Essay name: Sankalpa Suryodaya of Venkatanatha (Critical Study)
Author:
R. Laxmi
Affiliation: Karnatak University / Department of Sanskrit
This is an English study of the Sankalpa Suryodaya—an allegorical Sanskrit drama by Venkatanatha, a distinguished philosopher-poet and dramatist of the Vishishtadvaita Vedanta tradition. This work of Venkata-natha (or, Vedanta Deshika). stands out for integrating allegory to convey moral and philosophical truths. The thesis examines its place in Sanskrit literature.
Chapter 4a - Characterisation of the play
86 (of 134)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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drafted by his acountant, Lobha, and are (now) communicated to you by me, his
confidential envoy. They are on no account to be disobeyed."1
Further he continues to read that, "You have shown considerable
earnestness in promoting the adoration of the Supreme Being and in doing so, have
acted against our will. If, (now) you should transfer this earnestness towards the
acquisition of wealth and lordship, we will hold you in high esteem." 2
"My dear, have you heard this (message) which resembles the story of the
beggar stretching his foot? But it is only natural for Mahāmoha to hold fast to his
view like the dead body holding its fist tight." ³
3 Then he proclaims the glory of Kāma and the Krodha.
"By whose valour, indeed, will Kāma, who is superior to all others and whose
greatness is well-known (even) among the gods of Svarga, be conquered ? By his
prowess, the third eye of Śiva which had its origin in anger soon became cool with
love." 4
"The good śruti says Kāma (desire ) existed at the beginning." The first
person (the Supreme Being) plays (the game of) creating the world maintaining it
and destroying it, being impelled by desire; even the man who has attained freedom
from desires wins Mokṣa which is hard to attain by a desire (Kāma) for it. On whom
is Kāma dependent and is there any one in the world who is not subject to Kāma ?�
1.
इद� कि� महाराज, चतुर्दशभुवनचक्रचक्रवर्तिनः द्वापरमन्त्रिनिर्धारितनिखिलकार्यस्� दुर्मतिमतप्रतिष्ठितस्य �
देवस्य महामोहस्� लोभनाम्न� गणके� लिखित्वा त्वदर्थं प्रेषितमन्तरङ्गे� नय� उपहृतमलङ्घनीयं शासनम् � [ida� kila mahārāja, caturdaśabhuvanacakracakravartina� dvāparamantrinirdhāritanikhilakāryasya durmatimatapratiṣṭhitasya |
devasya mahāmohasya lobhanāmnā gaṇakena likhitvā tvadartha� preṣitamantaraṅgeṇa nayā upahṛtamalaṅghanīya� śāsanam || ] S.S. III p.382
परोपास्तिश्रद्धावधिकमतिवृत्त� यदिह ते
[paropāstiśraddhāvadhikamativṛtta� yadiha te
] 2.
तदैश्चर्यप्राप्त्य� भवतु बह� मन्येमहि तद� ||
[tadaiścaryaprāptyai bhavatu bahu manyemahi tadā ||
] S.S. III- p.384
3.
प्रिये, आकर्णितः किलायं भिक्षुपादप्रसरणन्याय� �
अथवा स्वाभाव्यमेव शवमुष्टिवत� गृहीतग्राहित� महामोहस्� |
[priye, ākarṇita� kilāya� bhikṣupādaprasaraṇanyāya� |
athavā svābhāvyameva śavamuṣṭivat gṛhītagrāhitā mahāmohasya |
] S.S. III - p.384-85
4.
विश्वाधिको विलयमेष्यत� कस्य भूम्ना वीरः प्रसिद्धमहिम� विबुधेषु कामः �
क्रोधोदितं यदनुभाववशे� शंभो� श्रृङ्गारशीतलमभून्नयन� तृतीयम� �
[viśvādhiko vilayameṣyati kasya bhūmnā vīra� prasiddhamahimā vibudheṣu kāma� |
krodhodita� yadanubhāvavaśena śaṃbho� śrṛṅgāraśītalamabhūnnayana� tṛtīyam ||
] 5.
S.S. III - 39, p.386
कामोऽस� समवर्तताग्� इत� हि ब्रूते समीची श्रुति� कामादे� जग अनिस्थितिलयैराद्यः पुमान्क्रीडत� �
निष्कामोऽप� सकाम एव लभते निःश्रेयसं दुर्लभ� कामः कस्य वश� � एष भुवन� कामस्य � स्याद्वश� ||
[kāmo'sau samavartatāgra iti hi brūte samīcī śruti� kāmādeva jaga anisthitilayairādya� pumānkrīḍati |
niṣkāmo'pi sakāma eva labhate niḥśreyasa� durlabha� kāma� kasya vaśe ka eṣa bhuvane kāmasya na syādvaśe ||
] S.S. III- 40, p.386-87
