133. 130 HISTORY OF SANSKRIT POETICS

130 HISTORY OF SANSKRIT POETICS

should not foist our 20th century notions on a poetess of the 7th or 8th century. Besides, if one tolerates a verse like nrfer as Vijjaka's, there is no reason why the two verses mentioned above could not have been composed by the महादेवी. Moreover, the verse भूपाला:1 is ascribed to मयूर in सुभाषितावलि (No. 2515); and further the plain sense is harmless enough, the sexual suggestion comes in only when we look into the puns on the words. The second verse यश:पुत्रं देव is decent enough from any point of view. On the subject of Vijjaka the following articles may be consulted viz, Dr. Raghavan in Quarterly J. of Mythic Society (Bangalore) vol. 25 at pp. 52-55, Quarterly Journal of Mythic Society vol. 24 pp. 156-159 (by Mr. V. K. Raghavacharyulu), Indian Culture, vol. XI. pp. 86-88. Vide also 'Sanskrit Poetesses' part A by Dr. J. B. Chaudhuri and English translation and Introduction by Dr. Roma Chaudhuri pp. XXXVIII-XLV, where it is pointed out that 29 verses are ascribed to विद्या or विज्जका in the anthologies and that they are composed in very fine language and deal with many topics such, as love, seasons, damsels. Dr. Roma Chaudhuri in Intro. to 'Sanskrit Poetesses' part A p. LVIII states that the following verse is traditionally ascribed to विजयाक्का2 viz. 'एकोऽभून्नलिनात्ततश्च पुलिनाद वल्मीकतश्चापरस्ते सर्वे कवयो भवन्ति गुरवस्तेभ्यो नमस्कुर्महै। अर्वाश्चो यदि गद्यपधर चनैश्चेतश्रमत्कुर्वते तेषां मूर्ति ददामि वामचरयं कर्णाटराजप्रिया ॥.' This verse composed by a Karnāta queen breathes great self-confi- dence and contempt for most writers other than Er, TTH • 1. The verse is : भूपाला: शशिभास्करान्वयभुवः के नाम नासादिता भर्तारं पुनरेकमेव हि भुवस्त्वामेव मन्यामहे। येनाऊं परिमृद्य कुन्तलमपाकृष्य व्युदस्या- यतं चोलं प्राप्य च मध्यदेशमचिरात्कान्च्यां कर: पातितः ॥. The words अञ्ञ, कुन्जल, चोल, मध्यदेश and काल्ी primarily refer to countries, but by arg sporting with a woman is suggested. It is ascribed to विद्या in सदुक्िकर्णामृत III. 15. 1 p. 196 (Punjab Oriental Series, 1933). Compare for almost the same double-meaning words रुद्रटकाव्यालंकार X. 10. 2. Dr. Raghavan in Journal of Mythic Society, vol. 25 at p. 55 and Miss Sakuntala Rao in 'Indian Culture" vol. XI p. 86 also cite the verse एकोभून्नलिनात् as विजयाका's, but none of them points out the anthology or source in which it is so ascribed. Hardly any verse is found ascribed to fern or faaner in anthologies. This is a very significant circumstance.