Essay name: Ushaharana Kavya of Trivikrama Pandita (Study)
Author:
Pranesh R. Archak
Affiliation: Karnatak University / Department of Sanskrit
This is a study and English summary of the the Ushaharana Kavya—an Sanskrit epic poem written by Trivikrama Pandita in the 13th century. The thesis highlights Trivikrama’s dual identity as a philosopher and poet, showcasing his profound contributions to Sanskrit literature, especially through the Usaharana.
Chapter 1 - Life, date and works of Trivikrama Pandita
5 (of 15)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
5
He was a formidable controversialist who was a master in logic and who
could wield the weapon of logical technique with the decided effect.
Therefore, Trivikrama wished to investigate the Dvaita Philosophy. The
judicious people always act after a close investigation. 18 Then,
Trivikrama approached Madhva who had camped at Viṣṇumangala
temple. With great respect and reverence, Trivikrama prostrated before
him for his blessings.
19 During his stay, Trivikrama started attending Madhva's discourses
on the BhÄgavata at Viṣṇumangala temple. He used to sit at a distance
quietly listening to the discourses. He could not find any fault in the
discourses delivered by such an erudite personality. Being a great
scholar, Trivikrama had the greatness of recognising the scholarship in
others. It is suggested that, once Madhva's library was stolen by
Padmatirtha and other jealous opponents by crooked means. The king
Jayasimha helped MadhvÄcÄrya in getting back his stolen library from
PadmatÄ«rtha and begged the pardon the AcÄrya for the mischievous acts
of sum unscrupulous persons. Trivikrama was also not happy with the
incident of stealing the manuscripts from the library. He was pleased to
know that the stolen manuscripts had found their proper place under the
custodianship of his brother, Åšankara Paṇá¸ita. 20 No wonder that
Trivikrama although not very familiar till then with Madhva could well
comprehend the essence of the inmost secret his divine qualities. 21
Once, Madhva started giving discourses in another temple called
AmarÄlaya. The topic of the discourse was his commentary on the
18.
19.
विदितवानà¥� वà¥à¤¯à¤µà¤¹à¥ƒà¤¤à¥à¤� सà¥à¤¦à¤°à¥à¤¶à¤¨à¤‚ बहà¥à¤²à¤¬à¥‹à¤§à¤®à¤µà¥‡à¤•à¥à¤·à¥à¤� à¤� निशà¥à¤šà¤¯à¤¾à¤¤à¥� à¥�
अपà¤� à¤� तसà¥à¤¯ मतà¤� सहसाऽऽददà¥� ननà¥� विमृशà¥à¤� कृती कà¥à¤°à¥à¤¤à¥‡à¤½à¤–िलमॠ|| [viditavÄn vyavahá¹›tya sudarÅ›anaá¹� bahulabodhamaveká¹£ya sa niÅ›cayÄt |
api na tasya mataá¹� sahasÄ''dade nanu vimṛśya ká¹›tÄ« kurute'khilam || ] Ibid., (XIII.68)
तं विषà¥à¤£à¥à¤®à¤™à¥à¤—लगतं बहà¥à¤²à¤ªà¥à¤°à¤¬à¥‹à¤§à¤� पà¥à¤°à¤¾à¤ªà¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤à¥à¤¯à¤µà¤¨à¥à¤¦à¤¤ तदाऽयà¥à¤—विकà¥à¤°à¤®à¤¾à¤°à¥à¤¯à¤ƒ à¥�
आननà¥à¤¦à¤¦à¤� à¤� चतà¥à¤°à¤¾à¤¨à¤¨à¤¹à¤¾à¤¸à¤²à¤•à¥à¤·à¥à¤®à¥à¤¯à¤� ततà¥à¤¤à¥à¤µà¤� पà¥à¤°à¤µà¥‡à¤¤à¥à¤¤à¥à¤®à¤®à¤°à¥‡à¤‚दà¥à¤� इवाबà¥à¤œà¤¯à¥‹à¤¨à¤¿à¤®à¥ || [taá¹� viṣṇumaá¹…galagataá¹� bahulaprabodhaá¹� prÄpyÄbhyavandata tadÄ'yugavikramÄryaá¸� |
Änandadaá¹� sa caturÄnanahÄsalaká¹£myÄ tattvaá¹� pravettumamareṃdra ivÄbjayonim || ] Ibid., (XIII.69)
20. कृतमपकृतमयैः कà¥à¤·à¤®à¥à¤¯à¤¤à¤¾à¤� कà¥à¤·à¤¾à¤¨à¥à¤¤à¤¿à¤à¥‚षैरिति मृदॠवदताà¤� समà¥à¤ªà¥à¤°à¤¾à¤°à¥à¤¥à¤¨à¤¾à¤à¤¿à¤� पà¥à¤°à¤à¥‚णामà¥� |
[ká¹›tamapaká¹›tamayaiá¸� ká¹£amyatÄá¹� ká¹£Äntibhūṣairiti má¹›du vadatÄá¹� samprÄrthanÄbhiá¸� prabhūṇÄm |
] 21.
अपहृतमपरेषां मनà¥à¤¤à¥à¤°à¤¤à¥‹ गà¥à¤°à¤¨à¥à¤¥à¤œà¤¾à¤¤à¤‚ दशहृदयनियोगादगà¥à¤°à¤¹à¥€à¤šà¥à¤›à¤™à¥à¤•रारà¥à¤¯à¤ƒ || [apahá¹›tamapareá¹£Äṃ mantrato granthajÄtaá¹� daÅ›ahá¹›dayaniyogÄdagrahÄ«cchaá¹…karÄryaá¸� || ] Ibid., (XIV.2)
अनतिपरिचितसà¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤ªà¥à¤¯à¤¸à¥à¤¯ सोऽयà¤� कवींदà¥à¤°à¥� गà¥à¤£à¤°à¤¸à¤®à¤¤à¤¿à¤—ूढं जà¥à¤žà¤¾à¤¤à¤µà¤¾à¤¨à¤¿à¤¤à¥à¤¯à¤šà¤¿à¤¤à¥à¤°à¤®à¥� |
मधà¥� मधà¥à¤•रराजà¥� निषà¥à¤ªà¤¤à¤¨à¥ पौषà¥à¤ªà¤®à¤¾à¤¸à¥à¤‚ ननà¥� परिचयहीनः काननेऽपि पà¥à¤°à¤à¥à¤ƒ सà¥à¤¯à¤¾à¤¤à¥ || [anatiparicitasyÄpyasya so'yaá¹� kavīṃdro guṇarasamatigÅ«á¸haá¹� jñÄtavÄnityacitram |
madhu madhukararÄjo niá¹£patan pauá¹£pamÄsuá¹� nanu paricayahÄ«naá¸� kÄnane'pi prabhuá¸� syÄt || ] Ibid., (XIV.5),
