A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c21.133

v1.c21.133

An illustration of this difficulty in identifying the king of Videha, when no proper name is added, 408 is found in Ḍalhaṇa’s commentary on Su. U.1.4cd-8ab, where the king of Videha is mentioned. Ḍalhaṇa regards him as Nimi, but informs us that others read a number of additional stanzas, telling a story how Janaka lost his eyesight and later received from the sun god, who was pleased by his penance, the cakṣurveda, i.e., the science of ophthalmology. The list of authors of a lost śālākyatantra, found in the books of several Indian scholars, 409 comprise a Videha- and a Nimitantra, which either means that Videha is distinct from both Janaka and Nimi, or that he is identical with Janaka. 410