The Positive Background of Hindu Sociology c13.s3.t6.2

c13.s3.t6.2

The *Mānasollāsa* (The Hilarity of Mind) has a peculiar title. But it is a veritable work of *Nītiśāstra* like the *Yukti kalpataru* and the *Śukranīti*. The special importance of this treatise consists in its being what may be described almost as a dated book, about whose author's personality and home-surroundings there does not appear to be any doubt for the time being. The author *pro forma* is King Someśvara Bhūlokamalla of the Western Chālukya dynasty which was established at Kalyānī in 973 by Taila or Tailapa II. Someśvara reigned from 1127 to 1138. He is the son of his illustrious father Vikramankā Vikramāditya VI., whose reign lasted for half a century (1076-1126). Vikramānka is the hero of Bilhaṇa's *Vikramānkacharita* like Harṣavardhana of Bāṇa's *Harṣacharita*. It is, again, at Vikramānka's court that Vijnāneśvara, the immortal jurist of India, composed his world-renowned *Mitākṣarā* commentary of Yājnavalkya about 1100.²⁴ The *Mānasollāsa* was composed in 1131 (p. vi).