History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s60.16

v1.c6.s60.16

Unexpected light is thrown on the personal history of Bhavadeva-bhaṭṭa by an inscription found in the temple of Ananta Vāsudeva at Bhuvaneśvara in the Puri District of Orissa edited by Kielhorn in E. I. vol. VI, p. 203, which eulogises Bhavadevabhaṭṭa, the identity of the author Bhavadeva with the person eulogised being established by the unique epithet, Bālavalabhībhujaṅga applied to the latter.⁶⁸⁸ The eulogy is composed by a person called Vācaspatikavi. Bhavadeva belonged to the Sāvarṇa gotra of the Kauthumī school of the Sāmaveda. The family belonged to Siddhala-grāma in Rāḍhā (west of the Hugli and south of the Ganges). Bhavadeva’s remote ancestor Bhavadeva obtained in gift the *agrahāra* of Hastinībhiṭṭa from the Gauḍa king. The father of Bhavadeva was Govardhana, a warrior and a scholar. His mother was Sāṅgokā, daughter of a Vandhyaghaṭīya Brāhmaṇa. With the advice of Bhavadeva king Harivarmadeva is said to have reigned long in prosperity. Bhavadeva is stated in the above mentioned inscription to have composed works on *horā* (astrology), *smṛti*, and *mīmāṁsā*. Bhavadeva is eulogised as a great builder. He constructed a reservoir of water in Rāḍhā, he set up a stone image of Nārāyaṇa and founded a temple in which he placed images of Nārāyaṇa, Ananta, ann Nṛsiṁha. He also gave to Harimedhas female attendants, dug a tank and laid out a garden. Neither Kielhorn nor Chakravarti has attempted any explanation of the epithet Bālavalabhībhujaṅga. I hazard an explanation. Bhavadeva probably made some innovation in the structure of the roofs or balconies of the temples he built and he was therefore styled a lover (a gallant or paramour) of little (*bāla*-small sized or girlish) *valabhīs*. From the nature of the character Kielhorn conjectured that the inscription belonged to the 12th century A. D.