Caurapañcāśikā

A series of 50 lyrical verses tells the story of a parted lover who remembers his consort, her beauty, and the joyful moments they shared. This poetic work is attributed to Bilhaṇa. The entire poem is composed in the Vasantatilakā meter, and each verse begins with the word "adyāpi" (meaning "even now"). It is believed that this romantic legend recounts the love story of Bilhaṇa and Princess Campāvatī. When the king discovered their affair, he arrested Bilhaṇa and sentenced him to death. During his imprisonment, Bilhaṇa composed and recited these verses, whose emotional power and beauty are said to have moved his captors—winning him both his life and his love. (Miller, 1971. p. 2). This manuscript contains an incomplete version of the text (verses 7-35) but includes a complete commentary by Gaṇapati, the son of Rāma Upādhyāya. The scribe of the manuscript was Vināyaka Āḍiśekara, son of Bālakṛṣṇa Bhaṭṭa. (Written in 9–22 lines per leaf.; 2 leaves foliated [1–2], lower left verso. Mistakes blacked out; significant syllables, words, or phrases highlighted in red throughout.)