Studies in the History of Sanskrit Poetics v1.c26.10

v1.c26.10

Sindhu¹, and the name of his preceptor is given as Gaṅgaka². He was also the father of Somendra, and preceptor of Udayasiṃha and rājaputra Lakṣanāditya³. We know nothing, on the other hand, of Kṣemarāja’s genealogy or personal history. But we are told at the end of the Bṛhatkathā-mañjarī that Kṣemendra learnt sāhitya from Abhinavagupta, while Kṣemarāja at the end of his Svacchandóddyota⁴ (as well as in the colophon to his Stava-cintāmaṇi) is described as śiṣya of the same great philosopher. It is worth noting, however, that while Kṣemendra’s surname Vyāsadāsa⁵ is given in all his works (with the exception of his Kalā-vilāsa), it does not occur in any of Kṣemarāja’s philosophical treatises. Kṣemendra has taken care to let us know a great deal about himself, but Kṣemarāja always hides his light under the bushel and is apparently free from this trace of natural vanity. The question, therefore, cannot be taken as definitely settled, and can be satifactorily solved when, as Bühler long ago pointed out⁶, the name of Kṣemarāja’s father is found.