KADAMBAR XXIII The Harshcharita* and the Kadambar are well known as the works of Bana. A third work, the Chandisataka, is ascribed to him. There is nothing improbable in Banas authorship of a century of verses in honour of Chandi. We know that he gives in the Kadambar a powerful and picturesque description of the temple of Chandika. Still we hesitate to assert that Bana2008 the author of the Chandisataka. A drana styled Parvatiparinaya is also ascribed to Bana. In the prelude to the Parvatiparinay, e are told that the drama was composed by Bana of the Vatsa. Gotra.k. The author of the Kadambar also was descend. ed from Vatsa. The drama, though not of the highest order of merit, has some excellences of its own. The subject is the same as that of the Kumarasaibhava of Kalidasa. There are remarkable coincidences, both of phrase and thought, between the two works. Hence it is said by some scholars that the Parvatiparinaya is only the work of a plagiarist and not of an eminent author like Bhna. We think however, that this argument does not possess much force. We know that the fine verses of Kalidasa were the delight of Bala, and had kindled his admirations. When the subject was the same, it is quite natural that Balla. The learned translators of the Harshacharita intimate that the Harshacharita was forgotten by Indian writers though rare copies existed unknown in libraries. They mention only the साहित्यदर्पण and the काव्यप्रकाश as referring to the हर्षचरित. We have quoted above passages from आनन्दवर्धन, नमिसाधु and रुय्यक that mention the हर्षचरित by name. t We may draw the attention of the reader to the fact that verses from the Chandfs'ataka occur in the सरस्वतीकण्ठाभरण, in bhe काव्यप्रकाश and in अर्जुनवर्मदेव's टीका on अमरुशतक. अर्जुनवर्मदेव { p. 3. ) expressly ascribes the authorship of the चण्डीशतक to बाण उपनिबद्धं च भट्टबाणेनैवंविध एव संग्रामप्रस्तावे देव्यास्तद्भङ्गिभिर्भगवता भर्गेण सह प्रीतिप्रतिपादनाय बहुधा नर्म । यथा दृष्टावासक्तदृष्टिः&c.” ( verse 37 of चण्डी०.)
- ‘अस्ति कविसार्वभौमो वत्सान्वयजलधिसंभवो बाणः । नृत्यति यद्रसनायां
वैधोमुखलसिका वाणी ॥ 4th verse, Act I. 8 ‘निर्गतासु न वा कस्य कालिदासस्य सूक्तिषु । प्रीतिर्मधुरसान्द्रासु मञ्जरीध्विव जायते । ? Introduction ' to हर्षचरितं.
