Bharata Mallika and his Patron

This biographical essay examines Bharata Mallika, a prolific Bengali scholar sometimes called the ‘Mallinatha of Bengal.’ The author notes that Bharata’s commentary on the Bhattikāvya was published as early as 1828 and his gloss on the Amarakośa was incorporated into the Śabdakalpadruma. He gained a reputation across Bengal despite belonging to the Mugdhavodha school of grammar, but modern scholars have criticised him for rejecting Pāṇini’s system. The essay divides his works into commentaries and independent treatises. Among his commentaries, the Mugdhabodhinī on the Bhattikāvya is praised for its lucid explanations of grammatical, rhetorical and textual issues. Bharata’s other commentaries include Subodhini on the Kumārasaṃbhava (extending to the seventh canto) and Subodhini on the Raghuvaṃśa and Kirātārjunīya; his commentary on the Śiśupālavadha is particularly exhaustive and full of references. He is thought to have considered the poet Māgha a king and his commentaries cite numerous earlier scholars, though he rarely names his sources. The essay observes that Bharata borrowed extensively, sometimes without acknowledgement, from a Bengali predecessor Candraśekhara. Nevertheless, his commentaries demonstrate immense erudition and contributed to the study of Sanskrit epics in Bengal. The author notes that Bharata’s magnum opus may be his commentary on the Naiṣadhīyacarita, of which only the first three cantos have been printed. In addition to these works, Bharata wrote glosses on popular lyrical poems and independent treatises. The essay argues that despite criticisms of his non‑Pāṇinian grammar and unacknowledged borrowings, Bharata Mallika remains one of the most important scholiasts produced by Bengal. His commentaries helped transmit classical epics to Bengali scholars and reflect the intellectual culture of nineteenth‑century Bengal.

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