पृष्ठम्:कप्फिणाभ्युदयं महाकाव्यम्.pdf/८

विकिस्रोतः तः
एतत् पृष्ठम् परिष्कृतम् अस्ति

PREFACE

 Kashmir is known to the outside world mainly as a land where nature presents herself in( a ) charming shape and (in a) glorious garb. It has beautiful vales, brightened by the luxuriant growth of many (multi)-coloured fragrant flowers, lakes of great dimensions, covered with lotus beds, snow-led rivers, .streams of fresh, sweet water, high-peaked mountains, and springs with picturesque settings, In a land where nature has been so gracious, it is not uncommon to find men-a part of nature's creation-who excel others in their achievements in the domain of art and literature.

 Ancient Kashmir occupies a respectable niche in the gallery of Literature, particularly (in) classical. Sanskrit. Apart from Kalidasa, to whom some scholars have sought to assign a home in Kashmir, in the long list of famous writers and scholars who have enriched and extended the realms of thought and knowledge, we come across Prakrit poets like Prävarasena of the Setubanäha fame, proli(fic) writers like Kshemendra and Ratnakara, literary critics like Ananda vardhana and Mammata, chorniclers like Kaihana and Saiva philosophers like Kallata. :

 The reign of king Avantivarman (855-883 A, D. ) witnessed a remarkable revival of Sanskrit learning in Kashmir. Sivasvamin was one of the gems of Avantivarman's court