ÅrÄ«harsha
ÅrÄ«harsha (flourished 12th century) was an Indian author and epic poet whose NaiadhÄ«yacarita, or Naiadha, is among the most popular mahÄkÄvyas in Sanskrit literature.
The details of ÅrÄ«harshaās life are uncertain. Reportedly, when ÅrÄ«harshaās father, a poet in King Vijayacanraās court in Kannauj, was disgraced in a poetry contest, he retired and asked ÅrÄ«harsha to avenge him. In time Vijayacanra became ÅrÄ«harshaās patron, and it was at the kingās request that the poet composed NaiadhÄ«yacarita. Among his other writings are treatises on elements of Buddhist and Vedanta beliefs and eulogies on late kings. Persecuted by a queen jealous of an honour bestowed upon him, he retired to a quiet life by the Ganges River.
NaiadhÄ«yacarita, in 22 cantos, is a retelling of the tale of Nala, king of Niaha, and amayantÄ«, princess of Viarbha, from the Mahabharata. It is a story of love overcoming obstacles, ending happily in marriage, and the poem is especially notable for its descriptive embellishments and skillful presentation of emotion. ÅrÄ«harshaās mastery of metre is evident, but he has been criticized for occasional obscurity and excessive verbal ornamentation.
