1S62.] Vestiges of Three Royal Lines of KanyaJcubja, 8fc. 11 



Bana's Harslia-charita, Kddambari, and Clumdi-s' atalca as was re- 

 marked near the beginning of this essay, were composed at Kanauj, and 

 when its sceptre was wielded by Harshavardhana. Contemporaneous 

 in publication were the Ratnavali and the Ndgdnanda, dramas held 

 in high esteem by the Hindus. 



The Ratnavali I was once disposed to adjudge to Bana ; and 

 this adjudication, as against that of the late Professor Wilson, has 

 not, I believe, been contested. But, on closer inspection of materials 

 which are accessible to no one but myself, I have struck upon a con- 

 sideration partially adverse to what may have been regarded as an 

 irreversible award.* 



In the Ratnavali there is a stanza which is read, word for word, in 

 the Harslia-charita as well.f It may be translated thus ; " Destiny, 

 when favourable, fetches, even from another continent, or even from 

 the midst of the sea, or even from the bounds of space, that which is 

 desired, and instantly brings it to pass." Hindu poets not unfre- 

 quently repeat themselves ; but downright plagiarism, among them, of 

 one respectable author from another, is unknown. That the verses in 

 discussion are not interpolated, is sufficiently clear from the fact of 

 their being altogether apposite to both the connexions in which they 

 occur. Are they, then, an unacknowledged quotation ? 



But, again, the Ratnavali contains a stanza which is embodied, 

 with the change of a single word, in the Ndgdnanda likewise. In a 

 literal version its meaning is : " Our able poet is the fortunate Har- 

 sha. Moreover, this auditory appreciates merit ; and the achievements 

 of the Vatsa princej are taking with the people ; and we are skilful 



On finishing the Naishadhiya, S'nharsba showed it to his' maternal uncle, 

 Mammata Bhatta, author of the Kdvyaprakds'a. The critic, after perusal, ex- 

 pressed a regret, that he had not seen it sooner. In compiling his chapter on 

 blemishes, he had been put to the trouble of travelling through numberless 

 volumes, in search of illustrations. Had he only known of the NaisJiadhiy a in 

 time, he might have drawn on it, he declared, without going further, to exem- 

 plify every possible species of defect. 



* See the preface to the Vdsavadattd, pp. 12-16, foot-note. 



t In the fifth chapter. And see the Calcutta edition of the Ratnavali, p. 3. 

 The original words are these : 



^T^fte *fffefa sre^rffr f^faTfaw^if^^rF 1 1 



Thi9 is quoted, as from the Ratnavali, in the Saraswati-kanthdbharana. 



X Professor Wilson everywhere errs in assuming Vatsardja to mean " King 

 Vatsa." Udayana is intended. The city of Kaus'ambi is styled Vatsa-pattanam , 

 " the capital of Vatsa :" and Vatsa denoted a people, and perhaps a region also, 



c 2 



