Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.1522

c8.1522

NILAKAṆṬHA DĪKSITAR. A Sanskrit poet who flourished in the 17th century A.D. He was the court poet of King Tirumala-Nāyaka. He has written works in all the branches of literature. His more important works are Śivalīlārṇava, Gaṅgāvataraṇa. Nilakaṇṭhavijaya campū, and Kalivīḍambana. Śivalīlārṇava contains twentytwo cantos. Its theme is the sixtyfour līlās (Divine sports) of Śiva installed at Madura. (South India) Gaṅgāvataraṇa is a poem in eight cantos which describes the story of Bhagiratha bringing Gaṅgā down to the earth. In the first canto of Nilakaṇṭhavijaya, A.D. 1638-39 is referred to as the period of its composition, and this reference helps us to determine the date of the poet.