365betÓéÀÖ

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-romanceâ€�). 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: DhanapÄla Tila...

5.1. Shringara-rasa or Erotic sentiment

Warning! Page nr. 86 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

The Erotic sentiment enjoys predominance with Dhanapala in the Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala, in both its aspects of union of lovers (samyoga) and their separation (vipralambha). In accordance with the Sanskrit poetic and critical tradition, he depicts, as fundamental determinants (alambana-vibhava), the charm of female forms in the portrayals of Tilakamanjari, Malayasundari and others. The excitant determinants (uddipana vibhava which foster the Erotic sentiment are described in the bodily postures and gestures of his heroines. The consequents or external manifestations of feelings (anu-bhava)

Warning! Page nr. 87 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

779 and the transitory or evanascent. feelings (sancari-bhava) have been skillfully depicted in various amorous reactions of the lovers on appropriate occasions. To borrow the words 312 the delineation develops of Dr. Dharmendra Kumar Gupta, 312, the dominant emotion (sthayi-bhava) into the state of the erotic sentiment (Srigara-rasa) with the help of the description of beauteous damsels as fundamental determinants, of physical and natural beauty as exciting phenomena, of their consequents and of feelings like desire, joy, anxiety, distraction and despair as accompanying emotions (bhava). It is noteworthy that Dhanapala never condescends to indecency of situation or indelicacy of expression and his love-pictures are generally unearthly, and rarely sensuous. With Dhanapala it is the mental plane of love which is more prominent than the physical one which, in his opinion, culminates in misery only. He depicts mainly 'Love at first sight' and works out its fulfilment with the help of divine agencies, The poet is very careful in eschewing obscenity, even a slightest tinge of it. (a) SAMYOGA SRNGARA The love in union is graphically depicted in the course of the delineation of the love-sports of King Megha- 313. vahana with his queens. In this series of brief word- -pictures the queens are the fundamental determinants (alambana-vibhava). 312. A Critical Study of Dandin and His Works, p.333. 313. Tilakamanjari,pp.17-18.

Warning! Page nr. 88 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

780 The excitants (uddipana-vibhava) utilized by the poet are: (i) The jingling of ornaments of lovable damsels (kamini-janabharana-jhatkara); (ii) vehement biting(of the lower lip (of the beloved) } by one's fore-teeth (sarabhasa-dasanagra-damsa); (iii) tightly catching hold of the hair of the braid (adaya-kaca-graha); (iv) dragging (akarsana); (v) water-sport (jala-krida); (vi) walking along the sport-hillock (krida-girau bhamanam); (vii) (drawing) cosmetic designs on the surface of pitcher-like breasts of the beloveds (kamini-kucakumbha-bhittisu pattranguli-kalpana); (viii) amorous gambling (krida-dyuta); (ix) drinking of wine (kapisayana-pana); (x) creating mirth by imitating the make up and etc., of face (vadana-mandanadibhih vidambana-prakaraih hasanam); (xi) observing the beauty (depicted) in the portraits (citrapata-rupa-darsana); and (xii) catching hold of the under-garment (of queens) (jaghanasuka-grahana).

Warning! Page nr. 89 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

781 The consequents (anu-bhava) depicted here are : perspiration (sveda), horripilation (romanca) and curling of eyebrows (bhrubhanga). The dominant emotion (sthayi-bhava), viz., affection (rati) is indicated through various references to excellent postures of coition (utkrsta-karana-prayoga), sprinkling of water by the queens, reconciliation of the beloveds and competition with the queens in fulfilling the yearnings (dohada) of plants in the harem gardens. The evanescent feelings (samcari-bhava) referred to are: excitement (avesa), indignation (manyu), anguish (santapa), jealosy (Irsya), affected anger in love-making (pranaya-kopa) and perplexed smile (vailaksyashasa). While describing how, on completion of his penance. for propitiation of the Goddess sri, King Meghavahana went to the harem, adorned Queen Madiravati with his own hands, embraced her and passed his night with her, the poet exhibits his sense of decorum when he describes the incident very briefly thus ?14 gcat a fazaifaHotut gqut gfazafaatzɔutt aª a¤- grahanena tesca tatkalama virbhutah priyaprematisayajanmabhih smaravikara viguna- tarara myadarsanam sudrdhamaslisya sayaniyamanayata | tatraiva ca taya saha susvapa | 314. Tilakamanjari,p.73(16-19).

Warning! Page nr. 90 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

782 With the description of the physical features of Tilakamanjari whom Harivahana happened to meet with for a while in the bower of Cardamom-creepers, Dhanapala commences the depiction of Samyoga-srngara. The following poetic allusions serve as the fundamental determinants (alambana-vibhava): (i) The ruddy nails of her feet were like the blades of Cupid's arrow dipped in the blood of a lover's heart; (ii) her plump buttocks were like a couple of quivers full of Cupid's arrows; (iii) her slender waist was like the shore of the ocean of amorous feelings in the form of her abdominal region; (iv) her round full-grown breasts were like a pair of dice testifying to the victory of Cupid. The consequent like the feeling of wonder (vismaya) 316 is expressed beautifully in the following two verses: grahakavalanada, bhrasta laksmih kimrाpateriyam mathanacakitapakrantabdhailata mrtadevata | girisanayanodavidagdhanmanobhavapadapa- dviditamathava jata suriyam navakandali || janithah srutisalina khalu yuvamavam prakrtyarjuni trailokyai vapuridrganyayuktah sambhavyate kim kvacita 1 etatprastumapa stanilanalinasreni vikasatrini saike'syah samupagate mrgadrsah kantikam locane || 315. Tilakamanjari,pp.246-247. 316. ibid., p.248(3-10).

Warning! Page nr. 91 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

783 Another instance of Samyoga-srngara is provided by 317 Dhanapala when he describes the effect of love at first sight in the case of both Samaraketu and Malayasundari. In the description of Samaraketu sailing in a boat, 318 the following poetic allusions to him commence the delineation of the Erotic sentiment: (1) adhyasitamakara miva yadasa nathama, i (11) isananayananaladupadrutamayugmainuma, ; (111) svarupamiva rupasya (iv) layanamiva lavanyasyah The feeling of amazement as expressed in her reflections, grows in the mind of Malayasundari whose whole body is permeated with the passion as she observes Samaraketu. Various evanescent feelings (samcari-bhavas), such as bashfulness, shivering sensation, burning effect, heaviness of body, anger, loss of consciousness, and etc., are depicted 319 by the poet in the following words: tato'ham lajjayanuragena ca yugapada skandita 'sitalo jalanidhivela - nilah ' iti vimuktasitkara muhuh sahacarimantare krtva, 'karkasi bala - tapasparsah ' iti muhurucariyamsukainananam sthayitva, 'srantatidirghasopana- pathalamghanaina ' ityamgabharam salaramgotsamgasamginam krtva, krtopasarpanam krtasamlapam krtakaraniriksanam krtaparihasam na kevalamatmanastasyapi tam nijasakhijana priyamapi sarosamiksamana 317. Tilakamanjari,pp.276-279. 319. ibid., p.277(9-14). 1 / 318. ibid., p.276(6-18).

Warning! Page nr. 92 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

784 The fundamental determinant, viz., love (rati) can be witnessed transforming itself into vividly acute longings in the form of mental union as described in the following 320 passage: kevalam tasyaiva rupavalokane tasyaivavayavapunnitanivrvarnanai tasyaiva yavani - da maidabhavyatabhavane tasyaiva vikramakramanibhalane nilinacimta, durasthitapya- sadharanapremadarsanotpannakarunyena kenapyuttiya tatsamipam gamitaiva, tada- bhuja slesasya bhajani krteva, tatsambhogasasthamanubhavitaiva nispandasakalavayava syandamananandajalavipusa 1 Similarly, the concurrent effect of passion on Samaraketu is graphically portrayed by means of various consequents like trembling, yawning, choking of throat, etc., and the excitant determinants, such as casting side glances, embracing, kissing the face, biting the lower lip, bruising the limbs with finger nails, beating limbs and etc., in the 321 following passage: darsanadeva casa udgatapulakapadhdatira kampata itastatastaralakutilanaksipatkatapana samgabhamgamajrmbhata sagadgadasvarah sva- karmasu kannadharanatatvarata | darsayitumiva me bhujamslesalilama, camaragrahinim sahasama sliोta | prakasayitumiva vadanacumbanaprapamcami sada- militadalai lilambujanmani pravalapatalamaghara pallavamajighatata | nivedayitu- miva dantacchedacchedamanimittamaivadaya nagavallida lasakala magradasanasamdasena sanakaira khandayata | 320. Tilakamanjari,p.277(16-21). 321. ibid., p.278(5-17)..

Warning! Page nr. 93 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

785 kathayitumiva nakhacchedavaidagdhyamayatamgusthakara hagraina tarunaketakagarbhapatrama - natidirghalekhalamchitodara makarsita | prapamcayitumiva tadanakramamakanda- darsita slilacestam samasannasamvahika sahasah kartalagrena skandhadese punah punaravadhita | Having described various gestures of Samaraketu calculated to conceal the effect of passion, the poet proceeds 322. to portray a bewitching picture of Malayasundari, 323 as she is being observed by her lover who could not check his glances from falling on these limbs, thus : prayatnani tathyapi muhurma paryastasandradasanadi dhitavacaradanta- vasasi, muhura vastrastakemsahastonnamanaya sacisamcaritavamakaratalayah prakata - parinahe bahumule, muhurmuktasitkarayah sisirani ra dhimaru nirodhaya sagiti vinyastabahusvastike stanayugotsamge, muhuscatulanetrakamcukagrapallava- prakasitanabhidesayah samalini madhye, muhustanmukharpitadrsah krtvantaram sahavarim sayatnamabadhdaparidhanaka payah sahasavighrtasamsamano- ccaye kamcidhamani, muhuh satvaramitastatah pracalitayah prativelavighata- manavelamcaladara darsitavurudese, drstimapatantim na varayitumasakata | The mental union, effected when Malayasundari throws the garland into the neck of Samaraketu, is vividly descri- 322. Tilakamanjari,p.278(19ff.). 323. ibid.,p.279(2-10). bed

Warning! Page nr. 94 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

786 324 thus : ahamapi svahastara citavisesaka adaya vadanavalokana vyajena manidarpanamantaritaparsvaparijanadrstipata tiryakpravartitena caksusa tasya tatpanojatadvigunasamanyamamgalekhalavanyamakhilamapyapastasamka punah punarapimbam | atha pritipulakitatanuh sa prthvipalatanayah stanakanthavalambina matkarararpitaina puspadamna tatra dane sadadavaptapanigrahanamatmanam manyamanah 4000 The Samyoga-srngara is, again, delineated artistically when Dhanapala describes the feeling of joy as experienced 325 by Malayasundari as she lay in the lap of Samaraketu after he rescued her from her attempt at suicide. These are the words in which the poet depicts the pleasant effects of touch with a lover's body: avajitaravindagarbhakaisara sakumaryena majjagatamapi musnata virahadahosma - ाma, manayateva sannipatanidramindriyanam racayateva candanadravena carca - macaranamantahkaranasya, piteva pirasagarodarem niravasesanavayavana, parinamayateva saradajyotsnarupena sarirama, ski kurvvataiva pratiprani- sthitani sakalanyapi trailokyasukhani nidarsanera navetha thata svarupena, sara- miva sudharasasya sattvamiva samkara sirah sasikalayasetyasya sakalamadaya vidhi- notpaditena param svadutamanitena sakalagatrasparsena sahaseva vihvalatamagama, | tasya An interesting account of bashful Tilakamanjari 1/2play- 324. Tilakamanjari; p 289 (5-11). 325. ibid.,pp.312-313. fully

Warning! Page nr. 95 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

787 amorous gestures 326, ' at the temple when she came to meet Harivahana depicts how the inner urge of a love-lorn girl finds expression when bashfulness ties her tongue up. Thus, Dhanapala describes how Tilakamanjari, when she was sarcastically reminded by Harivahana of her rather discourteous lack of response to him, went to the topmost storey of the nunnery and tarried there for a long time embracing the ruby-pillars, loudly reading erotic Subhasitas, drawing outlines of pairs of Vidyadharas and birds engrossed in love-sports, encouraging the peacock to dance to the rhythm of her claps, mocking at Caturika as she reported that the bed was ready, pelting pearls at Vitas engaged in glibly pacifying beloved, taking off garlands from the necks of maid-servants and putting them on into the necks of female bracket-figures, curving with her finger her companion's forehead-marks straightened as they were dragged by their lovers, applied sandal paste to her maid-servants' lower lips bitten by their lovers, kissing her relatives' children with loud labial noise as her cheeks touched their's, raised her hand in unnecessarily adjusting her unloosened braid and exhibited her full-grown breast in the process. (b) VIPRALAMBHA SRNGARA: angered Love in separation is generally depicted in two 326. Tilakamanjari, pp.364-365.

Warning! Page nr. 96 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

788 situations by the poets, viz., (i) when the fresh lovers get love-sick due to their intense longing for meeting each other, in which case it is termed 'Purva-raga' wherein 'separation'really means 'lack of an opportunity to get united' (ayoga); and (ii) when the lover goes abroad or deserts the beloved out of affection for another beloved, in which case it is the separation in its true sense, separation normally presupposes union. Dhanapala has depicted the Vipralambha or Ayoga type of srgara in the course of the description Srigara of the effect of love-sickness of his heroes and heroines. The 'Niliraga' sub-type of 'Purva-raga' type of Vipralambha-srngara is delineated by the poet when Harivahana happens to see the portrait of Tilakamanjari. The poet here gradually describes the effect of the portrait on Harivahana. Thus in the first stage the prince passes the whole day in observing the portrait alone in his bed-chamber; the portrayed beauty strikes him as spotless (anavadya) and extraordinary (rupatisaya); he stops looking at it only when the advent of evening darkness prevents him from continuing 327 the observation. This is an instance of 'love at first sight'. The portrait of Tilakamanjari here serves as the fundamental determinant to create an attraction for her in the prince's heart 327. Tilakamanjari, p.173(16ff.).

Warning! Page nr. 97 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

789 328 1 by means of her physical beauty. The information that Tilakamanjari had an innate aversion for males and that a human prince was destined to marry her, gradually enkindles his desire to acquire her in marriage. 330. This is the stage called 'desire' (abhilasa). 331 The reflections of Harivahana' on the state of his mind which takes himself to be the sure object of Tilakamanjari's love and his being chosen as a match by her, depict his gradually intensifying longings as are revealed also in his inability to prevent his glances from repeatedly falling on her various limbs like feet, thighs, navel, full-grown breasts, lower lip, eyes and eyebrows, in order to allay his love fever. The love has taken deep roots when the prince confirms that none of the other beauties seen so far could attract his heart as could the portrayed beauty of Tilakamanjari. The stage of 'anxiety' (cinta) is depicted when Harivahana expresses it in so mant words as to whether Gandharvaka would return, and take his portrait to Tilakamanjari, introduce him to her, and whether she too would fall in love and convey it through Gandharvaka. 328. Tilakamanjari,p.174(22ff.). 330. ibid.,p.175(6ff.). 332. ibid.,p.176(16ff.). 333 / 329. ibid.,p.169(8-22). / 331. ibid.,p.176(7ff.) / 333. ibid.,p.176(21ff.). �

Warning! Page nr. 98 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

790 The uneasiness of Harivahana is graphically described 334 by the poet thus: ityanekasamkalpaparyakulacetasah prabandhavardhamana'ra tairanavara tamuktayatisna- nihsvasasya muhurmuhuh paryankaparivartana stara gito para cchdapatasya prabhatagamana- paryutsukataya pradose'pi nastanidrasya satayameva kathamapi sapa- viramamabhajata | The advent of the rainy season serves as an excitant determinant (uddipana-vibhava) for intensifying the longings of the prince. The poet has, in this connection mentioned a few of the consequents like recollection (smarana), lovetorment (ranaranaka), burning sensation (daha), anguish 335 (artti) and incessant tears (asru-visaram ajasram). A description of the rainy season occasions the depiction of various treatments that could not be given to the prince in order to counter the pangs consequent to non- -consummation of love. It enhances the effect of prince's love-lorn condition. With the arrival of the Sarad season a number of evanescent feelings (samcari-bhavas), like the constant ONOD memory of the beloved (smrti) extremely powerful mental excitement (atidarunavega) and agitation (udvega) surge in 337 the mind of the prince. 334. Tilakamanjari,p.177(5-8). 336. ibid.,pp.180-181. / 335. ibid.,pp.179-180. 337. ibid,p.181 (7ff.) ; tilakamajjari samtatasmarana janmana viklavikrto gadhamati daruna vege, jo vegena --- 1

Warning! Page nr. 99 has not been proofread. Click the page link to verify the generated OCR text with the original PDF.

791 The effect of love on Tilakamanjari after she first went away from the creeper-bower on seeing Harivahana is depicted by the poet in a few flourishes of her masterly 338 pen, such as: asamanjasanyastacarana tarutalesvekakini kimapi kamyam anvesayati mandamapyanabhinanditadivyarasapanabhojana paribhramati - sarvada sayanatalagata --- | Similarly, in a brief account of how Tilakamanjari passed her days of separation after Harivahana returned to .339 Ayodhya, Dhanapala gives a vivid picture of love in separation.

Let's grow together!

I humbly request your help to keep doing what I do best: provide the world with unbiased sources, definitions and images. Your donation direclty influences the quality and quantity of knowledge, wisdom and spiritual insight the world is exposed to.

Let's make the world a better place together!

Like what you read? Help to become even better: