Sangita Ratnakara

Another work of Siṁhabhūpāla is Kuvalayāvalī or Ratnapāñcālikā, published in the Trivandrum Sanskrit Series by Dr. L. A. Ravi Varma as No. 146 in 1941. This is a small drama in four Acts. In the Prologue the author is mentioned as Śrī Śiṅgabhūpāla,¹ otherwise known as KhaḍganārāyaṇaA royal title meaning "The Vishnu of the Sword," suggesting divine martial prowess² who lived at the capital city named RājaśailaLiterally "The Royal Mountain," identified as the fortress of Rajukonda.³ His mother was Annamātā.⁴ It is also stated there that one Viśveśvara had spoken very highly of his poetry.⁵ The Viśveśvara mentioned in the Prologue must be the author of Camatkāracandrikā; in the colophon A concluding statement in a manuscript providing details about its production of this work there is the mention of Siṁhabhūpāla.⁶

There is a Telugu work called Velugoṭivārivaṃśāvali A genealogical history of the Velugoti family.⁷ In the Introduction to that work, Dr. Venkata Ramanayya deals with Siṁhabhūpāla on pages 13 ff.

¹ Composed by the illustrious Śrī Śiṅgabhūpāla. original: "śrīmatā śrīśiṅgabhūpālena praṇītām" p. 2, ll. 9, 10.

² By Khaḍganārāyaṇa. original: "khaḍganārāyaṇena" p. 2. l. 8. His grandfather too had this Title. See note 7 on p. XIII above. Perhaps this is a Family Title.

³ The capital city named Rājaśaila. original: "rājaśailābhidhānāṃ rājadhānīm" p. 1, last line.

⁴ The son of the illustrious Annamātā. original: "śrīmannamātātmajaḥ" p. 2, verse 4. In his other work the name is Annamāmbā. See note 10 on p. XIV above. If the name is "Annamātṛ" (Mother Anna) plus "Annamāmbā," the Sanskrit form should technically be Annamātrātmaja; perhaps the intended word is Annamāmbātmaja (son of Annamāmbā).

⁵ "Oh, the literary excellence of the illustrious King Śiṅga! For his praise, the eloquence of Viśveśvara is prepared." original: "aho sāhityasaubhāgyaṃ śrīśiṅgadharaṇīpateḥ | ślāghāyai yasya sannaddhā viśveśvarasarasvatī ||" p. 2, verse 3.

⁶ The colophon mentions Siṁhabhūpāla as a patron of Viśveśvara. The colophon is: "Thus ends the Moonlight of Wonder (Camatkāracandrikā), composed by the moon among poets, the illustrious Viśveśvara, who is foremost in the skill of elegant literature, [and which is] cooled by the essence of the nectar of the fame of the illustrious King Siṁhabhūpāla..." original: "iti sarasasāhityacāturīdhurīṇa śrīviśveśvarakavicandra- praṇītāyāṃ śrīsiṃhabhūpālakīrtisudhāsāraśītalāyāṃ चमत्कारचन्द्रिकायान् etc." Government Oriental Manuscripts Library, Madras, R. 2679 and India Office, Eggeling 3966.

⁷ See note 4 on p. XII above.