THE HAMMÎRA MAHÂKÂVYA
OF NAYACHANDRA SÚRI.
Dr. Büblor, in his Introduction to the Vikramanka Charitra, (p. 2), mentions the Hammiramardana or “The destruction of Hammira,” as an historical Sanskrit poem that was existent some ninety years ago in the Jain library at Jesalmir. I have recently obtained a work, written in the Jain character, styled The Hammira Mahākāvya, which, notwithstanding the difference of the title, I presume is a copy of the same work as that which was once in the Jésalmir Saraswati Bhāndār, since it ends with the death of Hammira and a lamentation over the event. Colonel Ted, indeed, mentions in his Rajasthan a Hammira Kāvya and a Hammira Rásá, both composed, he says, by Sarangadhara , whom he makes the bard of Hammira Chohan of Ranathambhor. We have the authority of Šárañgadhara himself for stating that he was not contemporary with Hammira Chohan of Ranathambhör, and that his grandfather, Raghunatha , was that prince's Guru or spiritual teacher. Sarangadhara in his Paddhati, and Gadadhara, in his Rasika Jivan, under the head of “anonymous," quote some verses relating to Hammira that have no place in the present Kávya. Appaiya Dikshita, also, in his Kuvalayananda, cites a verse as an instance of the Akramatisayokti Alamkâra of which the subject is Hammîra, and which is not to be found in the work of our author. This shows that there must be some other poem in Sanskrit bearing the name of Hammíra Kávya; but it may be doubted whether it
