is cited from the Nir- ṇaya Sāgara ed. of 1900 with the comm.'s of Tripurāri and Nānyadeva, and of Jagaddhara. The various Nirṇaya Sāgara editions of the two plays do not differ much as to pagination. ³ See Dr. A. B. Keith, Bhavabhūti and the Veda, JRAS., July, 1914, p. 729. [Added

[Right Column] in proof-sheets.] ⁴ 'In whose throat—upon whose lips—resides the Goddess of Wealth and Eloquence.' This probably was the name given him by his parents. His full name would accordingly be Śrīkaṇṭha Nīlakaṇṭha Udumbara. He was called Bhava-bhūti, say some, because God Śiva (Bhava) gave him 'luck' or 'holy ashes' (bhūti); others say, because he wrote a stanza containing either the line Sāmbā punātu Bhava-bhūti- pavitra-mūrtiḥ or Girijāyāḥ kuchau vande Bhava-bhūti-sitānanau.