The Meghasandesa along with the commentary Pradipa is now placed before the public for the first time. It is a beautiful and dignified commentary written by Dakshinavartanatha. Arunachalanatha, the illustrious commentator of Kumarasambhava and Raghuvamsa has followed the path shown in this commentary by Dakshinavartanatha. Many beautiful readings of the text are preserved in this commentary which are far better than those adopted by Mallinatha.
Dakshinavartanatha quotes as authority Kesavasvamin, the author of Nanartharnavasamkshepa written in the 12th century A. D. and is also quoted by Arunachalanatha. Hence it is clear that the commentator should have flourished between the dates of Kesavasvamin and Arunachalanatha, who is earlier than Mallinatha.
From the name Dakshinavartanatha, it seems probable that he is a native of the country of Cholas, as the presiding deity of Tiruvalanchuzhi, a village in the Chola country is known as Dakshinavartanatha and as it is likely that the name of the same deity is borne by the commentator. The word Dakshinavarta appears to be a sanskritised form of Valanchuzhi, the word "Tiru" being prefixed to show the sacredness of the place.
The commentaries on Raghuvamsa and Kumarasambhava by Dakshinavartanatha have also been obtained by us which will be taken up for publication in due course in this series.
Two manuscripts were consulted for preparing this
edition, one of them being obtained on loan from Mr.
Govinda Pisharodi of Kailasapuram and the other from Mr. Krishna Varyar of Thiruparpu. I am grateful to these
gentlemen for having placed their manuscripts at my disposal.
Trivandrum,
14th June 1919.}
T. GANAPATI SASTRI.
