Jalal-ud-Din the Patron of Rayamukuta
By Ahmad Hasan Dani
Summary
This miscellany addresses the debate over the patron of Sanskrit poet Rayamukuta. Earlier scholars proposed multiple patrons, but recent discussion suggests that the ‘Gaudidhipa’ mentioned in Rayamukuta’s works is identical with the Bengal sultan Jalal‑ud‑Din. The author notes that chronology alone cannot fix Rayamukuta’s date because writers often cite predecessors without precision. Attempts to link Rayamukuta, his father Śilāpāṇi and Maithila rulers solely by such references are unreliable. The chronology of later Maithila kings is also uncertain due to scarce records. The article comments on the political shift after the Ilyas Shah dynasty replaced the Ganesha house: Abyssinian power at Gaur meant Hindus were unlikely to hold high office, casting doubt on the idea that Rayamukuta or his son served under Barbak Shah. Newly discovered manuscripts of Rayamukuta’s commentaries show different honorific titles (Misra, Ācārya, Kavicakravarti, Raya), but the author warns that colophons may omit or add titles; they cannot by themselves establish phases of his career. The article stresses that across his works Rayamukuta consistently praises the king of Gauḍa, with no mention of other patrons. This internal evidence, not speculative chronology, supports the conclusion that Jalal‑ud‑Din (probably Jalal‑ud‑Din Muhammad Shah, 1415–1431) was Rayamukuta’s sole legitimate patron.
Conclusion
Drawing on internal references in Rayamukuta’s writings and the historical context of 15th‑century Bengal, the article dismisses conjectures about multiple patrons. It argues that the poet consistently extolled the Gauḍa king, making Jalal‑ud‑Din the only plausible patron. Chronological puzzles and variations in honorific titles cannot overturn this core evidence. The piece thus clarifies a small but contentious point in Sanskrit literary history.