Kshemendra

Kshemendra Biography

Kshemendra was a cosmopolitan scholar of the 11th century who lived in Kashmir and wrote in Sanskrit. He studied under the famous Abhinavagupta, the foremost teacher of his time and the celebrated Shaiva philosopher. Brihatkathamanjari is his earliest dated work. Brhatkatha and Dasavataracharita are his other noted works. Dasavataracharita is the last among his dated works which gives an account of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. His first work is dated to year 1037 and last one to 1066 and hence has concluded that he lived in the 11^th century. This scholar did research works and wrote about both Vaishnavism and Buddhism. In addition to it, Kshemendra composed plays, descriptive poems, a satirical novel, a history and a commentary on the Kama Sutra. Such descriptions about his works and life have been derived based on commentaries mentioned in other ancient works.

His noted poetry works are - Auchitya Vichara Charcha, Kavikanthabharana and Suvrittatilaka. Ramayana manjari, Bharata manjari and Brihat katha manjari are his Abridgements. He is known for satire works as well. A few need special mention. Kalavilasa, Desopadesa, Narma mala and samaya matrika are his satire works. His devotional work, Avadanakalpalata is based on the good deeds of Buddha while Dasavataracharita, his last work gives a description of 10 incarnations of Vishnu. Stupavadana, Nitikalpataru, Darpadalana, Chaturvargasamgraha, Charucharya, Sevyasevakopadesa and Lokaprakasa  are other works.

Kshemendra’s contribution to Sanskrit literature has only recently been fully appreciated. The first one of 34 works was discovered only in 1871. Only 18 works have been retrieved in total. The translation of his satire works made him a celebrated writer. Most of his works are set in Kashmir. His first dated work is in the form of narration.  

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Updated: March 13, 2014