iii
thus interpreted in determining the caste of the poet. Again when a poet states his surname or title, he generally states it directly, and not indirectly by paraphrasing it; thus, for instance, Bhavabhuti gives his title 'Shrikantha' (श्रीकण्ठपदलाञ्छनः) directly instead of using any periphrasis. Judging by this analogy, Mrigaraja in its own form might possibly have been the title or surname of Bhatta Narayana : but what modern name corresponds to it, it is not easy to say, nor perhaps necessary to say, any more than in the case of Shrikantha. The truth is that the point is yet undecided.
The next thing that I have to say relates to the theory that it is in accordance with the Panchayatra system of theology that the poet represents the sentiment of piety in his play. I do not at all think it impossible that the verses referred to in this connection (verse 23 of Act I, and verses 43 and 45 of Act VI.) should have been written by any orthodox writer without necessarily belonging to the Pancharatra Sect though, of course, the ideas expressed therein may, indeed, somehow be made to fit in with the known tenets of that system. L.R.Vaidya's interpretation of the compound कृतगुरुमहदादि etc. especially of the part 'गुरुमहत्'[१] appears to me far-fetched, though it must be admitted that even without straining the meaning of any part of the stanza one may well urge that the thought as a whole need not be incompatible with the Pancharatra teaching.
Let us now turn to another line of investigation about the age of our author, a line which by its nature is bound to lead to more reliable results so far as it goes. This mode of inquiry consists in tracing, on the one hand, the earliest writer who quotes from or refers to the author under inquiry and, on the other hand, the latest writer whom the author in question quotes from or refers to, and in thus fixing the two limits between which the author must neccessarily lie. But along this line too we are not able to push our inquiry far enough to ascertain the precise date of our author. Bhatta Narayana leaves only one play the Venisamhara and no other work besides. A dramatic work belongs to a class of literature with which writers on poetics are most nearly concerned. Accordingly we find
- ↑ L.R.Vaidya's Intro. P.34. For my opinion vide notes.
