XVI INTKODUCTIOX ad quern of these poets. In this connection we strongly re- commend that the student should read Dr. Peterson's valu- able and instructive Introduction to his edition of the KSdambari. Although we have the misfortune to differ from the learned author of the Introduction on a number of points, we feel confident that the Introduction will surely rouse the student's critical faculty*. As one point ( viz. the relative position of Subandhu Tind Bana ) on which we differ from Dr. Peterson is of great importance in connection with the date of Bana, we shall discuss it here.
- The following are the most important among the points
on which we differ from Dr. Peterson, though with the greatest diffidence — (1) 'it is clear that by Akhydyikd in the present passage, Bana refers to metrical stories, such as furnished him with the material of his own romance' (p. 70); (2) Lhasa being the contemporary or immediate predecessor of Bana (p. 71); (3) the Yasavadatta mentioned in the Harshacharita is not the one that was written by Subandhu; (4) the Natakas, with a sutra- dhara in their beginning, were novelties in Bana's day (p. 80)- (5) K&lidasa was a contemporary of Bana (p. 81); (6) Adhyaraja, mentioned in the Harshacharita, is not a proper noun (p. 96); (7) that Indian Astronomy, as taught by Arybhata and Yaraha- mihira and as known to Kaiidasa and Bana, is of Greek origin. About Akhyayika, we shall speak later on. It should be noted that in the Malavikagnimitra, Kaiidasa calls himself 'Vartamana- kavi' and styles Bhasa as of world-wide fame. So Bhasa, who must have preceded Kaiidasa by some generations, could not have been a contemporary or- immediate predecessor of Bana. We shall show that Subandhu preceded Bana. That Adhyaraja was a name we know from a verse that occurs in the Sarasvati- kanthabharana (vol. I p. 136 Benares edition) केभूवन्नदचरागस्य काले प्रकृति भपिण:|काले ?j=j?fr3Sn:R9T tftfe sniKcPTTfw: I *fit^ -sftHTl^rrf^r $ II H^r*Hfir o i: II' The commentary explains that आदचराज
stands for सलिवहन
^ and Hre^r^ f°r fasjw. It is not possible to dismiss the other points briefly. Although we are sorry that the profession we have been compelled to pursue by force of circumstances will hardly allow us to prose- cute antiquarian researches, we intend, time and inclination permitting, to dicuss the other points elsewhere.
