Daṇḍin

Master Sanskrit grammarian and author of influential Indian prose romances.

Chronology: 501 – 700

Origins & Early Life

Daṇḍi or Daṇḍin (Sanskrit: दण्डिन्) (fl. 7th–8th century) was an Indian Sanskrit grammarian and author of prose romances. He is one of the best-known writers in Indian history. == Life == Daṇḍin's account of his life in Avantisundari-katha-sara states that he was a great-grandson of Dāmodara, a court poet from Achalapura who served, among others, the Pallava king Siṃhaviṣṇu and the Ganga king Durvinīta.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Avanti-sundari-katha-sara is the verse version of Avanti-sundari-katha, a prose text attributed to Daṇḍin: it is mostly faithful to the original text, but the original text states that Damodara was a distinct poet, whom Bharavi introduced to prince Vishnuvardhana. Yigal Bronner, a scholar of Sanskrit poetry, concludes that 'These details all suggest that Daṇḍin’s active career took place around 680–720 CE under the auspices of Narasiṃhavarman II. Daṇḍin was widely praised as a poet by Sanskrit commentators such as Rajashekhara (fl. 920 CE), and his works are widely studied. One shloka (hymn) that explains the strengths of different poets says: दण्डिन: पदलालित्यम् (daṇḍinaḥ padalālityaṃ: "Daṇḍin is the master of playful words").

Enduring Legacy & Impact

== Works == Daṇḍin's writings are in Sanskrit. His works...

Source: Wikipedia