18. CHAPTER IX ON THE MEANING OF THE POEM

CHAPTER IX ON THE MEANING OF THE POEM

The foregoing survey should have abundantly made clear the subtleties, the depths and above all the greatness of the Kalāpurnodayam. But,if they were the only things to be revealed and apprciated, this essay would have never been written. What is the driving force or the central theme of the essay? As it has been pointed out on many an occasion, the central idea or the theme of the Kaläpürnodayam is the complete emergence of art. That is to say the complete process by which a work of art con- ceived by the poet in accordance which the laws of beauty finds outward artistc expression. That is the keynote of this thesis, that isthe uniqueness of the poem.Had the poet not been mspired by this single idea,the Kalapurnodayam might not have come into existence at all. The intricacies of the story, the highly com- 19 plicated nature of the various episodes, the psychological depths manifested through the mental workings of the varous charac- ters, the profound unity of an organic nature-all these are the results or by-products of this one single idea. To overlook this idea is to overlook beauty itself. Not only that;the poet in the reader roused by certain marvellously beautiful passages in the poem will be irritated by the apparent lack of unity and he will severely attack the poet Surana as Dr.Reddy has done. The other possible alternative is to develop a cold indifference. These remarks are likely to appear to be selfcontradictory in view of the statement that the word, the pigment, the medium, the content taken in itself and by itself has nothing to do with Beauty. A poet or any artist in general has to work in some medium,has to take some theme or other to produce a work of art. Neither the medium nor the content can by itself make a work beautiful. When that is accepted, how can anybody say that simply because the poet has taken the theory of the complete emergence of art as his theme, the poem has become unique? G V Knshna Rao

Every poet or artist must have some content or other; one may. take social problems, another political problems, another those of religion and a fourth man those of philosophy.If one begins to evaluate beauty in terms of themes, there can neither be univer- sality nor objective cntenion by which one can measure and judge. Moreeover, a thing which cannot be expressed quantitatively can- not be an object of science. There is no difference of opinion on this point, but what is meant by the above statement is this. The beauty, the organic unity,the depths of experience and the full significance of the poem cannot be perceived if the content is not taken into account.For a proper perspective and a correct understanding,the idea of the complete emergence of art is necessary. This idea only reveals the unque nature of the Kalapurnodaym. Is this contra- dictorv to what has been constantly harped upon?

196 If what is said above is agreed to,one has to face the last question which is more important than any orhter thing discussed so far. How can it be said that the guiding idea or the creative force of the Kalapurnodayam is the idea of the complete emer- gence of art? Is it not a notion of one's own creation? It it really belongs to the poet,and if he wants his reader to approach hs work from that angle,why have not the critics seen it so far and not adjusted themselves accordingly? Does not this fact show that the poet, if he had really this idea in creating his work,has miserbly failed in his attempt? Instead of appreciating the work itself,is not the author of such a theory betraying his own predi- lection and there by his ignorance? If the main thesis is borne out by the poem,one need not bother about the prevaling non-cognition of this significance. Therefore,it is of primary importance to show that the subject- matter or content of the Kalapurnodayam is the complete emer- gence of art. This point is not a pure creation or concoction but by nine solid facts, all internal not external and hence doubtful or polemical. They are firstly, the highly complicated nature of the poem, secondly, references to nature of poetry and phalasruti; Studies m Kalapurnodayam

thirdly, Manikandhara's antecedents and subsequent activities; fourthly, the names of Manistambha and Sumukhasattı, their native conunty and their family deity; fifthly, the episode of Sarsvatı and Caturmukha; sixthly, the names of Kalāpūrna, Abhınavakaumudi, Madhuralālasa, Suprasāda and Sarasa; seventhly, introduction of philosophy; eighthly, the poet's ardent hope of getting publicity for his poem through the coperation of sastravyasanātidhanyas and finally, the very title of the poem. Unless explained and illustrated, all these points are sure to be unintelligible.Let these facts be discussed point by point so that one may arnve at the correct perspective. What is meant by the highly complicated nature of the poem is this :- The poem con- tains so many episodes that, for any casual reader, it is very difficult to remember them a few days after their first reading. As a matter of fact,even at the time of first reading;some may find it difficult to follow the story without often referring to the preced- ing events. Why should the poet make it so compplicated as to 197

tax the memory of the readers?Had he the mind,he could have made it simple and given a number of beautiful poems. Nothing could have prevented him from making each one of the stores of Kalabhāsını, Sugātri, Alaghuvrata, Salyāsura, Sugraha, 'the comedyof errors', Kalapurna and Nārada self-sufficient. The changes required for this transmutation are not at all insurmount- able to a poet of Sürana's calibre. Moreover,he perfectly knows that even a single sentence giving aesthetic experience or rasais a poem. This knowledge of alankära sästra is evident when one of his characters describes the poetic qualites :-

G V. Knshna Rao

So the poet cannot be considered to be ignorant of such a possi- bility. At this juncture one my suggest by way of objection that the Mahakavya was the order of the day. The poet, being a child of his age, was tempted to write a Mahakavya. If he had split these stones as above, there would not have been any scope for the Mahakavya. Hence, the point brounght into focus is clearly a case of reading one's own thoughts into the poem. This sort of argument does not stand the test of reason, because, if the po- 199 ets's sole object was only to write a Mahākāvya, that object could have been as well served by Kalapurna's love and conquest. That alone would have provided him with ample material for the Mahaprabandha. Strictly speaking, the rest of the episodes are not demanded by this literary form. Ergo the question is valid, and the answer proposed here seems to be the only way out. Thus the poet through the poem as it stands,is hurling world afterworld upon the baffled reader. To say that all this is done with no purpose in view is too much to be believed in the case of Sürana. Besides, all the nine rasas with all their vaneties, as shown in the previous section, are brought in. What has deter- mined or necessitated such a manifestation? It cannot be said that the Mahakavya wants all rasas and their vaneties to be manifested because it is sufficient if the prncipal rasa s srňgăra or utra or santa attended upon by some or all the rasas Now here is it mentioned that all the rasas and their various types should be suggested, or that a Mahakavya would become all the greater and more beautiful by such a suggestion. Alamkārikās from Dandin to Visvanatha have stressed more on the importance of G V Knslmnaa Rao

quality then on quanitity. Pingali Surana is not such a novice as to be ignorant of it. When he does it in spite of their explicit ruling, it means that he must have a difinite purpose. And what is that purpose if if is not to portray or depict the complete emer- gence of Art? Moreover,there is another thing to be taken into considera- tion. To make the theme unnecessarily involved and complicated is a senous fault which has been universally condemned by the alamkarikas. As a matter of fact,the poet is very much aware of it when he says :-

If this is denied,one has to accuse the poet along with Dr.C.R.Reddy that he has become a victim to his ambitious scheme and spoiled the poem. On the other hand, if the stand advocated here is accepted, this so-called fault will become a merit of the highest order because it will be suggesting directly the highly 200 complcated nature of the emergence of Art which requires con- stant reading and careful recapitulation. Now the choice is be- tween the two alternatives: either the poet has no other purpose than to wrıte a Mahakavya and failed in so far as he has made it highly complicated and thus kept it far from the easy grasp of the reader; or the object of the poet is to treat the complete emer- gence of Art, and the highly complicated nature of this conception is beautifully suggested by the complicated nature of the theme. To be more simple, is one to see ugliness in the poem and con- demn it or to see immense beauty and thus take aesthetic pleas- ure in it? The above thesis has another support in the repeated refer- ence to the nature of poetry and phalasrut in the body of the poem. At the request of Narada, Kalabhāsini repeats the dandaka written by Manikandhara and remarks :-

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The only purpose that can be served by this is the estab- hshment of the unconscious love of Kalabhasini for Manikandhara. It may be pointed out here as Dr.Reddy does, that Surana takes an opportunity to review his poetry and its merits. This is extra- neous to the poem in so far as it does not serve any other internal necessity than the above. The greatness of any poet is not re- vealed by what he boasts of, but by what he actually achieves through his direct expression the poem. So the secound point does not carry any value except suggesting Surana's conception of poetry. One has,therefore,to consider the first point only. Now the question is this :- Is there no other method of suggesting and establishing the unconscious love between Kalabhasin and Mamkandhara than praising the latter's poetic qualites? A nega- tive answer will be highly inconceivable. This can as well be done by making her describe some other qualites of his. Here this ars G. V. Knsnna Rao

gument may be interrupted by a counter suggestion that Kalabhasini, belonging to the courtezan class and being well accomplished in the fine arts,has responded to the poetic qualites of Manikandhara and has thus revealed her high culture. To this the answer is rather simple :- Is the class of courtezans insensi- tive to,other values, and high culture confined only to apprecia- ton of poetry? This objection, therefore,cannot be taken seriously. Now, to continue the exposition,why does the poet select this particular way of makıng Kalabhasin describe the nature of poetry when there are other ways open to him? This selection cannot be due to mere chance or accident because poetic faculty is utilised for securing service in the court of Madasaya for the four Agamas. This also could have been effected by other means. Moreover,there is one interesting point to be noted in this context. Śrotryās and old mimāmsakās, as definitely told by our alamkankas, are quite insensitive to poetry or any fine art.1 Yet, 202 Surana,in his enthusiasm to present his idea of the complete emergence of art in concrete shape, overlooks this general charactensitic of srotriyas and bestows on the purohits this poetic faculty. For what purpose is this done if it is not for depicting the complete emergence of art? How this actually serves the idea of the poet will be discussed later on but it is sufficient for the present if it is conceeded that this utilisation of the poetic way is not arbitrary or accidental. This thesis is again reinforced by two other major factors, one music and the other sculpture. That these two also belong to the realm of fine arts requires no elucidation and comment. The only quesiton is whether the role given to music in this poem can be assigned to some other thing so that music may be got rid of altogether? Of course this is not an impossible task provided one is prepared to accept some radical changes in the story. In that case,one will have to delete the entire conflict between Narada and Tumburu and a substantial cause has to be invented for the former's regular visits to Krsna over a sufficiently long time. As a consequence of this,Manistambha has to be deprived of his Studes in Kalapurnodayam

dürasravanasaktı If however it is felt that these changes are too many and too drastic to be accepted, and that they spoil the very organic nature of the poem, one may in all fairness concede that point. But this concession does not in any way preclude one from saying that the idea read into the poem enhances the beauty and joy of music and bestows greater value on it. The same thing cannnot be said about the mntroduction of sculpture when the Yati embraces the beautiful woman in stone. The only purpose it serves is to inflict the curse on Sugraha. This can readily be brought about by so many other methods followed in the puranas The fact that it it can be dispensed with once again underlines the present theory. The phalasrut which forms an intergral part of the story is also favourable to it. Through this the poet is clearly revealing the social function of Art. It plainly says that it bestows on the people. children, grand-children,great- grand-children, so on and so forth, and also long life, increase of wealth, prosperity and happines. If one excludes the first item" 203

regarding the progeny, every other function is defintely sanc- tioned by Bharata also when he says :-

,

Hence, if the present interpretation is conceded, this phalasruti gains all the more in significance. The third important factor in support of this theory is the character of Manikandhara. He is represented as having acquired poetic faculty by the grace of Mrgendravahana, and gone to Kash- mir with the avowed purpose of getting it tested by those critics G V Knshna Rao

there. It is also mentioned that he is presented with the manihara by krsna himself. To what extent are these factors wanted by the internal necessity of the story? Suppose Surana has not depicted Manikandhara as a poet. In what way does the story suffer? There are only four things to be considered in this context. Firstly, the nte prescribed by the edict in the temple of Mrgendravahana for acquiring poetic fac- ulty should be deleted. One will probably concede that this omis- sion will not be detrimental to the beauty of the poem. Secondly, Kalahbhäsint has to find some other quality than this poetic faculty in Manikandhara to express her unconscious love for him. This is neither very difficult not altogether undesirable as it has been already pointed out. Thirdly, comes the manihara. It is practically impossible to dispense with it in toto if the story is wanted. Without it,the theme will completely break down at the

204 end of the fourth canto. Suppose the manihara lost by Sugraha is "represented as having been kept in the temple of the goddess and later on flung into the court of Kalapurna along with Alaghuvrata. This change also does not considerably affect the story or its beauty. Fourthly,Manikandhara's visit to Kashmir and Laksmi- Nārāyana-Samvāda,are to be accounted for in a somewhat differ- ent way which is not altogether difficult.The hero can be said to have visited that country in that context of his pilgrimage to holy places while the authorshıp of is LakmiNarayana-Samvada can be attributed to Narada without the least incongruity. But all the same,that the poet does not follow this method clearly shows that he has his definite purpose of portraying the complete emer- gence of Art in veiw. Conceding this,how does the poem as it stands help him to present this idea? Why,a great deal. The mode of Manikandhra's acquring the poietic gift clearly suggests that for one to become a poet divine grace is essential, and that no amount of hard culti- vation without that grace will make him a poet. Krsna's presen- tation of the manhara to the hero makes it clear beyond doubt that poetry,or as a matter of fact any creative art,should be in- Studes in Kalapurnodayam

.variably associated with comprehensive knowledge of the past,of the present and of the future, The significance of Manikandhara's visıt to Kashmir and his poem dealing with Laksmi-Narayana- Samväda will be explained later. The fourth factor which upholds the present view is the very names of Sumukhasattı,Manistambha, their native county and their family deity. The first two names as pointed out in the section on nama vakrata, are internally determind by Sarasvatı- Caturmukha-Krıda Yet the selection of these names has also been influenced by the outlook in question. Mani does not mean a simple jewel or ratna. Only that kind of jewel having supernatu- ral power is called a man. This intepretation is not an invention or an innovation. Ancient poets and scholars have explicitely men- tioned it. Consequently Manstamnbha verbally means a jew- elled pillar having supernatural or peculiar powers. The word Sumukhäsatti, when literally understood means eager proxim- ity. With these two explanations in the backgorund, it is to be 205 recollected that Kalāpurna is born to this particular couple. Does not this event suggest someting of aesthetics? Leaving the mat- ter here one may turn to what Bharata has to say on the nature of Drama :-

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These lines clearly show that Drama-as a matter of fact Fine Art in general-is the result of a close study and imitation of the world and its ways.254 By depicting Kalâpurna as the offspring of Manstambha and Sumukhasattı,Surana is suggesting the same with this modification. Simple imitation will not do. Of course a close study of the world and its ways is necessary. Along with it a Mind255 or Atman or Soul having supernatual or divine power is all the more essential. When such a Mind comes into closer con- tact and union with the world and its ways, Kalapurna or a full- fledged work of Art results. The next point,namely, the importance of Kasmir,has been to some extent discussed. When the significance of the background which is provided for vanous characters and episodes in the Kalāpurnodayam is examined, the most important thing in this context is this. Käshmir is the country which has produced al-

206 most all the greatest alamkārikas.25 Bhamaha, Udbhata, Bhattanayaka, Bhattlollata, Sri Sankuka, Bhattataura, Anandavardhana, Rudrata, Mukula, Indurāja, Abhinavagupta, Ksemendra, Mahimabhatta, Ruyyaka, Mammata-all these illus- trious stars in the firmament of alamkara-sastra belong to Käsh- mir. So it is no wonder if one says that it is the very home of literary criticısm. That is why Manikandhara is spoken of as hav- ing visited that country to get his poetic feculty tested. It is also mentioned that Käshmir at that time was plunged in grief due to the tragic end of Sugatn and Salina who are no other than Sumukhasatt and Manistambha.257 Do not these events suggest something? If they do, that is well and good, and if they do not, the next point may be taken up for consideration. The other point in support of this theory is the specific mention of Särada-pitha and Sarasvati as the diocese and as the family deity of Sugatri and Salina. Why sould Sarada-Pitha and Sarasvati be specifically mentioned /f the poet has not this Particulaar idea in View ? Some may promptly contradict this argument by drawing attention to the following words of Brahma to Sarasvati :-

Studies in Kalapurnodayam

This again may raise the question, why sould the episode of Krida be attributed to Caturmukha and Sarasvatı and n;ot to some other god or goddess? In criticism of this question it may be asked: why should the poet select only the idea of concrete emergence of Art and not some other idea? The final answer is that all the events, episodes and characters are ultimately con- nected with this idea only and that these cannot be explained from any other point of view. In other words this particular idea is the ultimate source from which all the others emerge and gain significance. If doubt still persists, attention may be paid to an- 207 other episode. It should have been already quite obvious that without Sarasvatı-Caturmukha-Krıda there is no Kalapurnodayam. Now the question is, why should the poet select only Sarasvati and Caturmukha as the heroine and the hero of this episode ? With- out the least change, the same events could have been as well connected with either Parvathi and Isvara, or Laksmi and Narāyna Ths Particular selection, in the light of the foregoing comment and explanation, cannot be definitely attributed to mere chance and accident it must be due to some definite purpose of which the poet is abundantly conscious and to which he gives a very high value when he says :-

Now What is that purpose if it is not giving expression to the idea of the complete emergence of Art ? Demial of this planly implies denial of the depth and significance of the poem, and denial to G V Knshna Rao

oneself the righty to enjoy beauty. How the very; names of Sarasvathi and Caturmukha serve the idea when it is expressed need not be elaborated here because the reader for himself can understand it very easily. The sixth factor in support of this view is the names of Kalāpūrna, Abhınavakaumudi, Madhuralālasa, Suprasāda and Sarasa in addition to the hero's conquest. All the names men- tioned here have been shown in a previous chapter to have been largly determined by the events in the episode of Sarasvat and Caturmukha. In spite of it, the name of Kalāpurna can be re- placed by any one of the synonymous names in Sansknt for the moon. One may protest in this connection that words like Sasanka, Sasin, dosakara and the like do not fit into the context because they invanably have the suggestion of some fault or other. He may point out that words like Sitamsu, and Purnacandra are also

208 barred from being incorporated because if they are used the poet will have to name his poem as Sitamsudaya or Purnacandrodaya which necessanly suggest names of Âyurvedic medicines. Of these two arguments, the first is really valid, and hence such words as have the suggestivity of some fault are strictly to be avoided. The second argument is not as valid as the first because the reference to Aurvedic medicines can be easily avoided if the word abhyudaya is used insted of udaya. Therefore, the name Pūrna is inot abso- lutely necessary if the poet has not the idea of complete emer- gence of Art in his mind. Regarding the last two names, Suprasada and Sarasa, they have no direct bearing whatever on the episode of sarasvati and caturmukha. And yet the former is said to be begotten by Kalapurna through his first wife, Abhinavakaumudi, and the lat- ter through his second wife, Madhuralalasa. Firstly, why should the poet select these two names for the sons, and secondly, why should he assign the first name to the son of Abhınavakaumudi and the second to that of Madhuralalasa ? Is there any necessity to point out that, when one discusses the nature of a Poetic com- position and art, navyata, madhurya, prasâda, sarasatva are in- Studies in Kalapurnodauam

_variably referred to ? In the light of these explanations does not the conquest of Kalāpurna appear to be more significant? Leav- ing the sahrdayas to draw their own concllusions, another factor may be taken up. It is well known that references to yoga and to its theory and practice abound in the Kalapurnodayam to an extent that causes wonder and surprise. Besides, there are not only crystal- clear references to Visistâdvaita but also vehement arguments in support of it. There are even condemnations of other schopdls of philosophy. If there is any doubt, the following passages may be noted :-

20g

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30

Studies in Kalapurnodayam

As a matter of fact the whole episode of Laksmı-Narayana-samvada overflows with the philosophy of Visistadvaita. While in the former verses the cause and the theory of Visıstadvaita is advocated and explained, in the last verse strong language is used against other schools of philosophy asserting that Vaikuntha can never be attained by their followers. Strctly speaking, are these things required by the poem proper,and if not, why has the poet brought them n ? Dr.C.R. Reddy has chastised the poet for brıngıng ın Lakshmi-Narayana-Samvada,260 the exposition of yoga261 and the elaborate description of Manıkandhara's Pilgrimage.262 Another cntic says that these things 211 are included only to secure the favour of Nandyala Krsnabhūpati, a staunch Vaisnavite and patron of the poet, when he says :-

These sentences clearly appear to reveal more his own sen- timents than anything else. It is felt, therefore, that these philosophical digressions are not occasioned by the internal neccessity. What can be said in this context is, that this very fact strongly supports this thesis. If the poet has not the idea of portraying the complete emergence of Art, these excursions into philosophical realms are unnecessary and superfluous. Which is to be preferred-this view, or the other view which maintains that all the philosophical references are superfluous ? It may be asked in this context, what has philoso- phy to do with the idea of the complete emergence of Art or the G V Knshna Rao

value of Art in life ? All problems, social, political, ethical and aesthetic, and all human values of science, art and morality in their ultimate analysis depend on epistemology. And epistemol- ogy is the very basis of philosophy. Without it there can be no philosophy except dogma and blind faith. How can one explain away the problems of beauty when one is not able to know the nature of the object he perceives, and the nature of the knowl- edge he experiences ? Even if one tries to propound his theory of art without taking them into considertion, as many modern liter- ary cntics are doing, such a theroy cannot be sound and ra- tional. And a theory without the support of reason is in no way better than a dream, or a dogma, or a fleeting thought of fancy.264 The eighth factor in support of this theory is the ardent hope of the poet expressed when he says :-

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The above verse clearely says that, for the eternal publicity and appreciation of his poem in each and every country the poet de- pends on two things, one, the grace of Tändava Krisna, and the other, the sympathy of those many people who are blessed or become nch by their assiduous devotion to the sacred Sastra or science. In the present context one concerned with the reference to the sacred Sästra. To which sacred Sastra does the poet refer, to the Vedanta Sästra, or to the Alamkara Sastra ? Because the poet has prefixed the adjective sacred to Sastra. it may be ar- gued, he means only the Vedanta Sastra and nothing else. But this interpretation is unconvincing because there is no reason why ardent devotees of Vendanta sastra should take so much interest in or show regard for the poem whichd does not throw any newer light or explain things more clearly than those books already in the field.

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_If, on the other hand, it is argued that because the poem deals with Vishnu-bhakti and the sacred places for the Vaisnavites, devotees of Vedanta should sympathise with him, then the poet would have done better to hope for the sympathy of the devotees of Vishnu than for that of the former. If this argument is valid and true, the word Sastra here must refer to the Alamkara Sastra. This evidently supports the thesis that the central idea of the Kalâpurnôdayam is the complete emergence of Art. Because the poem has for its theme the complete emergence of Art, the poet is more than justified in hoping for the sympathy of those who are assiduously devoted to Alamkāra Sastra. Thus, this point also is in support of this theory. At the top of all these considerations comes in the very title of the poem which gives the highest support to this interpreta- tion. Let the compound word, Kalāpūrnodayam, be referred to any sanskrt Pundit who has never heard of, or read the poem, or its translation, or adaptation, or an essay on it, for its meaning. He will immediately give two meanings, firstly, the nse of the moon, and secondly, the complete emergence of Art. Ifhe has got some touch with the Alamkära Sastra he will immediately with- draw the first because he cannot conceive of anybody using a round-about expression to note the simple moon-rise. so he is sure to yield the palm to the second meaning. Hence the central idea of the Kaläpürnodayam is the complete emergence of Art. Turning to the other side, not even a single argument to throw doubt on this theory is to be found. The only other way to refute this theory, then, is to show the utter impossinbility of tracing such of theory in the poem. That cannot be done either because that theory is not only going to be traced, but also going to be given a clear exposition in the following sections. Therefore, may one be permitted for the present at least to quote this Karika of the Vakroktikara 2

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