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Was Jalal-ud-Din the Patron of Rayamukuta Brhaspati?

By Ahmad Hasan Dani

Vol. 28 · No. 3September - 1952pp. 215–224English

Summary

This paper investigates whether the Sanskrit scholar Rayamukuta composed his commentary Pada‑candrīka under the patronage of Sultan Jalal‑ud‑Din. Scholars have long debated the date and context of Rayamukuta’s works. Some, like D.C. Bhattacharya, argue that the commentary was completed in 1431 and that the royal patron was a local chief rather than a Sultan. Others contend that manuscript colophons and dedicatory verses point to Jalal‑ud‑Din. The author analyses key phrases in the text, such as “nija‑bhuja‑dravin‑arjita‑śrīḥ,” considers who received the gifts mentioned in the verses and asks whether Jalal‑ud‑Din was alive when the lines were composed. By examining the orthography and meaning of names like Jagadanta and Jagadatta, he concludes that the commentary names Jalal‑ud‑Din’s son as a benefactor. The epithet “nija‑bhuja‑dravin‑arjita‑śrīḥ” – one who won glory by the strength of his own arms – fits Jalal‑ud‑Din’s position rather than any other figure. Comparisons with other works by Rayamukuta support the idea that he served the Sultan’s court. Overall, the article supports the view that Rayamukuta’s Pada‑candrīka and related writings were produced under Jalal‑ud‑Din’s patronage during the early fifteenth century.

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Conclusion

Through textual analysis and consideration of historical context, the author concludes that Sultan Jalal‑ud‑Din was indeed the patron of Rayamukuta. Evidence from colophons and carefully interpreted epithets indicates that the commentator composed his work for the Sultan and that he was alive when it was written. This finding clarifies the chronology of Rayamukuta’s scholarship and situates his work within a fifteenth‑century courtly milieu.

Key passages

Chosen by AI from the article's text. Each one is checked word for word against the text before it is shown.

  • “The whole tenor of the ending verses implies a desire for protection probably of the manuscript rather than that of the actual work, while the colophon, though recording the completion of the work by the author, does not give any date but only the titles of the author.”
  • “Thercfore, we can now conclude that most of Riyamukuta’s works point Jalal-ud-Din as his patron. Even the fragmentary verses in the Smyti-ratnabdra can be reasonably interpreted to support this claim.”

Works cited in this article

  1. Amara-kosa
  2. Pada-candrikad
  3. Sraddha-viveka
  4. Padartha-kaumudi
  5. Raghu-vamsa-viveka

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Texts & works

  • Amara-kosa-panijiketi

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