Vasudevavijaya of Vasudeva (Study)
by Sajitha. A | 2018 | 50,171 words
This page relates 鈥楧eviations from the Source Shrimad Bhagavata鈥� of the study on the Vasudevavijaya of Vasudeva from the 11th century A.D. The Vasudevavijayam is an educational poem belonging to the Shastra-Kavya category of technical Sanskrit literature. The Vasudevavijayam depicts in 657 verses the story of Lord Krishna while also elucidates the grammatical rules of the Ashtadhyayi of Panini (teaching the science of grammar). The subject-content of the poem was taken from the tenth Skandha of the Bhagavatapurana.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Deviations from the Source 艢谤颈尘补诲 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补
It is already stated that the theme of the 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补vijaya is the story of 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 dealt with in the tenth skandha of 艢谤颈尘补诲 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补. Though 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补 shows immense interest to 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补, he has introduced some modifications in the story of the source work.
Some of the deviations by 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补is as follows:
1. In 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补, the goddess of Earth appears before Lord 叠谤补丑尘腻 in the form of a cow[1]. But in 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补vijaya, she approaches 叠谤补丑尘腻 to represent her grievances, but not in the form of a cow[2].
2. In 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补, Vasudeva, the father of 碍峁涐梗峁嘺, is described as adorned with divine and extra ordinary lustre when 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 entered in his mind[3]. This description is omitted in 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补vijaya
3. In 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补, it is described that while 顿别惫补办墨 and Vasudeva were in prison the gods appeared before them and praised 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 who was in devak墨鈥檚 womb. After that they consoled and congratulated 顿别惫补办墨 for having been fortunate enough to carry the Lord 狈腻谤腻测补峁嘺 in her womb[4]. These descriptions of 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补 are absent in 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补vijaya
4. In 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补, it is stated that 碍补峁僺补 decided to kill the children aged less than one year[5]. But in 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补vijaya, all the babies on the earth decided to be killed[6].
5. In 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补, 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 yawns after taking his mother鈥檚 milk and while yawning 驰补艣辞诲腻 beholds the universe in his mouth. 驰补艣辞诲腻 became awe-struck and the poet elaborates the descriptions by listing the different objects in his mouth[7]. This incident is not seen in 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补vijaya
6. 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补 elaborately narrates the story of 狈补濒补办奴产补谤补 and 惭补峁噄驳谤墨惫补, i.e. their teasing 狈腻谤补诲补, 狈腻谤补诲补鈥檚 curse, their transformation into Arjuna trees and their emancipation etc.[8] While in 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补vijaya this incident is only abridged.[9]
7. In 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补, it is said that 碍补峁僺补 sent a demon named Vatsa in the form of a calf to kill 碍峁涐梗峁嘺[10]. But 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补vijaya mentions the name of the demon as Vatsaka.[11]
8. In 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补, it is mentioned that 碍峁涐梗峁嘺, at the age of five killed 础驳丑腻蝉耻谤补, the brother of 笔奴迟补苍腻 and 叠补办腻蝉耻谤补[12]. But in 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补vijaya the age is not mentioned and 础驳丑腻蝉耻谤补 is not described as the brother of 笔奴迟补苍腻 and 叠补办腻蝉耻谤补.[13]
9. 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补 stated that 叠谤补丑尘腻 was filled with wonder on seeing 础驳丑腻蝉耻谤补 being killed by 碍峁涐梗峁嘺. He then appeared before 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 and sang in praise of his omnipotence[14]. In 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补vijaya praising of 叠谤补丑尘腻 is not seen.
10. In 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补, 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 lifted the Govarddhana Mountain at the age of seven. After this incident Gopas gathered around him and extolled the activities done by 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 from the birth onwards.[15] In 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补vijaya, the indication of his age and also the praising of the Gopas are omitted.
11. In 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补, a detailed description of Nanda鈥檚 observation of Ek膩da艣墨 vrata, his abduction by the servants of 痴补谤耻峁嘺, 碍峁涐梗峁嘺鈥檚 visit to varu峁嘺loka, varu峁嘺鈥檚 worship and the rescue of Nanda by 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 etc. can be found. After this,Nandagopa narrates it to the Gopas.[16] In 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补vijaya, the abduction of Nanda is referred to,[17] but detailed description and also the narration of Nandagopa to the Gopas is not seen.
12. In 叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补, 厂耻诲补谤艣补苍补艣腻辫补尘辞办峁 and killing of 艢补峁卥丑补肠奴岣峚 are described in detail.[18] But 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补vijaya excluded these episodes.
The above mentioned modifications may be due to the fact that there are so many versions to the story of 碍峁涐梗峁嘺. The story prevalent in Kerala at the period of 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补 might be varied from that of the source. On the other hand the author may introduce some innovations to the story according to his imagination. It can be seen that the poets like 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补 etc. compose their poems by establishing novel ideas in the theme taken from a renowned story.[19] There are so many episodes which excluded or abridged in 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补vijaya from that of the source. It is not possible to include all incidents in detail in a poem comes under the category of 艢腻蝉迟谤补办腻惫测补. The prime intention of the author is the illustration of grammatical rules. Thus there are some limitations to the poet to incorporate all the incidents in the source. Thus the depictions in abridged form are also because of the same reason.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补Pur膩峁嘺, X.1.18.
[3]:
叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补Pur膩峁嘺, X.2.17.
[4]:
Ibid,X.2.25-41.
[5]:
Ibid,.X.4.31
[6]:
Prof. Vijayapal Sastri,op.cit.v.III.54
[7]:
叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补Pur膩峁嘺, X.7.35-37
[8]:
ibid, v.X.10.1-43.
[9]:
Prof. Vijayapal Sastri,op.cit.v.V.22-25
[10]:
叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补pur膩峁嘺, v.X.XI.42-44
[11]:
Prof. Vijayapal Sastri,op.cit.v.V.40-41
[12]:
叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补pur膩峁嘺, v.X.XII.14
[13]:
Prof. Vijayapal Sastri,op.cit.v.VI.45-53
[14]:
叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补Pur膩峁嘺, X.7.35-37.
[15]:
ibid.X.26.14.
[16]:
Ibid,X.28.1-18.
[17]:
Prof. Vijayapal Sastri,op.cit.v.VII.33-34
[18]:
叠丑腻驳补惫补迟补 Pur膩峁嘺, X.34.12-17.
[19]:
碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补 extracts the theme from 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 and composes his 础产丑颈箩帽腻苍补艣腻办耻苍迟补濒补. He makes many innovations according to his imagination. For example the episode of 顿耻谤惫腻蝉腻鈥檚 curse is not seen in the source. It is the invention of the poet.