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A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c44.s5: Lolimbarāja

A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c44.s5

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Lolimbarāja

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Lolimbarāja was the author of four medical kāvyas, the Camatkāracintāmaṇi, Vaidyajīvana and Vaidyāvatamsa, all three written in Sanskrit, and the Vaidyakākāvya, written in Marāṭhī. He also composed a religious poem in Sanskrit on the life of Kṛṣṇa, ending with the death of Kaṃsa, called Harivilāsakāvya, and a poem in Marāṭhī with the title Ratnakalācarita. 378

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The Camatkāracintāmaṇi 379 is a kāvya in 242 380 ingenious verses of diverse metres, 381 which are addressed to the poet’s beloved as a reply to her questions pertaining to medical matters. The poem therefore abounds with skillful verses extolling female beauty and charms.

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Chapter (vilāsa) one (ninety-three verses) has seven introductory verses, which mention the title of the work and a number of sources (Ātreya, Bheḍa, Bhoja, Hārīta, Parāśara); the remaining part deals with the treatment of fevers. Chapter two (thirty-eight verses) contains prescriptions against atisāra and grahaṇī. Chapter three (fifty verses) is about the therapy of unconnected disorders (1–35) and women’s diseases (36–50). The diseases mentioned in chapter four (forty-three verses) do not show any systematic arrangement at all. Chapter five (eighteen verses) is concerned with vājīkaraṇa.

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The prescriptions of the *Camatkāracintāmaṇi* are simple and contain for the greater part ingredients which are well known from the classical texts.³⁸²

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An abundance of pitta is called karālapitta (4.21).

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Verses from the *Camatkāracintāmaṇi* form part of Trimalla’s *Yogataraṅgiṇī*³⁸³ and the *Yogaratnākara*.³⁸⁴ Nayanasukha’s *Vaidyamanotsava* is said to have been influenced by the *Camatkāracintāmaṇi*.³⁸⁵

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The *Vaidyajīvana*,³⁸⁶ regarded as Lolimbarāja’s best poem,³⁸⁷ has the same structure as the *Camatkāracintāmaṇi*.³⁸⁸ It consists of 238 skillful verses of diverse metres,³⁸⁹ arranged in five chapters (vilāsa).

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Chapter one (eighty-two verses) deals,³⁹⁰ after twelve introductory verses, with fevers,³⁹¹ chapter two (thirty verses)³⁹² with jvarātisāra, atisāra and grahaṇī, chapter three (forty-eight verses)³⁹³ with various disorders (1–37), women’s diseases (38–46)³⁹⁴ and children’s diseases (47–48), chapter four (fifty-four verses)³⁹⁵ with various disorders, and chapter five (twenty-four verses)³⁹⁶ with vājīkaraṇa.³⁹⁷ The materia medica differs from that of the *Camatkāracintāmaṇi* in including many inorganic substances, in particular for vājīkaraṇa purposes in a number of rasayogas (5.13–20).³⁹⁸ Religious elements in its therapy are rather rare (1.59; 5.23), but allusions to mythology are frequent. One of the formulae is called after the author’s wife (ratnalācūrṇa; 2.23). The only authority referred to is Parāśara (1.25).

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The *Vaidyajīvana* is mentioned in Nidhi’s *Yogasamuccaya*. The work is quoted in the *Āyurvedīya Khanijavijñāna*, Bheṣajasamhitā, Hanumatprasāda’s commentary on the *Siddhabhaiṣajyamaṇijūṣā*, Hariprapanna’s *Rasayogasāgara*, Jñārasarāmaśarman’s *Anupānadarpana*, Pratāpasimha’s *Amṛtasāgara* and Jñārasarāma’s version of this work, Trimalla’s *Yogataraṅgiṇī*,³⁹⁹ Vidyāpati’s *Vaidyarahasya*,⁴⁰⁰ and the *Yogaratnākara*;⁴⁰¹ it is probably quoted as *Vaidyasamjīvanī* in Ananta’s *Pratāpakalpadruma* and as *Vaidyakasamjīvana* in Vācaka Dīpacandra’s *Laṅghanapathyaniṛnaya*. The *Vaidyajīvana* was one of the sources of Raghunāthajī’s *Nighaṇṭusamgraha* and the *Rasoddhāratantra*. Modern works have incorporated verses from the *Vaidyajīvana* are Yādavji Trikamjī’s *Rasāmṛta* and *Siddhayogasamgraha*,⁴⁰² and the *Vaidyakīya Subhāṣitāvalī*.⁴⁰³ The *Vaidyajīvana* has influenced Nayanasukha’s *Vaidyamanotsava*,⁴⁰⁴ Raghunātha Paṇḍita’s *Cikitsāmañjarī*, and Benīprasāda’s *Lolamarāja*.⁴⁰⁵ The work was translated into Hindī verse by Bohare Īśvarīprasāda of Dhaulapura in 1842/43.⁴⁰⁶

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Commentators on the *Vaidyajīvana* Commentators on the *Vaidyajīvana* are: (1) Dāmodara alias Jñānadeva.⁴⁰⁷ A MS of his commentary dates from 1612/13.⁴⁰⁸

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(2) Gosvāmin Harinātha, son of Manohara⁴⁰⁹ and grandson of Lakṣmīdāsa.⁴¹⁰ The title of his commentary is *Gūdhārthadīpikā*.⁴¹¹ It is said to have been written in 1673/74.⁴¹² The author was a resident of Kuśapura on the banks of the Vitastā.⁴¹³ Harinātha is also sometimes credited with a *Bhuvanesvarīstotrabhaṣya*,⁴¹⁴ *Ṣaṭpañcavimśakā*, *Svapnādhyāya*,⁴¹⁵ and *Hastapādasamudrikālaṅṣanāni*.⁴¹⁶

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(3) Rudrabhaṭṭa,⁴¹⁷ son of Koneribhaṭṭa.⁴¹⁸ Rudrabhaṭṭa’s genealogy was as follows:⁴¹⁹ Kṛṣṇabhaṭṭa, Kṛṣṇavaidya or Śrīkṛṣṇa⁴²⁰ of Māṇḍa family,⁴²¹ of Ṣaṭkheṭaka on the Godāvarī, dharmādhikārin of king Rāmadeva – Haribhaṭṭa or Hirabhaṭṭa (a physician) – Viṣṇu – Koneribhaṭṭa⁴²² – Rudrabhaṭṭa; Viṣṇu’s brother was Nārāyaṇa, author of the *Oṃkāragrantha*.⁴²³

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The earliest dated MS of Rudrabhaṭṭa’s commentary, called *Dīpikā*,⁴²⁴ was completed in A.D. 1766.⁴²⁵ Rudrabhaṭṭa, who can be assigned to the seventeenth century because his father was the court physician of ‘Abdu’l-Raḥīm,⁴²⁶ is credited with five commentaries,⁴²⁷ written at the request of Mīrzā Khān,⁴²⁸ as well as with a comprehensive work on medicine⁴²⁹ and a *Samnipātakalikā*.⁴³⁰

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Works and authors quoted by Rudrabhaṭṭa in his commentary on the *Vaidyajīvana* are:⁴³¹ Amara, Amitaprabha (2.19), Anekārtha (1.70; 2.10), Anekārthadhvanimañjarī (4.1), *Ārogyacintāmaṇi* (4.24), *asmatkṛtaśārīgadharatīkā* (4.4), Bakula (4.21), Bheḍa (1.6), Bhṛgu (1.6), Cakradatta (3.40), Caraka, *Dhvanimañjarī* (1.73), *Kāmaśāstra* (1.61), *Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa* (1.2), Nighaṇṭu (1.18, 63, 69; 4.38), Ratnakālā (3.42), *Ratnaprabhākāra* (1.29), Suśruta, Vāgbhaṭa, Vaṅgasena (1.63; 2.5; 4.31), Viśva, *Vopadevapaṇḍita* (3.40), and Vṛnda (2.16).

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(4) Sukhānandanātha,⁴³² pupil of paramahaṃsaparivrājakācārya Hariharānandanātha. His commentary, called *Lolimbarājadīpikā*, was completed in 1863/64. The author may have been an inhabitant of Gujarāt, since he mentions some Gujarātī names of medicinal plants.⁴³³

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Authorities and works quoted or referred to in the commentary are: Agniveśya (1.5), Amara (1.2, 3, 6, 33, 68; 3.16; 4.26), Bhāva (i.e., Bhāvamiśra; 3.34), Bhāvamiśra (1.62, 64, 75; 3.38), *Bhāvaprakāśa* (1.15, 38; 3.35, 38; 5.8, 20), *Bṛhadāraṇyaka* (5.20), Cakrapāṇidatta (1.26, 37, 46, 56, 59; 2.1, 4, 6; 3.18, 27, 37; 4.7, 12, 33), Cakrapāṇidattamiśra (3.38), Caraka (1.5, 10, 13, 46; 4.28), Divodāsa (5.21), Hārīta (1.5), Hemacandra (1.32, 57; 4.17; 5.20), Jaiyyaṭa (1.46), *Kośa* (1.11), *Kulārṇava* (5.20),⁴³⁴ *Laṭakanasū* (i.e., Bhāvamiśra: 2.8), Mādhava (4.36),⁴³⁵ *Madhavakāra* (1.43–44, 76),⁴³⁶ Manu (5.20), *Mārkaṇḍeya* (1.2), *Matsyapurāṇa* (1.3), *Medinīkāra* (1.31, 41, 62, 66, 69, 70; 3.16), *Medinīkośa* (3.16), *Nighaṇṭu* (1.18; 2.10), *Nṛsiṃhapurāṇa* (2.20),⁴³⁷ *Sukhabodha* (5.20),⁴³⁸ Suśruta (1.5, 49; 4.28), Vāgbhaṭa (1.3, 5, 7, 8, 13, 49; 3.24), Vaṅgasena (1.59), Videha (1.75), *Viṣṇutilaka* (4.31),⁴³⁹ Viśva (1.1, 2, 6, 9),⁴⁴⁰ Yāska (5.20), and *Yogatantra*⁴⁴¹ (1.7).⁴⁴²

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Sukhānanda’s commentary contains a number of interesting explanations.⁴⁴³

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(5) Bhagiratha,⁴⁴⁴ son of Harṣadeva of the Pitamuṇḍī family. Bhagiratha lived under Jagaccandra Kūrmācala; he called his commentary on the *Vaidyajīvana* Jagaccandrikā, 445 and that on Kālidāsa's Raghuvamśa Jagaccandracandrikā, 446 in compliment to his patron. 447

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(6) Bhavānīsahāya. 448 This author also wrote a commentary on the Mādhavanidāna and a Yogacintāmaṇitippaṇa. 449

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(7) Kṛṣṇapaṇḍita. 450 A commentary called Dīpikā 451 is ascribed to Kṛṣṇapaṇḍita, son of Ammaṇapaṇḍita, who is referred to as śrīvijayapurādhīśa and vaidyapurandhara. 452 The introductory verse praises the author's father, Koneri, which indicates that it may be identical with Rudrabhaṭṭa's commentary. 453

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(8) Prayāgadatta. His commentary is Vijñānānandakarī. 454

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(9) Tātā Sūryanārāyaṇa, son of Veṅkaṭeśvara; the commentary is called Vidvadvai-dyarañjanī. 455

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(10) Sumatidhīra, a Jain monk of the Kharataragaccha. The commentary dates from 1784/85. 456

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(11) Cainasukha, a Jain monk of the Kharataragaccha. The commentary, written in Rājasthānī, dates from 1763/64. 457

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An elaborate anonymous commentary is also recorded. 458

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The Vaidyāvatamsa 459 is a short nighaṇṭu 460 in 172 verses. 461 Unlike the Camatkā-racintāmaṇi and the Vaidyajīvana, it is for the greater part written in simple Sanskrit. 462 It describes the medicinal properties of a series of dietetic substances and drugs, 463 which are arranged as follows: fruits (4–21), 464 vegetables (22–35), spices (36–50), various substances (51–108), grains and pulse (109–147), the flesh of some animals (148–150), dairy produce and the products of the sugarcane (151–169). Synonyms are given in a restricted number of instances, particularly in the verses dealing with various substances. 465

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Sources mentioned are Atritanaya (i.e., Ātreya), Caraka, Suśruta, and Vāgbhaṭa (2 and 170). Sources that may have been used, but not referred to by name are the Dha-nvantarīya- 466 and Rājanighaṇṭu. 467

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The Vaidyāvatamsa is quoted in the Yogaratnākara. 468 It may also be quoted, as Lolimbarāja, in Śivadatta's commentary on his Śivakoṣa

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Noteworthy names of plants are: ābhābabbulikā (68), aśvabalā (36), 469 babbūla (108), bhaṅgikā (66), 470 bṛhacchatāhvā (38), cāruka (123), 471 ḍangarī (79), 472 dhū-mavṛkṣa (= tamākhū; 59), ḍikemālī (55), 473 gurusa (125), hastighoṣā (26), 474 junhala (= yāvanāla; 121), jūrṇākhya (= yāvanāla; 121), khurasānapradeśajā yavānī (77), 475 kolāmbikā (14), kṣupopodaka (74), kujavallī (= ḍikemālī; 55), makkā (= yāvanāla; 144), mehārī (107), 476 mṛgākṣī (81), 477 nartaka (136), 478 tamākhū (59), 479 and tīvrasā-ra (105). 480 Most of these plants are not prescribed in the Camatkāracintāmaṇi and the Vaidyajīvana. Opium is absent from the Vaidyāvatamsa, although khākhasavalkala is employed as a medicinal substance in the Camatkāracintāmaṇi (5.16).

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The Vaidyakākāvya 481 is a poem in ninety-five verses on the therapy of a number of diseases. 482 In contradistinction to most medical works, fever is the last disease dealt with. Some of the formulae closely resemble yogas found in the Camatkāracintāmaṇi or Vaidyajīvana, but the major part of them is new. The Vaidyakākāvya has not been

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written in the form of a dialogue and the name of the poet's wife is not mentioned in it.

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Lolimbarāja is mentioned as one of the sources of the Amṛtasāgara. Lolimbarāja is quoted in Lakṣmīdhara's Cikitsāsaṃgraha, Veṇidatta's Padyaveṇī, 483 the Subhāṣitasā-rasamuccaya, 484 and Siddhicandra's Sūktiratnākara; 485 he is referred to by the Marāṭhī saint Devadāsa. 486 The Harivilāsakāvya of Lolimbarāja has influenced Rudrakavi in composing his Rāṣṭraudhavaṃśamahākāvya, 487 completed in A.D. 1596. 488

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Lolimbarāja 489 was a son of Divākara 490 and a resident of the town Junara 491 in the Poona district of Mahārāṣṭra. He married the daughter of a Muslim sūbedār (governor of a province), 492 called Murāsā, whose name was changed into Ratnakalā after becoming his wife, 493 and whose beauty, learning, etc., are eulogized in numerous verses of Lolimbarāja's works. 494 Lolimbarāja was a courtier of one or more royal persons, 495 as shown by epithets conferred upon himself 496 and by references to a king called Hari, son of Sūrya, 497 on whose request he composed the Harivilāsakāvya. 498 This Hari may have been some minor ruler since no important king of this name is known from the period of Lolimbarāja's literary activity. 499 After Ratnakalā's death, when the poet was about fifty years of age, he turned to an ascetic mode of life and became a sādhu. 500

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Lolimbarāja appears to have belonged to those Mahārāṣṭra brāhmaṇas who especially study the Mādhyamdina recension of the Śuklayajurveda. 501 He was especially devoted to the goddess Saptaśṛṅgī, 502 who has a shrine on the slopes of the mountain Sahya in the Nāsik district. 503

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Lolimbarāja's fame as a poet appears from quotations in anthologies. That he was aware of his excellence in writing poetry is evident from a series of laudatory epithets found in his own works. 504 He claims that he was not only an expert in poetry and medicine, 505 but also in music. 506

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The chronological order of Lolimbarāja's works has been established by B. Tripāṭhī as follows: 507 (1) Vaidyāvatamsa, (2) Vaidyajīvana, (3) Camatkāracintāmaṇi, (4) Vaidyakākāvya, (5) Ratnakalācarita, (6) Harivilāsakāvya.

Date

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Various suggestions have been forward regarding the period in which Lolimbarāja lived and the dates of composition of his works. Some authorities are of the opinion that the author of the Harivilāsa was a contemporary of king Bhoja. 508 The untenability of this view has been demonstrated by B. Tripāṭhī. 509 The arguments brought forward by P.K. Gode 510 in trying to establish that the author of the Harivilāsa was different from and lived about thirty years earlier than the Lolimbarāja who composed the other works have also been invalidated by B. Tripāṭhī, 511 thus proving that one and the same Lolimbarāja wrote the four medical works, the Ratnakalācarita and the Harivilāsakāvya. This Lolimbarāja is assigned to the period A.D. 1310–1370 by P. Hymavathi, 512 to 1538–1608 by B. Tripāṭhī, 513 to 1578–1648 by L.R. Pāṅgārkar, 514 to about 1625 by P.V. Sharma, 515 and to the seventeenth century by V.L. Bhāve. 516

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The exact period of his literary activity depends on the dates of MSS of his compositions and their reliability. Two MSS of the Harivilāsakāvya, preserved respectively in the Tanjore and BORI collections, are said to state that this work was composed in 1583/84.⁵¹⁷ The earliest dated MS of the Vaidyajīvana was completed in 1607/08;⁵¹⁸ a MS of this poem with the commentary of Jñānadeva alias Dāmodara was completed in 1612/13.⁵¹⁹

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The period of Lolimbarāja’s literary activity may therefore have been the last quarter of the sixteenth century if the evidence referred to is reliable. B. Tripāthī, being convinced that the style and structure of the Harivilāsakāvya prove it to be the most mature of Lolimbarāja’s works, written when he may have been forty-five years of age, has concluded that he was born in 1538, but the onus of this assertion has to be left on this author. The proposed date of Lolimbarāja does not conflict with the chronology of authors quoting him or influenced by him.

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