Word

Charupanchashika

Sanskrit

चारुपञ्चशिख

IAST

caurapañcāśikhā

In General

Charupanchashika is love poem by Bilhana. According to legend, the young Bilhana fell in love with the daughter of King Madanabhirama, Princess Yaminipurnatilaka, and had a secretive love affair. They were discovered, and Bilhana was thrown into prison. While in jail, he wrote the Charupanchashika, a fifty-stanza love poem, not knowing whether he would be sent into exile or die on the gallows. There are several versions, including ones from South India which had a happy ending.