17. CHAPTER VIII KALĀPŪRŅŌDAYAM AS A MAHĀKĀVYA

CHAPTER VIII KALĀPŪRŅŌDAYAM AS A MAHĀKĀVYA

The critical survey conducted so far should have made it abundantly clear that the characters, the background, the theme and the mode of presentation are intimately and organically con- nected with each other, that dislocation of any one of them will be detrimental to the whole and that it is self-sufficient and self- evident. Though this review may reveal and establish that the Kalāpūrņodayam is a great poem, does this prove it to be a Mahakavya? Now, before answering this question one has to recollect what is said about the characteristics of the Mahākavya. In addition to the type of the hero, the elements to be described the principal rasa and the nature of the theme, it is necessary to look into some other aspects which have been just passed over. 176 That is the structure of the plot. Under sections two and three of the first chapter there is a definite reference to it, but it has not been discussed as elaboratley as it is required in the present context. So the threads left loose there are to be taken up once more.

A story, whether it is short or long, simple or complicated, active or passive, deals with something begun and something achieved. Such action should be complete in itself resulting in a whole having parts. These parts may be two in some cases, three in some, four in others and five in the rest. Whatever may be the number of these parts, the action presented in a story must be complete without any deficiency. The five parts, or to put it more correctly, the five stages are the beginning, the effort, the possi- bility of achievement, the certainty of achievement, and finally the achievement.201 To differentiate clearly one stage from another it is neces- sary to know what each division contains.202 The beginning is that which merely records eagemess about the final achievement of the result with reference to the seed. Striving towards the achievement proper when the same is not in view, and showing Studies in Kalapurnodayam

further eagerness about it, is called the effort. When the achieve- ment of the object is slightly suggested by an idea, it is to be known as the possibility of achievement. When one visualises in idea a sure attainment of the result, it is called certainty of achieve- ment. When the intended result appears in full at the end of events and is consistent with them, it is called the achievement. Now every action presupposes a motive and a cause. It must receive help and support before it attains frution. Such causes or means leading to the result are technically called the arthaprakrtıs.203 They are according to Bharata and other Indian writers on dramaturgy five in number- the seed, the Bindu, the Sub-plot, the Minor-plot and the Denouement. The seed is that which scattered in a small measure, expands itself in various ways and ends in fruition. "That which sustains the contnuity till the end the play even when the cheif object is (from the time being) suspended, is called the Bindu.204 To be more clear, Bindu is that which, whenever or wherever there occurs a breakdown in 177

the story due to the introduction of other necessary events, pre- vents such a sapping and sustains the continwty. As such this may be met with, according to Bharata, any number of times till the end of the play. Abhinavaguptha brings out one more rel- evant point when he says that the sustainer of the continuity of the story must be pertaining to the hero of the play.205 While other wrters on dramaturgy seem to limit it to the earlier parts of the play, Saradatanaya cofines it to the parts between the Seed and the Denouement.26 The event which is introduced in the interest of the main plot and is treated like it is called the Sub- plot. When merely the result of such an event is presented for the purpose of the mam plot and it has no anubandha, it is called the Minor-plot.20" The efforts made for the purpose of the Main- plot introduced by the experts, is called the Denouement. Again, the story worth its name must have some magni- tude however small it may be. Everything having magnitude must naturally have some parts and these parts anticipate each other. The relation between the various parts brought together in view G. V. Knsnna Rao

of the particular results is called sandhi.208 There are altogether five parts having relation with each other in full-length plays like the nataka and the pakarana and in the Mahakavya. They are the mukha, the pratimukha, the garbha, the savimarsa or vimarsa and the upasamhti or nirvahana. That part of a play in which the creation of the seed as the source of many objects and senti- ments takes places, is called in consideration of its body, the opening or the mukha 209 Uncovering of the seed placed in the mukha after it has sometimes been perceptible and sometimes been lost is called the pratimukha.210 The sprouting of the seed, its attainment or non-attainment and search for it is called the garbha.211 Dliberation or pause over the seed that has sprouted in the garbha on account of some temptation, anger or distress is called the umarsa.212 Bringing together the objects of the sandhis such as

178 the mukha etc., along with the seed, when they have attained fruition is called the nirvahana.21. Now how far does the kalāpurnodayam conform to these general rules enunciated by Bharato and others. Every action that is comprehensive and complete withun itself is said to pass through five stages. This is specificall' true in the case of the Kalapurnodayam. Kalabhāsiņi, as it was explained, thinks that she is in love with Nalakubara; and to achieve this particular object ofhers she requests Narada to accept her as his disciple in these words :-

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Because this beginning is made to realise her supposed object, this is what is called prarambha. There is one peculanty in this poem. Owing to peculiar circumstances Kalabhasini at first does not know that she loves only Manikandhara, and thinks for a certain period that she loves Nalakūbara. To relise this mistake, it takes her more than five and a half years. When once she defi- nitely knows it, she loses no time to achieve her object. There- fore, unlike in Sanskrt dramas and narrative poems, the prärambha is made for the achievement of something which is other than the real object meant by the heroine. This pecularity which starts in the mukha sandh continues nearly up to the end of the garbha, i.e., to the end of the fourth canto. 179

The second phase of the action is reached when Kalabhasıņ appeals to Manistambha saying :-

xi

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She leaves her home in haste in order to meet her supposed lover Nalakubara.216 Hence this is Yatna. On her way, when Kalabhāsini comes to know from Rambha's friends that Rambha is spending her time with Nalakübara, the possibility of attaining her object becomes dis- 186 mal. Later on as she hears the real motive of Manistambha from Sumukhäsattı, her hope altogether dsappears. When she gets united with Maya Nalakubara, she feels that she has achieved her object only to know from Manistambha that she has been deceived and her chastity violated. Manikandhara's confession opens her eyes for the first time, and she realises that her real love is for Manikandhara and for nobody else. Even though Manikandhara is prepared to accept her love, fate appears to be aligned against her. Thus the possibility of the attainment ofher object practically disappears. At this Juncture, Sumukhasattı who has obtained a boon from Mrgendravāhana blesses Kalabhāsiņi with these words :-

...

š.

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This blessing reveals the posibility of attainment of her object i.e., getting married to the very hero whom she loves. Hence the blessing is nothing but praptyasa. The fourth phase of the action i.e. niyatapti is revealed by these words of Kalapurņa :-

The last phase of the action, the phalayôga, is depicted in the marriage of Madhuralālasa and Kalāpurna, and the latter's con- quest. Thus all the five phases of action mentioned by Bharata and his followers are to be found in the Kalapurnodayam. Now coming to the means or causes leading to the result, the seed is to be seen in Manikandhara's description of Kalabhasini swinging in the cradle of flowers and twigs. He says :-

181

As this suggests his love for Kalabhasini and provides the cause for Rambha being offended and Närada inflicting a curse on the latter, this is really the seed out of which the whole theme of the Kalāpūrņodayam emerges. The news about Kalāpūmna (Kalāpūmuni suddi) which Kalabhasini tries to know from Nārada is the bindu.220 Without it there would have been no story, i.e., the theme would have faced a virtual breakdown. Neither Rambha could have recognised her lover nor Alaghuvrata would have tried to know the story of Kalāpūrņa. Because of this importance, it is referred to again in cantos three and four. The episode of Sugatri and Salina is not nly helpful to the frution of the main action, blt also spreads over the third, fourth and fifth cantos. Hence it is the pataka. The story of Satvadatman is another example because it extends over the fifth. sixth. sev- enth and eighth cantos. G. V. Knshna Rao

Regarding the prakäri there seems to be a slight difference of opinion. According to Bharata as cited before, the hero of the prakari will achieve no object of his own, but helps the hero, whereas according to Dhananjaya, his story is confined to one part only.221 In other words, Dananjaya followed by Visvanatha holds that the difference between pataka and prakariis that, while the former spreads over more than one part, the latter is con- fined to one only. But Bharata, on the other hand, stresses on the difference of the minor hero achieving or not achieving his own object besides being helpful to the hero of the main plot. If he achieves it, that episode is to be considered as pataka, 1f he has no particular object of his own to be achieved, but is helpful, that is prakari. According to both these schools the story of the parrot confirming the information passed on to Kalabhasını by the siddha is a prakari. Because Alaghuvrata has his own object to be achieved, his story is a pataka according to Bharata. It is 182 so according to Dhananjaya also, but the reasons are different. What makes it a pataka according to the latter is its extension over the fourth, fifth and sixth cantos. In the Kalapumodayam the denouement is acmeved by the marriage of Madhuralalasa and Kalāpurna, and the latter's con- quest. Now, coming to the five sandhis or parts, the Kalāpūrnodayam being a great poem portraying vast expenence in all its colours and shades, contains all of them. The first canto forms the mukha sandhi becuase the seed, the beginning and the condition for the sprouting of the seed are more than amply pro- vided. Besides, Rambha's pride in her beauty, Nāradā's curse in a very mild form, and Kalabhasini's supplication to the great seer suggest a number of beautiful bhavas. This canto, therefore, forms the mukha sandhi. The second canto and the earlier part of the third which contain the effort and further progress,222 form the second part or the pratimukha sandhi. When Narada expresses doubt about the sincerity of the wives of Krsna in their high compliments paid Stuches m Kalapurnodayam

to him, Kalabhāsini rises to the occasion and manages to get a boon from him. After sometime Manistambha appears, and the scene provides information about Manikandhara and his pen- ance. She leaves her house for Manikandhara's bermitage in his company. The rest of the third and the whole of the fourth canto deal with the fluctuations in the possibility of Kalabhäsini achieving her object, namely, her sublimated love of Nalakubara; she for the first time comes to know her real object and the possibility of its realisation. Generally speaking, all the other poets and play- wrights depict their heroes and heroines as definitely knowing their objects and striving for their achievement. In the present case it is quite different as pointed out on so many occasions. Due to peculiar objective and subjective conditions Kalabhāșıņi thinks that she is in love with Nalakubara, whereas in reality her heart and soul are craving for Manikandhara. In this present part Kalabhäsini gets rid of her misconception and becomes quite 183 conscious of her real object. The possibility of achieving this end Is clearly shown. In addition to this, the pataka, the episode of Sugātri and Salina are introduced. Hence, these two cantos form the third part or the garbhasandhi, 223 The fifth and the major part of the sixth canto deal with the episodes of Sarasvati and Caturmukha, the birth of Kalāpūrna, the story of Svabhava, the episode of Madasaya, the history of Salyasura and the reconciliation of Alaghuvrata with his wives and sons. The end of the fourth canto leaves the reader entirely in doubt though the possibility of the achievement of the result lurks in his mind. When one comes to the end of the garbha sandhi, one begins to wonder how Kalabhäsini can obtain her object and how Manistambha and Sumukhasatti beget a son with- out the latter not conceiving at all. The fifth and the major part of the sixth canto solve these problems. This survey carried on up to this point reveals how most of the difficult obstacles are overcome one after another thereby making the achievement cer- tain. But the ground is not completely cleared because the ba- by's supernatural powers come to an end by the time she is about G. V. Knshna Rao

to take up the story of Satvadatman. Thus this failure is another obstacle to be overcome. In other words, Satvadatman has yet to know his past history while Kalapurna has to lead an expedition of conquest. Above all, how a mere baby of not more than two months is able to know all these things is still a question to be answered. This part, thus, shows a further development over that of the garbha sanddi, establishes the certainty of achievement and at the same time leaves another obstacle yet to be overcome. Hence this is the vimsara.224 The fifth part, the nirvahana sandhi, commences from the later part of the sixth canto and closes with the end of the eighth. What is suggested by the words of Manikandhara at the very beginning of the poem, the real love of Kalabhasini, the conquest of Kalāpurna, revelation of the past history of Satvadātman and the knowing of the super-natural powers of the manihara materi- alise so completely that there remains nothing deficient or want- .84 ing. Everything that is begun, and every thing that has propped up during its course comes to-a close. The limbs of parts or sandhyangas introduced into the kaläpurodayam can be seen from the following table :- Name of the Name of the canto in which senal No of

Sandhi sandhyanga. it is intrroduced the verses .*

Mukha Upaksepa 1 149

Parikara 1 151

Parnyāsa 1 179-180

Vilobhana 1 188-189

Yuktı 1 170-172

Prāpti 1 193

Samodhāna

Vidhana

Paribhāvana 1 204-207

• The senal numbers of the verses refer to those in the text edited by Mr. K. Subbaiah Sastry. Stuches in Kalapurnodayam

113 Udbhēdana 1 180

Karana 1 191-192

Bhēda 3 182

Pratimukha Vilāsa 3 61

Parisarpa Vidhūta225 7 234

Tapana 6 104 63 Narma 3 212-213

Narmadyutı 5 64-66

Pragamana 5 59-70

Nirodha

Paryupasana 4 26-39

Vajra 7 228-231

Puspa 7 130 185

Upanyāsa 7 130

Varnasamhāra

33436 Garbha Abhutaharana 3 82

Marga 3 92,94-96

4 19-25

Rūpa 3 98-99

Udāharana 6 37-38

Krama 3 53-54

Samgraha226 6 64

Anumāna 3 99

Prarthana227 3 284

Akşipta278 3 246

Totaka 3 261

Adhibala 2 43 & 46

Udvēga 3 159

Vidrava229 3 262

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3657636 Vimarsa Apavāda 3 106

Samphēta 6 19-20

Vidrava 5 217 Sakti 7 236

Vyavasāya 6 37

Prasañga 3 140

Dyuti 6 40

Nisēdha230 6 53

Virodhana

Ādāna

Chadana

Prarocana 5 The episode of Sarasvati &

186 Caturmukha

Nirvahana Sandhi

Vibodha 8 150

Grathana 8 152

Nirņaya 8 194-195 Paribhāsaņa Dhrti

Prasāda Ananda 8 104 Sama

Upaguhana 8 The episode of Lakshmi Nārayana Samvāda and 206 Bhasana Pūruavakya321 8 268

Kavyasamhara Prasastr32

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A closer observation of the above table shows that some limbs are wanting while some of the introduced find place in some other part or sandhi than in the specified. This aspect in no way violates the principle of the alamkårikas because Bharata in his Nātya Sastra says :- "Having rasās and bhavas in view, poets who are experts in their art should introduce these limbs into appropnate sandhis." Now, how many of the topics prescribed by the alamkarikas are introduced into this poem? On referring to the table given below, it will be evident that none of the objects specified by them for description is missed. Another peculiarity with the poet is that he does not bring in all these for their own sake. Generally speaking, every student of the Kalapurnodayam will find that hey are really wanted by the situation. That is why these descrip- tions are cnsp and pointed and enhance the beauty of the story to a great extent. As it has already exceeded the limit, the pro- 187 found depths the poet thouches in his descriptions cannot but be passed over.

Name of the Canto in which it Serial Number of the

object. is introduced. verses describing .*

Sandhyas 8 7 - 10; 29 - 30

The sun 8 35

The moon 6 269 8 14 - 18; 27

Night 6 122

8 23 - 25

The Dusk 8 11 - 13

Darkness 8 11

Dawn 8 35

• The serial numbers of the verses refer to those in the text edited by Mr. K. Subbaiah Sastry. G V. Knshna Rao

87758 March of the army 8 31 -49

Marriage 7 58 -88

Diplomacy 7 244 - 277

Burth of Princes 5 134-135

8 260

Sports in water 6 227 - 234

Drinking bouts 1 126 - 135

Gamblıng 6 118 - 124

Coming to charactersation, the hero of the Mahakāvya,as poited out in the second section of the first chapter must be a dhirôdatta. The word dhirôdatta is a technical term which means a person having certain characteristics. According to the ālankānkas dhurodätta is a person who does not indulge in self- laudation. He is neither depressed by adverse conditions nor elated by success, His prowess and steadfastness are as great as his 189

clamness.No amount of trouble and suffering can sever him from his intent and purpose. His temperament is profound and his pnde always latent 233 How far these qualities are to be seen in the hero of the Kalapūrnodayam can be easily grasped if one only reflects once again over what is said in commection with the characterisation of Manıkandhara.Here,the hero is a daksinanāyaka because he equally loves abhınavakaumudi and Madhuralālasa.

THE RASAS IN THE POEM

The principal rasa in the Kalāpumodayam,as it should have been evident, is smgära. It is mainly sustained and strengthened by adbhuta which also pervades the poem though in a lesser de- gree. This does not mean that other rasas are altogether absent. All the rest are there, but they do not dominate. They are brought in only as parts contributing to the manfestation of the principal rasa. This statement will become all the clearer whem illustrated from the poem itself. G V Knshna Rao

The episode of Sarasvati and Caturmukha, the passion of Rambha and Nalakubara for each other, the conjugal love of Sugatr and Salina, the married love of Mdhuralālasa and Kaläpüma, the svayamvara husband, the amorous activities of the celestial couple and dalliance of Maya Rambha with Maya Nalakubara-all these manifest sambhoga śmgara. Even by the laity it can be clearly understood that these represent various types of love-love of different shades and colours, of different de- grees and values. Nätyasastra, the fountainhead of the Alankarıka School,also distinguishes one from the other,but its method 1s quite defferent from the layman's approach. Ālankārika tradiuon mentions it to be of three kinds-dharma-smgara, artha-srngara and käma-Srgara "When one in discharging the duty arrays his much desired well-being accomplished in many ways and in this connection means like observing vows,austerities and penance 190 are adopted, it is to be known as dharama-śrgära. Love in which attainment of material gain occurs in various ways is called artha smgara, or it may be that love in which the enjoyment of pleas- ure with women is for the purpose of some material gain. Kama- smgara includes the seduction of a maiden and it causes secret or excited intercourses with a woman.234 Judged by this criterion,the love between Sarasvati and Caturmukha, between Rambha and Nalakubara, between the di- vine couple, between sugatri and Salina and between Madhuralalasa and Kalapurna represents dharama-srngāra. The love between Rambha and Manikandhara and between Abhınavakaumudi and Kalapurna is illustrative of artha-srngara because both the heroines have gained some other object. While Ramnbha has spoiled the penance of Manıkandhara, Abhınavakaumudi has had Salyasura killed by the gandharva and then has marned the hero in pursuance of her vow. The love between Maya Rambha and Maya Nalakubara comes under the last category. This cannot be srngarabhasa because both Manikandhara and Kalabhasını have been loving each other from Studies ın Kalapurnodayam

the beginning. Since their union is not in conformity with dharma and since they gamn no other material object,it cannot but be kama-śrgara. There is another kind of srgara depicted in the poem. Sugatri's appeal to her husband in the bed-chamber,her separation from her husband and Yajnasarman parting from his wives come under this division,1,e., upralambha-srngara When the lovers are separated from each other by some cause or other once agin,it is said to be vipralambha. When the hope is not there,it is simply karuna according to the alankarikas. Because Salina and Sugatri on the one hand,Yajnasarman and his wives on the other,have been assured of ther meeting by Sarasvati's boon in the fromer case and Somasarma's prediction in the latter,both come under vipralamnha-srrigāra The love of Kalabhāșiņi and Manikandhara Should come under this category if the foregoing definition is valid. Do not they chensh the hope of becoming lov- ers once agin and getting united,if not in their present birth, at 19 least in thier next birth?Is it not blessed by Brahma and once again assured by Mrgendravahana and wished for by Sumukhäsatti? In spite of all these considerations,it does not come within the scope of vipralambha the reason being the death of both the lovers. Get one of them to survive, and you will have vipralambha. Of course it will be slightly qualified resulting in karuna-vipralambha. There is one more variety of love which is to be seen in the cases of Manistambha who has exchanged his sex with his wife and Satvadatman, Salyasura and Abhinavakaumudi, and Manistambha and Kalabhasin. Yati's passion for the figure of a woman carved in stone is also to be included in the above list. The peculiarity in these cases excluding the last is this: it is one- sided love and thus not reciprocated. In the last instance,a man who has to maintain celibacy loses his self-contorl and embraces not a woman in flesh and blood,but a figure in stone. Hence all these are instances of srgarabhasa .-- 5

G. V. Knshna Rao

Coming to the next predominant rasa, the nature of the story of Kalapurna as mentioned by Narada, Manistambha's rev- elation of the past events to Kalabhäsini, the old woman Sumukhasattı once again becoming young, detection of the fraud played by Maya Rambha and Maya Nalakubara, the reconcilia- tion of Sumukhasatti and Manistambha, the baby Madhuralalasa narrating the past histories of Kalapūrna, Svabhava and Alaghuvrata, Salyasura's death in spite of his boon the miracu- lous escape of Yajnasarman's wives, the four Agamas gaining access to Madasaya, Satvadätman being recongnised as the ma- ternal uncle of Madhuralälasa-all these are instances of adbhuta. Karuna finds its manifestaition in the curses inflicted on Kalabhäsini and manikandhara and in the confession and final death of the former. Vira according to our alankarıkas is genrally236 of four kinds-daya-vira, dana-vira, dharma-vira and Yuddha-utra.237 192 The expedition of conquest undertaken by Kalapūrņa has pro- vided ample scope for the expression of Yuddha-uira, whereas manikandhara's fight with Salyasura illustrates dharma-utra Daya-vira and dana-vira are manifested in due order by Sumukhasatti's death in her efforts to save the life of Kalabhasıni and by the perseverance of annadana even in his poverty by Yajnasarman. The quarrel between Rambha and the impostress and the prattle of the purohit of Kalapūrna are instances of hasya. Here an objection may be taken to the inclusion of the former as an instance of häsya on the ground that there is no presentation of unseemly or ridiculous words,actions etc.238 This cannot be maintained because it actually contradicts the real experience of the reader. Even the sastra is not against it if one only remem- bers what Bharata says regarding hasya rasa. These are his ac- tual words :- "Now hasya has for its sthayin hasa. It is manifested by the vibhavas such as unseemly dress, ornament, impudence, greediness, quarrel, defective limb, use of irrelevant words, men- tioning of different faults and similar other things. By the anubhavas such as the throbbing of the lips, the nose and the Studies in Kalapurnodayam

cheek, opening the eyes wide or controlling them, perspiration, colour of the face and taking hold of the sides it should be repre- sented on the stage. The vyabhicanbhavas in it are indolence, dissimulation, drowsiness, sleep, dreaming, insomnia, envy and the like239.Against this,it may be argued that, though some of the vibhavas, anubhavas and vyabhicans are to be found in the con- flict between Rambha and Maya Rambha and'Maya. Nalakubara, the motive force behind it is not nasya and hence it is not and cannot be an instance of hasya It is true that both the parties have fought in all senousness,but yet the quarrel is so repre- sented that one only laughs without identifying oneself with ei- ther of the characters. It is a case of atmagatahasya If this is so, how is one to account for this peculiarity? All rasas, when delib- erately and explicity mimicked, become hasya. This has been said by Bharata himself,and this is exactly what is meant when the author of the Rasarnavasudhākara says :- 193

240

While bibhatsa is manifested by the descrpition of the battlefield strewn with the dead bodies of soldiers,horses and elephants, bhayanaka is depicted through the activities performed in ac- cordance with the rites mentioned in the inscrption in the tem- ple of Mrgendravahana Kalapurna's expedition of conquest has provided the background for full manifestion of raudra. The in- struction of Narada to Manikandhara, the latter's pilgrimage and Laksmı-Nārayana-Samvāda are clear instances of sānta. Thus there are all the rasas in the Kalapurņdayam and the poet has achieved more than what he promised in his intro- duction.241 To summarise the theme of the Kalapurnodaym is not only onginal, but also contains the five sandhis and their limbs.

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The hero is a dhirodatta and srngara pervades the poem attended upon by all the other rasas. The poet seems to have followed the injunction of Säradatanaya to the letter.242 In a word,it is a Mahakavya in which every quality mentioned in the following definition given by Bhoja in his Smngāraprakasa is present :-

194

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