The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v2.c14.s3.21

v2.c14.s3.21

The cause of Marathi literature got a further impetus in the Yādava period from the rise of the Mahānubhāva sect, which was first brought into prominence by Chakradhara. He was very insistent that his followers should write in Marathi and not in Sanskrit, and as a consequence of this preference the Marathi language became considerably enriched by the literary activities of the new sect. Chakradhara himself has left no literary works, but more than a dozen disciples of his composed books in Marathi, mostly on religious subjects. Amongst these, the *Śiśupālavadha* of Bhānubhaṭa (A.D. 1275), the *Vatsalāharaṇa* of Dāmodarapaṇḍita (A.D. 1278), the *Rukmiṇisvayaṃvara* of Narendrapaṇḍita (A.D. 1288), the *Siddhāntasūtrapāṭha* of Keśavarāja (A.D. 1288), the *Nalopākhyāna* of Nṛsiṃhakesari, the *Riddhipuravarṇana* of Maheśvara Paṇḍita (A.D. 1373) and the *Līlācharitra* of Mahendra may be mentioned here. Some of these works throw important light on the events of contemporary history.