Magha

(7th c.) Sanskrit writer whose bestknown work, the drama Shishupalavadha, describes the death of
Shishupala at the hands of the god
Krishna. In Hindu mythology,
Shishupala is a form of Jaya, Vishnu’s
gatekeeper, who has been cursed to be
born as a demon three times and killed
each time by Vishnu. Shishupala is the
last of these births, after which the curse
is broken. Aside from its mythic theme,
the play is noted for a number of unusual verses, designed to show the poet’s
skill. These include verses that are perfect palindromes and ones that use only
one or two consonants.