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History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s86: 101. Govindānanda

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s86

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101. Govindānanda

v1.c6.s86.1

Govindānanda wrote several works out of which four have been printed in the Bibliotheca Indica series, viz: the Dānakaumudī, Śuddhikaumudī, Śrāddhakaumudī, Varṣakriyā-kaumudī. The last work deals with *tithinirṇaya*, *vratas* on several *tithis* all the year round, festivals like Durgotsava, Kojāgara etc. All these works appear to have formed part of a general digest called Kriyākaumudī. Besides these he wrote a commentary called Arthakaumudī on the Śuddhidīpikā of Śrīnivāsa which was printed in Bengali characters, and also a commentary called Tattvārtha-kaumudī on Śūlapāṇi's Prāyaścittaviveka (published by Jīvānanda at Calcutta). His works are of great utility on account of the numerous authors and works quoted therein. The following deserve special mention.¹⁰¹⁵ He was the son of Gaṇapatibhaṭṭa and was styled Kavikaṅkaṇācārya. From the introductory and final verses of his works it appears that he was a Vaiṣṇava. His father was a resident of Bāgri in the Midnapur District of Bengal.

v1.c6.s86.2

¹⁰¹⁵ कुल्लूक, चण्डीदास, (com. of काव्यप्रकाश), गङ्गावाक्यावलीकार, मदनपारिजात, राजमार्तण्ड, रुद्रधर, वर्धमानोपाध्याय, वाचस्पति, विशारद, शुद्धिविवेक, सायणभाष्य.

v1.c6.s86.3

Since he quotes the Madanapārijāta, the Gaṅgā-vākyāvalī, Rudradhara and Vācaspati, he must be later than about 1500 A. D. He is quoted by Raghunandana in his Malamāsatattva and Āhnikatattva. So he cannot be later than 1560 A. D. His Śuddhi-kaumudī examines intercalary months¹⁰¹⁶ from śake 1414 to śake 1457 (i. e. from 1492 A. D. to 1535 A. D). Therefore it appears that he wrote his Śuddhikaumudī immediately after śake 1457 (i. e. 1535 A. D.). He wrote the Śrāddha-kaumudī and Varṣa-kriyākaumudī after the Śuddhi-kaumudī. Therefore we shall be very near the truth if his literary activity be placed between 1500 and 1540 A. D.

v1.c6.s86.4

¹⁰¹⁶ अत एव विष्णुधर्मोत्तरे—समाद्वये साष्टमासे तस्मान्मासोऽतिरिच्यते। स चाधिमासकः प्रोक्तः काम्यकर्मसु गर्हितः॥ इति। तथा चतुर्दशवर्षाधिकचतुर्दशशतशकाब्दे वैशाखो मलमासः। ततः परं षोडशाधिकचतुर्दशशतशकाब्दे भाद्रे ऊनत्रिंशद्मासे मलमासः। ... ततः परं द्वाविंशत्यधिकचतुर्दशशतशकाब्दे ज्येष्ठे पञ्चत्रिंशन्मासे मलमास इत्याद्यनेकशो व्यभिचारो दृश्यते। शुद्धिकौमुदी p. 266; vide p. 270 for intercalary month in śake 1449 and 1457.

v1.c6.s86.5

*Vide* M. M. Chakravarti in JASB for 1915 p. 355 for information about Govindānanda.

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