Was Jalal-ud-Din the Patron of Rayamukuta Brhaspati?

Summary

This paper investigates whether the Sanskrit scholar Rayamukuta composed his commentary Pada‑candrīka under the patronage of Sultan Jalal‑ud‑Din. Scholars have long debated the date and context of Rayamukuta’s works. Some, like D.C. Bhattacharya, argue that the commentary was completed in 1431 and that the royal patron was a local chief rather than a Sultan. Others contend that manuscript colophons and dedicatory verses point to Jalal‑ud‑Din. The author analyses key phrases in the text, such as “nija‑bhuja‑dravin‑arjita‑śrīḥ,” considers who received the gifts mentioned in the verses and asks whether Jalal‑ud‑Din was alive when the lines were composed. By examining the orthography and meaning of names like Jagadanta and Jagadatta, he concludes that the commentary names Jalal‑ud‑Din’s son as a benefactor. The epithet “nija‑bhuja‑dravin‑arjita‑śrīḥ” – one who won glory by the strength of his own arms – fits Jalal‑ud‑Din’s position rather than any other figure. Comparisons with other works by Rayamukuta support the idea that he served the Sultan’s court. Overall, the article supports the view that Rayamukuta’s Pada‑candrīka and related writings were produced under Jalal‑ud‑Din’s patronage during the early fifteenth century.