Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East (Vol. I: Champa; Vol. II: Suvarnadvipa) v2.c20.s5.42

v2.c20.s5.42

Kāmeśvara II (1185 A.D.) maintained the brilliant literary traditions of the Kaḍirian court. The most famous work written under his patronage was Smaradahana.² This work is based on the famous episode of the burning of Smara or the god of Love by Śiva which has been so masterfully dealt with by Kālidāsa in his immortal work Kumāra-sambhavam. While Śiva was engaged in austerities, Smara (also known as Kāma, Madana, etc.) kindled in him the flames of passion. Enraged at this Śiva turned towards him, and a ray of fire proceeding from his body reduced the god of Love to ashes and he became Aṅaṅga or Bodyless. The subject-matter of the work, according to Pamañcangah, has been borrowed from a Śiva-Purāṇa which, according to Van der Tuuk, is the corrupt form of the well-known book Skandapurāṇa. The poem was composed by Dharmaya. It is dedicated to King Kāmeśvara, and probably Kāmeśvara II, though some scholars believe that it was Kāmeśvara I. In any case it belongs to the twelfth century A.D. The name of the king might have suggested his theme to the poet.