\II NTRODUCTION Vakrakti.* - We think that the three are mentioned by the author in chronological.order, placing himself last of all . (B) Vakpatirja, the author of Gautavahoa Prakrit poem, refers to the composition of Subandhut. No other poetbearing the name ofSubandhu, except the author of the Vasavadatta, is known to us Therefore we are justified in holding that Vakpatiraja refers to the author of the extant Vasavadatta. Vakpatirja was a prot&g% of Yasovarman of Kanyakubja and an admirer (and perhaps friend and pupil) of Bhavabhoti. Pandit comes to the conclusion (Introduction to Gaudavaho, p. 100) that Vakpatirja wrote his poem between 700-725 A. D. It is curious to note that while Vakpatiraja mentions the work of Subandhm in the same breath with Bhasa and Kalidasa, he is silent as regards Bana who wrote a prose work similar to Subandhu's. What then is the natural conclusion ? It is that when Vakpatirja vote, Subandhu was a famous author while Bana was yet unknown to fame. From the foregoing it will be clear that Subandhu, bo author of the present Visaydatta, preceded Bana. In Mankha's Srikanthacharita we ind a verse where both Bana and Subandhu are praised togethert. III Bana's works. Before proceeding with the subject of this section, a few remarks concerning the origin and development of Sanskrit Rhetoric and of Kath and Akhyayike in particular vould not be out of place hero. सुबन्धुर्बाणभट्टश्च कविराज इति त्रयः । वक्रोक्तिमार्गनिपुणाश्चतुर्थे विद्यते न वा ।' राघवपाण्डवीय I. 41 .
- ‘भासम्मि जलणमित्ते कन्तीदेवे अ जस्स रहुआरे । सोबन्धवे अ बन्धम्मि
हारियन्दे अ आणन्दो ॥ Pandit's Gaudavaho, verse 800,
- ‘मेण्ठे स्वर्दिरदाधिरोहिणि वशं याते सुबन्धौ विधेः शान्ते हन्त च भारव
विघटिते बाणे विषादस्पृशः ।’ श्रीकण्ठचरित II. 33.
