Studies in the History of Sanskrit Poetics v1.c8.s1.10

v1.c8.s1.10

There can hardly be any doubt that Bhaṭṭa Nāyaka was familiar with the text of the *Dhvanyāloka*, including Ānandavardhana's *vṛtti*, and should, therefore, be placed in a period later than the date of Ānandavardhana. This conclusion is supported by the statement of Jayaratha (p. 12) that Bhaṭṭa Nāyaka lived after the Dhvanikāra, by whom Jayaratha, like many other later writers, invariably means Ānandavardhana without distinguishing him from the so-called Dhvanikāra. On the other hand, the oldest writer to cite Bhaṭṭa Nāyaka, is Abhinavagupta, from whom he does not appear to be chronologically very distant. Bhaṭṭa Nāyaka, therefore, flourished between the last quarter of the 9th century and the last quarter of the 10th; and it will not be wrong if we assign him to the end of the 9th century and the beginning of the 10th. This date makes it likely that he is identical, as Peterson suggested, with the Bhaṭṭa Nāyaka who is mentioned by Kalhaṇa (v 159) as having flourished in the reign of Śaṅkaravarman, son and successor of Avantivarman of Kasmir.