History of the Pallavas of Kanchi c9.8

c9.8

*Avantisundarikathāsāra.*—Another valuable synchronism which has been discovered recently, is obtained from the Sanskrit manuscript known as *Avantisundarikathāsāra* the historical introduction of which gives an account of Bhāravi and Daṇḍin. We learn from this that Bhāravi visited the courts of Viṣṇuvardhana, Durvinīta, and Simhaviṣṇu. From the fact that the poet is described to have visited these three kings we may infer that these kings were contemporaries. As it is known that Durvinīta belonged to the later part of the sixth century, and as we also know that Viṣṇuvardhana is assignable to the same period, we may feel certain that the members of the Pallava kings of the Sanskrit charters belong to a period anterior to the seventh century. From the seventh century onward there is not much uncertainty either in the actual order of succession of the Pallava kings or their dates. The light thrown by the *Avantisundarikathā* upon the political history of South India and chronology is discussed both in the Proceedings of the Oriental Conference Second Session (1922) and in the Mythic Society's Journal, by Messrs. M. Ramakrishnakavi and A. Rangaswami Sarasvati.²