236. 236 HISTORY OF SANSKRIT POETICS

236 HISTORY OF SANSKRIT POETICS

Abhinava when he composed the Locana and the भभिनवभारती, it is unlikely that he would have allowed its views to be left uncriticized at length, when he severely handles Bhatta Nāyaka and others. Dr. Raghavan (in J. O. R., Madras vol. VI. pp. 218-222 and 'Indian Culture' vol. III. p. 756) holds that there is not evidence enough to enable us to speak definitely about Abhinava's indebtedness to Kuntaka. I agree with the views of Dr. Sankaran and Dr. Raghavan that the evidence is too meagre to enable one to pronounce a definite opinion on Abhinava's indebtedness to (or awareness of) Kuntaka. Dr. Haradatta Sarma contributes a paper on Kuntaka's conception of Gunas in I. H. Q. vol. 8 pp. 257-266. 21 afrra-Abhinavagupta is one of the most remark- able personalities of medieval India. He was a man of very acute intellect and was an encyclopoedic scholar. He had taken all knowledge for his province. Numerous works are attributed to him. From several of his works we get a tolera- bly full account of his ancestors, his parents, his other relatives, his several gurus and his works. At the end of his commentary on the परात्रिंशिका which is a dialogue between Bhairava (Siva,) and Bhairavi (Sakti) in 35 slokas, and at the end of ईशवरप्रत्यभि- शविवृतिविमर्शिनी, भभिनवगुप gives a brief account of his ancestors (in No. 18 of the Kashmir S. Series, pp. 278-280 and in No. 65, p. 405). He states that his remote ancestor अत्रिगुप्त at first resided in Antarvedi (the Doab between the Ganges and the Jumna), came to Kashmir at the instance of king ललितादित्य of Kashmir (for this last, vide Dr. Pandey's 'Abhinavagupta' Appendix A, p. 337, which quotes a passage from the 37th आाहनिक of तन्त्रालोक). राजत. (IV. 660 and 673) shows that ललितापीड ruled for twelve years after srqte from 783 to 795 A. D. In the family of Atrigupta was born Varāhagupta, whose son was Cukhala, a great devotee of Siva, whose son was Abhinavagupta1.

1. The name of the father is variously written or printed, either as चुखल (in परात्रिशिकातस्वविवरण) or as चुखुल or चुखुलक (as in तन्त्रालोक, Kashmir S.S. vol. XXIII, I. 12 'स चुखुलको दिश्यादिष्टं मे गुरुरुत्तम:) or as विचुलक (in Buhler's Kashmir Report p. CLV) or as दुःखल (in अभिनवभारती, G. O. S. vol. II. p. 117). In vol. III. of . . (G. O.S.) at the end of chap. 27 the father's name is सुखल and नृसिंहगुप्त also. Some of these must be