Selections from the Kavyalankara of Bhamaha (7th Century CE)

Selections from the Kavyalankara of Bhamaha (7th Century CE)

Sri Bhamaha was a Sanskrit poetician, apparently from Kashmir, believed to be contemporaneous with Sri Daṇḍin (7th century CE). This article is based on records available about Sri Bamaha’s native place, time, work, etc.

A commentary to this work, though not fully available, has been extracted, completed and given a full shape by a Vishishta Advaitin scholar of the yesteryears (dating back to the 1930s) by name Sri D.T. Tatacharya. His commentary has also been taken into consideration while making these selections.

Sri Bamaha proves himself a Vedantin – a Vaidika (i.e. someone with good knowledge of the Vedic scriptural aspects). This fact is obvious through many of the verses selected here. The purpose of this article is to bring out those aspects in Sri Bhamaha, who belongs to a very ancient period, predating even Sri Adi Shankaracharya!

 

Some of the features of Bhamaha’s work:

Hari-Hara Abedha and Reference to Deities

Vedantic Inclination

Bhamaha was the son of Rakrila Gomin. Maskar: was probably his son.’ From the word Gomin and from the salutation to Sarva Sarvagna at the commencement  of his work, it has been said he was a Buddhist. Chandra in his grammar mentions Gomin as a termination of respect. The epithets Sarva and Sarvagna have been used for various divine incarnations without limitation. Bhamaha’s reverence to the Hindu pantheons and his elegant references to heroes of Ramayana, Mahabliarata  and  Puranas indicate more properly his Vedic persuasion. This surmise is supported by Bhamalaa’s scathing criticism of Buddhist theory of Anyapoha.

Download the article that contains several images from the Kaavyaalankaara here:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/x3624hgacw5anbl/Selections_from_Bhamaha.pdf/file