A History of Indian Literature v3.c35.s10.7

v3.c35.s10.7

Saduktikarṇāmṛta or Sūktikarṇāmṛta⁴ "The Ear-nectar of nice Sayings" of Śrīdharadāsa, son of Vaṭudāsa is a very extensive anthology compiled in the year 1205 A.D. Both the father and the son were in the service of Lakṣmaṇasena of Bengal, and the collection contains verses mainly by Bengali poets, e.g. Dhoī and Jayadeva. In the entire work verses of 446 poets have been cited; amongst those of others of Gaṅgādhara, who is known from an inscription dated 1137 A.D. and of five other poets related to him, all of whom lived during 1050 and 1150 A.D.¹. Very important is also the Subhāṣitamuktāvalī. “A Chain of Pearls of Beautiful Sayings”² of Jalhaṇa, [1257 A. D.], who after his father Lakṣmīdeva became the advisor of the South Indian king Kṛṣṇa, who came to the throne in 1247 A.D.³. The anthology, of which there is a bigger recension as well as a smaller one, is arranged systematically. A section deals with poets and poetry and is of special importance for history of literature. Other sections contain stanzas on happiness, wealth, charity, fate, wickedness, wisdom, separation, union, misfortune, love, service to king, politics, etc. One of the most famous anthologies is the Śāraṅgadhara-paddhati⁴ i.e. the Paddhati, “The Guide” (viz. of poetry) of Śāraṅgadhara”, compiled in the year 1363 A.D.⁵. The collection is divided into 163 sections according to the topics that have been treated. Often the names of the poets are appended to the stanzas; not seldom, however, is “somebody” given as the writer. Among these names occur nine names of poetesses. Śāraṅgadhara himself too is a poet, but the stanzas of which he calls himself the author are not significant. Amongst others, the verse No. 3927 is ascribed to Kālidāsa, that is: