Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala (study)
by Shri N. M. Kansara | 1970 | 228,453 words
This is an English study of the Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala, a Sanskrit poem written in the 11th century. Technically, the Tilaka-manjari is classified as a Gadyakavya (“prose-romance�). The author, Dhanapala was a court poet to the Paramara king Munja, who ruled the Kingdom of Malwa in ancient west-central India. Alternative titles: Dhanapāla Tila...
4. Motifs (3): The divine necklace Candratapa
This necklace was originally presented by the Milk Ocean to his daughter Srf, the Goddess-of-Prosperity. She bestowed it upon Indrani when the latter gave birth to Jayanta. Indrani, in her turn, made it over to Priyangusundari out of friendship with her. It was taken by her husband Jvalanaprabha by way of a worthy token of remembrance of his beloved wife and as a means capable of alleviating the pangs of separation. The god in his turn delivered it to Meghavahana, perhaps deliberately, as he was going to be born as the king's son afterwards. DHENGE 9�Tilakamanjari p. 410: - priyasu sundari tvajatapatisamagama pyanutpanna vidvesa sarvvavidyacasi kincidutpannaratirarati bhagini bhavisyati bhavantare varaki stokakalamiti muhurmuhuh priyamvadam socali . --- 1 1
10 295 Dhanapala has hinted at the poetic importance of the necklace as the factor instrumental to bringing about the union of Jvalanaprabha and Priyangusundari when they are born as Harivahana and Tilakamanjari respectively later on. It is this divine necklace which precipitates the fulfilment of Meghavahana's worship of the goddess Sri to whom the ornament originally belonged. It is again this same necklace which enables Tilakamanjari to remember her past birth as Priyangusundari and her love with Jvalanaprabha and prepares the ground for the final revelation of the identity of her lover with Harivahana, by the Maharsi. The necklace is thus a divine instrument of attaining the fulfilment of Meghavahana's wish and a cementing force for eternal love of the celestial lovers.