xiv श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता गीतार्थ संग्रहोपेता 1784. Warren Hastings, the first Governor-General of British India, wrote a thought-provoking introdu- ction to this edition praising the greatness of the philosophy of the BG.¹ Since that time, modern thin- kers, both Indian and non-Indian, have written on the BG or an aspect of it, To this long chain of the BG-commentators belongs the great Mäheśvara teacher Räjänaka² Abhinavagupta (Ag.) (c. 950-1015 A.D.), one of the brightest stars in the sky of the Kashmir school of Saivism. The matters, connected with Ag.'s date, nativity, forefathers, preceptors, place of action and the like have been well settled and his contributions to different branches of Kashmir Saivism have been discussed in detail by scholars long ago Ag.'s works in the field of Indian aesthetics, like the Locana, a commentary on the Dhvanyaloka of Anandavardhana 1. In this introduction Hastings made a prophetic statement. For details see Prof. R. Sathianathaier: A Political & Cultural History of India, Vol. III (Madras, 1952), p. 218. It is indeed a happy coincidence that Sri C. Rajagopala- chari the last Governor General of India had also brough out his own exposition of the BG, besides retelling the story of the MB. 1/2. The title Räjänaka 'knight' is chiefly known from the Kashmirian sources. The Rajatarangini (VI, 261) tells us that Didda, the regent and queen-mother of Abhimanyu II (958-72 A. D.) of Kashmir, bestowed the title on her loyal general named Naravahana. Later it has been given to various Kashmir pandits, some of whose descendants still bear it. 3. See e.g. K. C. Pandey Abhinava gupta - An Historical & Philosophical Study: II Ed: Chowkhamba 1963.
