History of the Pallavas of Kanchi c18.2

c18.2

The *Avantisundarikathā* and the *Avantisundarikathāsara* are two old Sanskrit manuscripts discovered by the search party of the Madras Oriental Manuscript Library some years ago.¹ Of these the former is a prose work with a poetic introduction while the other is a summary of this work in verse. While the MSS. are interesting to the students of Sanskrit literature the poetical introduction prefixed to the prose work is of particular interest to the students of Pallava history inasmuch as it shows the literary patronage of some of the Pallava kings of the Simhavishnu line and the connection of some of the well-known Sanskrit poets with Kanchipuram. It is agreed that this prose work was written by Daṇḍin and the introductory chapter gives some valuable data for fixing the date and place of Daṇḍin and his connection with Bhāravi as well as the Pallava kings and their interest in architecture and literature. The literary and historical importance of the work have been discussed in full by Mr. Ramakrishnakavi in his paper on ‘*Avantisundarikathā* of Daṇḍin’² which may be referred to. Mr. Harihara Sastri of Trivandrum has questioned the tenability of the identity of Damodara and Bhāravi and the relationship of Bhāravi and Daṇḍin suggested by Mr. Kavi in the light of his discovery of the corresponding prose passage from Trivandrum Manuscript Library. The following are extracts from Mr. Ramakrishnakavi’s edition which has the advantage of supplying a number of correct readings not found in the Manuscript acquired by the Government Oriental Manuscript Library.