Bilhana
| Author: Laxman Burdak IFS (R) |
Bilhana (बिल्हण) was an 11th-century Kashmiri poet. He is known for his love poem, the Caurapañcāśikā (चौरपंचाशिका). Chaurapanchasika stands out to become the marker of age.
Variants
Author of Vikramankadevacharita
Bilhana left his homeland in search of fame and fortune. He wandered through Mathura, Kannauj, Prayaga, Varanasi, Somnath, Kalyan and Rameswaram but luck eluded him.[1] But while trekking back through Kalyan, Western Chalukya Empire King Vikramaditya VI appointed him as Vidyapathi. Bilhana rewarded his patron by composing in his honor an epic Vikramankadevacharita (विक्रमांकदेवचरित).[2]
Bilhana is from the period of time when Sanskrit continued to be the language of literature, and is a very important poet of Kashmir from the Medieval period of Indian literature.
(89) Mandhata Plates of Devapala of year 1225 AD
[p.63]: The inscription refers itself to the Paramara king Devapala (देवपाल) of Malava, and records the grant of a village Satajuna (सताजुना) in the Mahuada pratijāgaranaka to a number of Brahmans after the king had bathed in the Reva (Narmada), while staying at Mahishmati (माहिष्मती), on the occasion of an eclipse of the moon on the full moon tithi in the month of Bhadrapada in the (Vikrama) year 1282, corresponding to Tuesday the 19th August A. D. 1225, although the record states the day to be a Thursday, which Dr. Kielhorn thinks is an error.
The genealogy of the king begins with Bhojadeva (भोजदेव), after whom came Udayaditya (उदयादित्य). From him sprang Naravarman (नरवरमन्), whose son was Yashovarman (यशोवरमन्), from whom was born Ajayavarman (अजयवरमन्). The latter 's son was Vindhyavarman, and his son Subhatavarman. The latter's son was Arjuna. Vindhyavarman (विन्ध्यवरमन्) and Subhaṭavarman (सुभट वरमन्) were at war with Jayasimha (जयसिंह), and the first of them recovered Dhārā (धार), which must have been taken possession of by the enemy. Arjuna (अर्जुन) in his youth put to flight the (Gurjara) king Jayasimha. Arjuna's successor was Devapala (देवपाल), son of Harishchandra (हरिश्चंद्र), who is known from other records to have been a descendant of Udayavarmadeva (उदयवर्मदेव) of Dhara. It would thus appear that in Devapala the two branches of the Paramara family, which till then had separately held sway over Malava, became re-united, or that one of them ceased to exist.
With regard to the localities mentioned,
- Mahishmati is apparently Mandhata1 where the plates were found.
- The village Satajuna (सताजुना) exists still under the same name, about 13 miles south-west of Mandhata, and Mahuada is probably Mohod, about 25 miles south of Satajuna.
There were a number of donees who had come from different places, several of which can be identified — for instance,
- Mahavanasthana (महावनस्थान) is apparently Mahaban (महाबन), a town in the Muttra District ;
- Tripuristhana (त्रिपुरीस्थान) is Tewar, near Jubbulpore;
- Akolasthana (अकोलास्थान) is Akola in Berar ;
- Mathurasthana (मथुरास्थान) is Muttra in the United Provinces ;
- Dindvanakasthana (डिंड्वाणकस्थान) is apparently Didwana in Jodhpur ; and
- Madhyadesa (मध्यदेश), the country between the Himalaya, the Vindhya, Vinasana in the west and Prayaga in the east.
- Regarding the remaining places no definite suggestions can be offered.
- Mutavathusthana (मुतवथु स्थान), the same as Muktavasthusthana (मुक्तावस्थुस्थान) of other inscriptions,
1. See Fleet's Article in Journal, Royal Asiatic Society, 1910, page 445
- Ashramasthana (अश्रमस्थान) and Sarasvatisthana (सरस्वतिस्थान ) are not traceable.
- The Takaristhana (टकारीस्थान) occurs in many other inscriptions, but there are so many Takaris (टकारी) that it is not possible to identify the place with a particular one.
- Hastinapura (हस्तिनापुर) may be Hathinavara (हथिनावर) , on the northern bank of the Narmada.
This inscription has a statement that it was composed with the approbation of the minister of peace and war, the learned Bilhana, who was a great poet.
बिल्हण
बिल्हण, ग्यारहवीं शताब्दी के कश्मीर के प्रसिद्ध कवि थे जिनकी रचना चौरपंचाशिका प्रसिद्ध है। उनकी दूसरी प्रसिद्ध रचना विक्रमांकदेवचरित है जो इतिहास गर्न्थ है। बिल्हण के विक्रमांकदेवचरित में कल्याण के चालुक्य राजा विक्रमादित्य षष्ठ (1076-1126) के पराक्रमों का वृत्तांत है।
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