Studies in the History of Sanskrit Poetics v1.c62.16

v1.c62.16

The author's name is given variously as Dharma-siṃha or Dharma-paṇḍita. He belonged to a Benares family distinguished for the high proficiency of its members in philosophical studies, and his genealogy is thus given (Hultzsch i p. 70): Tripurāri→Dharma→Pārvateśa→Dharma Sūri. He was also the author of a drama, called *Naraka-dhvaṃsa* (a *vyāyoga*) or *Narakāsura-vijaya*¹. The author is cited by Anantārya (q. v.) in his *Kavi-samaya-kallola*. A commentary on this *Sāhitya-ratnākara*, called *Nauka*, by Veṅkaṭa Sūri is mentioned in *Madras Trm B* 444 and *Madras Cat.* 12974-75. Veṅkaṭa Sūri was the son of Lakṣmaṇa Sūri and Sūramāmbā, and grandson of Brahmāntara-vāṇi and disciple of Veṅkaṭācārya. The *Sāhitya-ratnākara* is in 10 *taraṅgas*, dealing with the conventional topics of the science. Dharma Sūri must have been later than Vidyānātha; for in one of his verses he anonymously ridicules Vidyānātha's method of praising his patron (*alaṃkriyāḥ pūrvataraiḥ praṇītāḥ | prayogitāḥ kāścana nāyakena | kaiścit tu kukṣimbharibhir nibadhāḥ | kṣodiyasā kāścana nāyakena*)