The backdrop of the Srikanthacarita and the Mankhakosa
by Dhrubajit Sarma | 2015 | 94,519 words
This page relates 鈥淟iterary genius of Mankhaka鈥� as it appears in the case study regarding the Srikanthacarita and the Mankhakosa. The Shrikanthacarita was composed by Mankhaka, sometimes during A.D. 1136-1142. The Mankhakosa or the Anekarthakosa is a kosa text of homonymous words, composed by the same author.
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Part 7 - Literary genius of 惭补峁卥丑补办补
The genius of 惭补峁卥丑补办补 is evident, especially the literary genius of 惭补峁卥丑补办补 comes to the light, while going through his works. The literary genius of 惭补峁卥丑补办补 has been revealed throughout the dissertation, however, herein this segment, it is specially dealt with. 惭补峁卥丑补办补 himself holds that the genius or 艣补办迟颈[1] is the root of a poem. This reflects the opinion of 惭补尘尘补峁璦, according to whom, without it, no poetry can be created, even if created by any means and then also, the poet will be an object of ridicule.[2] Not only genius, the learning is also considered by 惭补峁卥丑补办补 as an integral component required, for creation of a poem. 惭补峁卥丑补办补 was fortunate enough to possess both the factors. A close examination on the works of 惭补峁卥丑补办补 testifies the fact that he was successful simultaneously in composition of a 尘补丑腻办腻惫测补 and also a 办辞峁 text. His acquaintance with various branches of learning is proved through his multifarious references, found both in the 艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补肠补谤颈迟补 and the 惭补峁卥丑补办辞艣补. 惭补峁卥丑补办补鈥檚 eruditition is noticed in various branches of knowledge such as the Vedas, 痴别诲腻峁単补蝉, grammar, rituals, prosody, astronomy, astrology, philosophy, 膧测耻谤惫别诲补, Dhanurveda, 顿丑补谤尘补艣腻蝉迟谤补, 础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟谤补, 碍腻尘补艣补蝉迟谤补, music, arithmetic, 础艣惫补艣腻蝉迟谤补 and 骋补箩补艣腻蝉迟谤补, 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补, rhetorics, epics, botany, zoology, science of birds and last but not the least the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉, 办腻惫测补蝉 and the 办辞艣补蝉.
In the 艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补肠补谤颈迟补, 惭补峁卥丑补办补 refers to the Vedas by the terms 罢谤补测墨[3], by 艢谤耻迟颈[4], by Veda itself in XVII. 46. He mentions 峁歬[5], 厂腻尘补苍[6], Yajurveda[7], Atharvaveda[8], Vedavid.[9] Of the 痴别诲腻峁単补蝉, the grammar gets priority in his works. 惭补峁卥丑补办补 refers to S奴trak峁泃 i.e. 笔腻峁噄苍颈, V膩rtikak峁泃 i.e. 碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 and I峁ａ弓ik峁泃 i.e. 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈[10], technical terms like pada[11], 驳补峁嘺 and 诲颈惫腻诲颈[12], 诲丑腻迟耻 and 办谤颈测腻.[13] The knowledge in rituals of 惭补峁卥丑补办补 has been reflected by the reference of the threefold sacrificial fires[14], terms like kratu, 测腻箩帽颈办补 and 辫颈峁ａ弓补肠补谤耻[15], stotra, 惫别诲颈办腻 and 艣腻蝉迟谤补[16], also 补产丑颈肠腻谤补, soma, manyu, 腻丑耻迟颈, 测腻驳补 etc.
His thorough knowledge in prosody has been proved by his employment of so many metres in the poem. Again, his acquaintance with the astronomy has been noticed through his reference to the planets as grahas[17], sun as the emperor of the planets[18], passage of the moon through the zodiac[19], reference of the planets saumya i.e. Mercury, 办腻惫测补 i.e. Venus, 补峁単颈谤补蝉 i.e. Jupiter and bhauma i.e. Mars.[20] Again, he refers to the astrologers as mauhartikas[21], speaks about the good omen of the gods, due to a particular position of planets, that is the situation in the eleventh house in a horoscope[22], refers to the inauspiciousness of premature lunar eclipse[23], emergence of ketu and of concurrent rising of many suns and occurrence of earthquake[24] etc.
His profound knowledge in Indian philosophical systems will be discussed in a subsequent chapter. 惭补峁卥丑补办补鈥檚 knowledge in 膧测耻谤惫别诲补 or the science of medicine is inferred from his references of an eye-disease named 辫补峁璦濒补 or cataract, Wherein, there is a coating over the eyes[25], another eye-disease in which the eyes get swollen and become reddish, also speaks about the fever 蝉补苍苍颈辫腻迟补, due to 诲辞峁 in 惫腻迟补, pitta and kafa[26], uses the words gada i.e. disease and 产丑别峁箩补 i.e. medicine[27], refers to manojvara or mental disease[28], also refers to the method of preparing of drugs[29], refers to the medical treatment of an eye-disease.[30] He opines that there break out diseases like blindness, indigestion, swelling etc. in the absence of 辞峁诲丑颈辫补迟颈 i.e. a physician. His knowledge on Dhanurveda comes to manifestation by 惭补峁卥丑补办补鈥檚 reference to the bow[31], bow-string[32], 惫补谤耻峁嚹乻迟谤补[33], 腻驳苍别测腻蝉迟谤补[34], 产谤补丑尘腻蝉迟谤补[35], 惫补颈峁ａ箛补惫腻蝉迟谤补.[36]
The knowledge on 顿丑补谤尘补艣腻蝉迟谤补 is observed from 惭补峁卥丑补办补鈥檚 reference to the four goals of human life viz. Dharma, Artha, 碍腻尘补 and 惭辞办峁[37], observance of a vow on the day of 贰办腻诲补艣墨[38] etc. The familiarity with the theories of the 础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟补 is exhibited by his reference to the term 峁Ｄ佱笉驳耻峁噛补[39] i.e. six measures of royal policy viz. sandhi, vigraha, 测腻苍补, 腻蝉补苍补, 诲惫补颈诲丑墨-产丑腻惫补 and 蝉补峁兣况补测补. The four political 耻辫腻测补蝉[40] i.e. expedients viz. 蝉腻尘补, 诲腻苍补, bheda, 诲补峁囜笉补 are also referred by 惭补峁卥丑补办补.
The poet鈥檚 knowledge in 碍腻尘补艣腻蝉迟谤补 or the science of love has been testified by his references to amorous activities of the young couples in the entire fifteenth canto. Also, there is the mention of nail-marks on the bosom[41] and cheeks[42] of the females, teeth-marks on their lips[43], reference of technical terms like 辫耻谤耻峁Ｄ乱颈迟补 or 惫颈辫补谤墨迟补谤补迟颈.[44]
惭补峁卥丑补办补 refers to various technical terms of Sa峁単墨ta艣腻蝉迟谤补 or music, which proclaim his knowledge in that field also. As for example, he refers to the 辫补帽肠补尘补 tune as 谤腻驳补谤腻箩补, found in the sound of the cuckoo[45], also mentions about the musical mode 产丑颈苍苍补峁岣峧补.[46] He opines that the Gandharvas are skilled in music.[47] The arithmetic has been referred to by the term 驳补峁嘺n膩 or counting, use of the words 腻测补 and vyaya i. e. income and expenditure.[48] He mentions that the K腻测补sthas were entrusted with the task of keeping the record of accounts.
惭补峁卥丑补办补鈥檚 acquaintance with the 础艣惫补艣腻蝉迟谤补 or the science relating to the horses and 骋补箩补艣腻蝉迟谤补 or the science concerning elephants has been inferred from his references to the 腻惫补谤迟补蝉[49] or the locks of curling hair hanging backwards of a horse, reference of the variety of elephant named bhadra[50], gandhasindhura[51], gandhagaja[52] or gandhadantin.[53]
惭补峁卥丑补办补鈥檚 familiarity with the 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补 has been observed from the references of the technical terms such as 谤补峁単补迟补濒补, 耻苍尘腻濒补办补 as well as 迟腻峁囜笉补惫补[54], also, 谤补峁単补辫墨峁环补[55], 诲补峁囜笉补p膩da[56], 补峁単补丑腻谤补[57], 迟腻濒补[58] etc. Again, his expertise in rhetorics or 蝉腻丑颈迟测补惫颈诲测腻[59] has been displayed by 惭补峁卥丑补办补鈥檚 reference to the technical terms like rasa[60], 谤墨迟颈[61], 惫补颈诲补谤产丑墨[62], 尘腻谤驳补[63], 驳耻峁嘺[64], 补濒补峁僰腻谤补[65], 补苍耻辫谤腻蝉补, citra, yamaka and 艣濒别峁[66], 惫补办谤补迟腻[67], 办颈濒补办颈帽肠颈迟补[68], 辫谤辞峁迟补产丑补谤迟峁沰腻[69], 补产丑颈蝉腻谤补[70], 补产丑颈蝉腻谤颈办腻[71], also some technical terms, such as sandhi, 苍腻峁璦办补, 腻谤补产丑补峁� and 箩补惫补苍颈办腻[72] or nicolaka[73], 辫奴谤惫补谤补峁単补[74], 蝉奴迟谤补诲丑腻谤补[75], 辫谤补蝉迟腻惫补苍腻[76], 谤补峁単补辫墨峁环颈[77], 苍补峁璦[78] etc., testify that 惭补峁卥丑补办补 was very much keen in dramaturgy. Again, there are some references from the great epics also, such as mentioning of 痴腻濒尘墨办颈 as 腻诲测补岣� 办补惫颈岣�[79], lifting of the 碍补颈濒腻蝉补 by Paulastya i.e. 搁腻惫补峁嘺[80], 搁腻惫补峁嘺鈥檚 sword named 肠补苍诲谤补丑腻蝉补, separation of 搁腻尘补 and 厂墨迟腻, 搁腻尘补鈥檚 building of a bridge over the ocean[81] etc.
Moreover, some references from the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 are such as 艢颈惫补鈥檚 showering of gold on Marutta[82], releasing of 艢惫别迟补 from the clutches of Yama by Lord 艢颈惫补[83], Arjuna鈥檚 encounter with 艢颈惫补, disguised as 碍颈谤腻迟补[84], reference of 顿谤辞峁嘺[85] and the royal sage 艢惫别迟补[86] etc. Not only that, the plot of the poem, viz. the tripuradahana story appears to be culled from the Kar峁嘺parvan, (chapter 33-34) of the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 The reference to botany is noticed from the mention of growth of Kanakaketak墨 in the spring season[87], shrinking of Kunda flower in the spring[88], vegetables discharging lustre.[89] In addition to that, poet refers to the natural hostility, existing between a horse and a buffalo[90] as well as between an elephant and a lion.[91] 惭补峁卥丑补办补鈥檚 acquaintance with the science of birds has been inferred from his reference to the reddish mouth of a parrot[92], sweet voice of a male cuckoo[93] giving out the note in 辫补帽肠补尘补 tune[94], the cuckoos being nurtured at their early life, by other birds like crows.[95]
Apart from these, 惭补峁卥丑补办补 possessed tremendous knowledge on Pur膩峁噄c myths and legends, which is evident from the following references-there are mythological descriptions of 艢颈惫补鈥檚 figures[96], decorations[97], 办腻尘补诲补丑补苍补[98], defeating of 骋补箩腻蝉耻谤补[99] and 础苍诲丑补办腻蝉耻谤补[100], annihilation of 顿补办峁鈥檚 sacrifice[101], reference of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻, 叠谤补丑尘腻, Indra, 碍峁涐梗峁嘺, Harihara, 笔腻谤惫补迟墨, Skanda, 碍腻尘补deva, Rati, Candra etc. There are also some very short references of Agastya, Aditi, Agni, Apsaras, Arjuna, 叠补濒补谤腻尘补, 叠峁沨补蝉辫补迟颈, 痴颈艣惫腻尘颈迟谤补, Diti, Kadru, 骋补峁単腻, 骋补峁噀艣补, 尝补办峁墨, 碍腻尘补dhenu, Kubera, Kinnaras, 痴颈诲测腻诲丑补谤补蝉, 惭腻谤迟补峁囜笉补, 笔补谤补艣耻谤腻尘补, 艢别峁苍腻驳补, 艢耻办谤补, 厂奴谤测补, Yama, 驰补尘耻苍腻, 痴补谤耻峁嘺, 痴腻测耻 and 痴腻蝉耻办颈 etc. Along with these, the poet uses the term 丑补苍迟补办腻谤补[102], a word explained in the 惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺,[103] employs the word 惫峁涐梗补[104], in the meaning of dharma, similar to the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉. Moreover, 惭补峁卥丑补办补鈥檚 knowledge in the 办腻惫测补蝉 is certified by his reference to various poets of previous times like 惭别峁囜弓丑补, Subandhu, 叠丑腻谤补惫颈 and 叠腻峁嘺[105], also 搁腻箩补艣别办丑补谤补 and 惭耻谤腻谤颈[106], as well as so many contemporaneous poets, cited in the last canto of his poem.
Finally, there are ample examples scattered in the poem 艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补肠补谤颈迟补, that prove the unfathomable knowledge of 惭补峁卥丑补办补 in the 办辞峁s or the lexicons. He got a rich diction as well as vocabulary. He employs nine different synonymous words to mean water[107], same is the case with Hara and Agni.[108] Again, he uses some words in double meaning[109], some famous words in rare meaning[110], uses some rare words[111] also, some stanzas again have double meanings.[112] All these actually demonstrate 惭补峁卥丑补办补鈥檚 mastery over the 办辞艣补蝉. The whole of the 惭补峁卥丑补办辞艣补 is a glaring proof of his proficiency in the sphere of lexicography.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
kasy膩pi 艣补办迟颈prabhav膩dudeti tat办腻惫测补mah膩rahasya峁�/
kli峁ａ弓o gur奴峁嚹佱箖 sadane峁 nitya峁� ka艣cidbudha艣cetayate na v膩 yat//
艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补肠补谤颈迟补., II. 4
Jonar膩ja (艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补肠补谤颈迟补., II. 4, page 15) as well as 惭补尘尘补峁璦 (K膩vyaprak膩艣a., Ull膩sa I, page 8) gives exactly same comment鈥斉洸拱斐倬贬弗 kavitvab墨jar奴pa岣� sa峁僺k膩ravi艣e峁岣�/
[2]:
y膩峁� vin膩 办腻惫测补峁� na prasaret pras峁泃a峁� v膩 upahasan墨ya峁� sy膩t/
K膩vyaprak膩艣a., I, page 8
[3]:
艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补肠补谤颈迟补., I. 16; XVI. 31; XXV. 89
[4]:
Ibid., XVII. 30, 46
[5]:
Ibid., XX. 35
[6]:
Ibid., XX. 35; XIX. 20; XXV. 92
[7]:
Ibid., XX. 36
[8]:
Ibid., XX. 33
[9]:
Ibid., XVII. 30
[10]:
Ibid., III. 57
[11]:
Ibid., XXV. 42, 43
[12]:
Ibid., XVII. 5
[13]:
Ibid., XXI. 32
[14]:
Ibid., III., 4; XXV. 87
[15]:
Ibid., V. 42
[16]:
Ibid., XX. 30
[17]:
Ibid., XII. 61; XVI. 9; XX. 6
[18]:
Ibid., XVI. 9
[19]:
Ibid., XI. 72
[20]:
Ibid., XII. 40
[21]:
Ibid., XII. 39
[22]:
Ibid., XX. 6
[23]:
Ibid., XIII. 30
[24]:
Ibid., XVIII. 59
[25]:
Ibid., V. 16
[26]:
Ibid., XVII. 63
[27]:
Ibid., III. 15
[28]:
Ibid., XVII. 47
[29]:
Ibid., XI. 4
[30]:
Ibid., V. 21
[31]:
Ibid., XII. 4
[32]:
Ibid., XII. 5
[33]:
Ibid., XXIII. 3, 56
[34]:
Ibid., XXIII. 37
[35]:
Ibid., XXIII. 39
[36]:
Ibid., XXIII. 39
[37]:
Ibid., XX. 7
[38]:
Ibid., III. 72.
[39]:
Ibid., VI. 4.
[40]:
Ibid., XIX. 20
[41]:
Ibid., XV. 14, 31
[42]:
Ibid., 32
[43]:
Ibid., XIV. 45; XV. 33
[44]:
Ibid., XV. 35, 36, 38, 39, 44, 50
[45]:
Ibid., VI. 47, 58.
[46]:
Ibid., XVI. I.
[47]:
Ibid., XVI. 55
[48]:
Ibid., VI. 70
[49]:
Ibid., XX. 22
[50]:
Ibid., XVIII. 49; Jonar膩ja comments-bhadro gajaj膩tivi艣e峁岣�/
page 262
[51]:
Ibid., XIII. 4; XIV. 22
[52]:
Ibid., XV. 23
[53]:
Ibid., XVIII. 38
[54]:
Ibid., I. 3.
[55]:
Ibid., X. 32; XVIII. 55
[56]:
Ibid., I. 19, 46; V. 18; VI. 27; XXIV. 10
[57]:
Ibid., V. 48
[58]:
Ibid., XVIII. 50
[59]:
Ibid., XXV. 64
[60]:
Ibid., I. 37; II. 8, 11, 30, 32
[61]:
Ibid., II. 6, 30, 33
[62]:
Ibid., II. 41
[63]:
Ibid., II. 15
[64]:
Ibid., II. 14, 49
[65]:
Ibid., II. 32, 49
[66]:
Ibid., II. 42
[67]:
Ibid., II. 11, 14, 30
[68]:
Ibid., XIV. 44
[69]:
Ibid., IV. 46
[70]:
Ibid., XI. 33, 41
[71]:
Ibid., X. 26, 28, 38; XI. 30, 32, 41; XVI. 3
[72]:
Ibid., V. 48
[73]:
Ibid., XVIII. 55; Jonar膩ja interprets the term nicolaka as 箩补惫补苍颈办腻/
page 264
[74]:
Ibid., XIX. 53; XXI. 52; XXII. 14, XXIV. 8
[75]:
Ibid., I. 2; XVII. 67
[76]:
Ibid., XVII. 67
[77]:
Ibid., XVIII. 55
[78]:
Ibid., VII. 42
[79]:
Ibid., XXV. 60
[80]:
Ibid., IV. 21
[81]:
Ibid., XI. 10
[82]:
Ibid., I. 12
[83]:
Ibid., IV. 9
[84]:
Ibid., V. 32
[85]:
Ibid., XXV. 56.
[86]:
Ibid., V. 9.
[87]:
Ibid., VI. 67
[88]:
Ibid., VI. 71
[89]:
Ibid., XXIV. 24
[90]:
Ibid., XVI. 54; XX. 20; XXII. 30
[91]:
Ibid., XXIII. 14
[92]:
Ibid., VI. 19
[93]:
Ibid., VI. 14, 24, 32; VIII. 8, 30
[94]:
Ibid., VI. 47, 58
[95]:
Ibid., VI. 10, 11
[96]:
Ibid., V. 11, 43, 44; I. 48
[97]:
Ibid., I. 1, 9, 10; V. 15, 22, 30
[98]:
Ibid., I. 2; V. 21
[99]:
Ibid., V. 14
Ibid., V. 16
Ibid., V. 17
Ibid., II. 26
Bhatt, B.N., 艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补肠补谤颈迟补., footnote, page 69,
cf. gr膩sapram膩峁嘺峁� bhik峁Ｄ� sy膩dagra峁� gr膩sacatu峁ａ弓aya峁�/
agr膩ccatur驳耻峁嘺峁� tattu 丑补苍迟补办腻谤补峁� vidurbudh膩岣�//
惭腻谤办补峁囜笉别测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, Bibliotheca India edited, 29, Sts. 35-36
Ibid., III. 33
Ibid., II. 53
Ibid., XXV. 74
Ibid., IX. 1, 7, 14, 22, 28, 35, 38, 40, 41
Ibid., I. 1-17
Ibid. III. 53, 54; IV. 6, 8, 9; XVIII. 42, 49; XIX. 33-37; XXI. 32, 51
The word kavi has been used in the meaning of a poet, means a swan also (II. 1); t墨rtha in the sense of water (III. 16) etc.
艣al膩峁璾 (II. 48), kurala (XIII. 25), p膩thas (V. 6), ca峁ka (VIII. 6), anutar峁 (XVIII. 1), nivir墨sa (XVIII. 4), apaghana (XXIV. 23) etc.
Ibid., III. 52, 53