Jivanandana of Anandaraya Makhin (Study)
by G. D. Jayalakshmi | 2019 | 58,344 words
This page relates ‘Analysis of Pandu� of the study on the Jivanandana (in English) which is a dramatic play written by Anadaraya Makhin in the 18th century. The Jivanandana praises the excellence of Advaita Vedanta, Ayurveda (medical science) and Dramatic literature as the triple agency for obtaining everlasting bliss.
Analysis of ṇḍ
King ۲ṣm having understood through his spy about the hero’s visit to ʳṇḍī첹ܰ, sends his servant to his minister and son ṇḍ to apprise him of the situation. When the second Act opens, is seen going to ṇḍ’s place.
On the way he meets his wife Chardi and from their conversation the above fact is understood.
nakṣatrāṇāṃ dvijānā� ca bhūdyo � ܰ |
ta� yajjagrāha yakṣmāsau Ჹⲹṣm ٲٲ� smṛta� ||
deheṣu ya� kṣayakṛte� kṣayastatsaṃbhavācca sa� |
rasādiśoṣaṇācchoṣo rogarāḍrogaraṣjanāt ||
In the meantime (in the main scene of the second Act), ṇḍ who is in his secret personal chamber, orders his door-keeper Ҳṇḍ to bring all commanders in-chief of his army.
When Ҳṇḍ, enters the chamber of ṇḍ, he sees ṇḍ yawning and describes the appearance of ṇḍ thus–ṇḍ’s eyes are ruddy; the mouth being opened wide is seen having long, reddish tongue stretched out; shoulders are raised up; his fingers are twisted (II.8):
āraktasaṅkucadapāṅgamudagradaṃṣṭraṃvyādāya vaktramurupāṭaladīrghajihvam |
uccairbhujau valayitau grathitāṅgulīkau kurvan saśabdamiha jṛmbhaṇamātanoti ||
Further, to Ҳṇḍ, ṇḍ’s fearful wide opened mouth as he yawns, looks like the very big entry to the netherworld (II.9):
jṛmbhāvasare dāruṇamānanavivara� sajihvametasya |
nipatitadīrdhakapāṭa� pātāladvāramiva hi paśyāmi ||
Thus the playwright describes ṇḍ having an appearance similar to a ṣa so as to stress the importance and power of the disease (com.p. 82):
pāṇḍunāmno vyādhermahato nāṭakapātratvena parikalpitatvāt tasya rākṣasasyeva ī-ākāratvamapi saṃbhāvyopavarṇitamiti ca jṣātavyam ||
When sleep is disturbed (ٲDzṇa dominates), laziness and lethargy are quite common among the human beings. Yawning is one way of breathing out the unrequired impure air and breathing in the fresh air, where more of oxygen would go in to the respiratory system. The play-wright utilizes this nature, to picturise ṇḍ as a “demon� and thus creates an aversion (ܱܲ) towards him whenever he presents himself.
Again when the thirteen ԲԾٲ, the commanders, come onto the stage and see ṇḍ, they find him pre-occupied. He seems to have some great worry in his mind; with eyes fully risen upwards, he is described as gazing up steadily for a longer time.
The heavy and deep sighs, indicate that great worry is embedded in the depth of his mind (II.10 cd):
uttānastimite dṛśāvapi cirāduccairvitāne'rpayan ātyartha� śvasitodgamairvivṛṇute Գ� nijāntargatām ||
He seems not to have taken proper bath; he is dressed in silk garments in a hurried manner; he does not eat his food at the right time and wears his ornaments in a very disorderly manner (II.11):
na snāti vāriṣu � ٱٲ� ܰū� vaste vilambasahano na kadāpi bhuṅkte |
bhūṣāgaṇa� vahati kiṣca viparyayeṇa yuvaiṣa hṛdi kāryavicārakṛṣṭa� ||
ṇḍ’s meeting and discussion with the various commanders (diseases) brings out the real responsibility of a worthy minister and the chief-commender of the army. ṇḍ’s thorough knowledge of the strength of his team-members, complete awareness of the situation prevailing in and around the battle-field and exhibition of his own personal capacity, are well-brought out in this Act.
When ṇḍ hears from ṇaū, the spy that the hero is making efforts to obtain Rasa and Gandhaka, he immediately talks of the ways to attack the root-cause of the stability of the city (body).
He plans to destroy diet-control by inducing the eagerness of the tongue to eat even the restricted food items (II.31):
sādhito'pi sa ki� kuryādrasa� pathyakrama� |
jihvācāpalamudbhāvya sa eva dhvaṃsayiṣyate ||
As an able commander of the army, he puts forth various searching questions to ṇaū so that he could get a full picture of the fortification of king ī’s city (body).
At first he enquires ṇaū about the various people in ī’s city–the loyal, powerful and friendly, the inimical, and the neutral (II.33):
kathaya kīdṛś� prakṛtīnā� ṛtپ� �
ke 峾Ծ dṛḍhabhaktā� ke � ke ca ܰ nagare |
ārimitrodāsīnā� ke punaraṅga tvayā ṛṣṭāḥ ||
Since people governed by ٲ, Pitta and Kapha, ṇḍ asks about the mind (II.35/36; p.117):
ātha kīdṛśo manaso ṛtԳٲ� |
On being answered that the mind of king ī is controlled by վñԲ Ś, ṇḍ queries about ñԲ Ś, the opponent of վñԲ Ś (II.36/37; p.118):
ṇḍ, rightly plans for different ways and means of overpowering ī, like captivating the manas (mind) of ī, which is by nature fickle and can easily be diverted, and also luring the sense organs; the mental stability can also be destroyed by the six in-born enemies, 峾 and others (II.39):
yaccaṣcala� prakṛtya viṣayeṣu mano nisargadurdāntam |
tatkāmādibhiretairbhedayitu� śakyate śanakai� ||
Further, ṇḍ adds that when the mind becomes dependent on these vices, annihilating ī becomes an easy task.
Also of the three ṣa, if Kapha controls ٲ and Pitta, then the two other would become easy prey for the attack of his army men (diseases) (II.39/40; p.121):
tasmin sarvaviṣayādhiṣṭhāne manasi īԱ sukara eva kāryaśeṣa� | kiṣca yā� kilādyāstatra پ� prakṛtayastāsu yastīkṣṇopāyai� saṃyamitavṛddhi� śṣm tasyopacaya� kenāpyupāyena vidhāya tenaiva tāvapi kṣobhayitu� śakyete |
ṇḍ also plans that if ñԲ Ś were to distract the attention of ī from the war front, there may occur a rift between ī and վñԲ Ś which may affect the ṛt (people/ triṣa), then king ۲ṣm can easily conquer ī (II.40; 40/41):
vijṣāno'ya� yadyapi svāmibhaktastatrāpyasyāsannidhāne vivikte |
bhedo rājṣastasya taistairupāyai� śⲹ� kartu� jṣānaśarmopajāpai� ||
𱹲� Ჹ-mantriṇorvirodhena viśliṣṭe prakṛtimaṇḍale'cirādeva hastagatā mahāᲹsya yakṣmaṇo Ჹⲹṣmī� |
Here, the author depicts the boldness of ṇḍ in taking quick decisions, but only after careful assessment of the situation. ṇḍ instructs his military teams to be on the alert to manage any situation and tells them to surround the city of ī.
ṇḍ’s presence on the stage is again seen in the fifth Act. When all the efforts taken by his soldiers to break the Yogic of the hero fail, ṇḍ decides that he will have to attack ī in his own way as a famous Ჹnīti states (V.24/25; p.272):
yo yādṛśena sādhanena praharati sa tādṛśasādhanenaiva pratihantavya� |
Hence, as already planned, to disturb ī’s concentration, he summons Apathyatā and instructs her to enter into the body of ī and make him indulge in untimely and unhealthy food and sports (V.25/26; p.274):
When ۲ṣm in anger wants to immediately attack the enemies, ṇḍ, as suiting an able minister calmly counsels him by saying, that with the three devices�峾, Բ and bheda, being available, straight attack need never be used (V.42):
triṣūpāyeṣu satsvantyo na yukta iti tāntrikā� |
upāyamimamevāto mano me prayuyukṣate ||
He whispers into the ears of ۲ṣm his plan of sending Apathyatā and making ī powerless.
Here, the author depicts ṇḍ as the perfect minister with full knowledge of ٲṇḍīپ.
In the following sixth Act, a detailed narration of the war between the two groups is discussed. The brilliant play-wright presents information about ṇḍ in a singular manner, from which none can infer the end of this character.
Almost all the enemy-warriors having been destroyed, ۲ṣm laments about his heavy loss; but he is not aware whether his minister ṇḍ is killed or has escaped (VI.91):
jīvasya dhvajinīcarānatibalān śakroti ka� śāsitu�
durvārairyudhi pātitāni mama yai� sarvāṇi sainyāni ca |
pāṇḍurmesaciva� parairavadhi vā īٲ� palāyiṣṭa vā
no jāne mama jīvato bata � putrāstathā bāndhavā� ||
Thus, the author depicts ṇḍ as a demon at the beginning and as an efficient minister throughout. The author leaves the end of this character for the surmise of the audience and readers.