Studies in the History of Sanskrit Poetics v1.c35.5

v1.c35.5

There are two Vāgbhaṭas in Sanskrit Poetics who must be distinguished from each other, viz. Vāgbhaṭa, author of the Vāgbhaṭālaṃkāra (here cited as Vāgbhaṭa I) and Vāgbhaṭa, author of the Kāvyānuśāsana and its vṛtti, Alaṃkāra-tilaka (here cited as Vāgbhaṭa II). Eggeling¹ falls into the error of confounding the two and assigning both the works to the same author. From the Vāgbhaṭālaṃkāra iv 148, we learn that the Jaina name in the Prakrit form of the author is Bāhaḍa and that he was the son of Soma². From the Kāvyānuśāsana and its commentary³, on the other hand, we learn that its author was the son of Nemikumāra and Mahā-(mahī?-) devī or Vasundharā; while his native town, called Rāhaḍapura from the shrine of a deity of that name, is mentioned⁴, as well as described, in a verse by the author himself⁵. Vāgbhaṭa II also appears to cite Vāgbhaṭa I as one of his authorities⁶. Both the Vāgbhaṭas, however, quote from the poet Vāgbhaṭa, author of the Nemi-nirvāṇa, Vāgbhaṭa II citing the poem by name frequently for the purpose of illustrating the characteristics of a good poem (e.g. p. 16)⁷. It appears that Vāgbhaṭa I may or may not be identical with the poet of the Nemi-nirvāṇa; but Vāgbhaṭa II should be distinguised from both¹. We must also distinguish the medical writer Vāgbhaṭa, son of Siṃhagupta.