132. BHAMAHA AND DANDIN 129

BHAMAHA AND DANDIN 129

maa1, it may be argued, conveys the idea that Dandin did not know the poetess and that she was not a contemporary of Dandin. But the word may also convey only the idea that Dandin had not seen the complexion of that accomplished lady. If that idea be accepted, she may be deemed to be his contemporary (though probably a younger one). We have to find who this Vidya or Vijjaka was. For that purpose the verse सरस्वतीव० is helpful. We have two names विजजका or विद्या1 and विजया, both of which cannot be later that 900 A. D. No ancient or medieval author says that there were two diffe- rent poetesses that flourished almost about the same period. It is possible that the poetess was known as विज्जा and राजशेखर sanskritized the name as faaar, while others sanskritized it as विध्ा. Therefore, it is very likely that विज्जका and विजया are the same. If that be conceded, then the verse सरस्व्रतीव० indicates that विज्जिका was a कार्खाटी (a princess of Karnataka or a resident thereof) and that she wrote a work or works in the Vaidarbha- mārga rivalling Kālidāsa. No work expressly ascribed to her has yet been found. If the poetess विजया was a princess, then it is probable that she is the same as the famous queen fasr- महादेवी. The Nerur grant (I. A. VII p. 163 of विजयभट्टारिका, queen of महाराजचन्द्रादित्य, eldest son of सत्याश्रय पुलकेशिन् II. and brother of विक्रमादित्य) is referred to saka 581 (659 A. D.). The Kochrem plate (I. A. VIII. p. 45) of same date speaks of her as विजयमहादेवी. Thus, if this identity be accepted (as I submit it should be), her grants being dated in 659 A. D., there is confirmation of the date of Dandin as between 660-680 arrived at above (p. 120). Prof. K. C. Chattopadhyaya in I. H. Q. vol. 14 pp. 582-606 (on Kaumudimahotsava) at p. 604 does not accept my identification of the poetess Vijjā or Vijjakā with the Queen Vijaya on the ground that a reigning queen could not have written the two verses भूपाला: शशिभास्करा- न्वयभुवः and यशःपुत्रं देव ascribed to Vijjaka in some anthologies (e. g. in सदुक्तिकर्णामृत). They might be, from a modern scholar's point of vi :w, indecent. But there are several answers. We

1. She is quoted under various names such as fassrasr, विज्जाका, विज्जिका, विज्जाका, विध्ा. विद्या is a Sanskritized form of विज्जा or it may be also vice versa i. e. the name was विद्या, and विज्जाका, विज्जिका and विजजका were popular. or affectionate names.