Budhasvamin (बुधस्वामिन, also transliterated as Budhasvāmin and Budha·svamin), was a
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...
poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or w ...
, known as the author of the ', or ''The Compilation of Verses from the Long Story''. Nothing is known of his life.
Budhasvamin was a masterful poet. His Sanskrit is polished and easy to understand; although he occasionally shows off his virtuosity by using obscure words and archaic verb forms, he never lets his mastery get in the way of the story. He deliberately eschews elaborate description in favour of a fast-paced narrative and deft characterization. He displays a keen interest in all aspects of ancient Indian society: despite the poem being the story of a divine prince, the stories within the narrative have a wide range of protagonists, from artisans and seafaring traders to courtesans and forest-dwellers.
About the
''Budhasvamin’s : A Literary Study of an Ancient Indian Narrative'' by E.P. Maten, Leiden, Netherlands: E. J. Brill, 1973.
English translations
The
Clay Sanskrit Library
The Clay Sanskrit Library is a series of books published by New York University Press and the JJC Foundation. Each work features the text in its original language (transliterated Sanskrit) on the left-hand page, with its English translation on the ...
has published a translation of ' by Sir
James Mallinson
James Mallinson (1943 – 24 August 2018) was a British record producer. He was the first winner of the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Classical category, and won a total of 16 Grammy Awards in his career.
He won his first three Grammy a ...
under the title of ''The Emperor of the Sorcerers'' (two volumes).
External links
Clay Sanskrit Library(official page)
{{Authority control
Sanskrit poets