Indian Epigraphy c10.s7.6

c10.s7.6

Among royal libraries, mention may be made of the celebrated collection of the Paramāra king Bhoja (c. 1000-55 A.D.). In the first half of the 12th century, the Caulukya king Siddhārāja Jayasiṃha (c. 1094-1144 A.D.) conquered Malwa and carried away the books of Bhoja’s library to Anhilwada where they were apparently amalgamated with the Caulukya collection of manuscripts. The Caulukya royal library at Anhilwada is often mentioned in the 13th century works. The Caulukya-Vāghelā king Visaladeva (Viśvamalla, c. 1244-62 A.D.) is stated to have supplied a copy of Śrīharṣa’s Naiṣadhīya to Vidyādhara for writing his commentary on it and also a copy of Vātsyāyana’s Kāmasūtra to Yaśodhara who composed the Jayamaṅgalā commentary on it. A copy of the Rāmāyaṇa in Visaladeva’s collection is known to be preserved now in the library of the University of Bonn, West Germany.¹