8. CHAPTER II THE STORY OF THE KALĀPŪRNODAYAM IN OUTLINE

CHAPTER II THE STORY OF THE KALĀPŪRNODAYAM IN OUTLINE

When Krsna was ruling his kingdom from Dvaraka, there lived in that city a maiden named Kalabhasini. She was born in a courtezan family and was taught all the fine arts befitting her station. Her beauty was marvellous and her disposition sweet. One day, as she was swinging along with her friends in a twig- made cradle of flowers, Manıkandhara a disciple of Narada, fol- lowing his guru on his aenal path to Dvaraka, saw her. Smitten by her beauty and unable to control himself, he expressed his opinion to Närada that it surpassed even the beauty of the celestials. The divine seer readily endorsed it without any reser- vation.

Just at that time Rambha, travelling with Nalakubara in an aeroplane above them, happened to overhear their conversa- tion. Närada's open approval of his disciple's statement wounded her pride in her beauty. What could she do when the divine seer himself more than endorsed it? Now her only desire was to make Narada openly admit the supenority of her own beauty. With this end in view, she paid homage to the rsi and invited him and his disciple into her plane. Narada blessed the divine couple that their mutual love would prosper for ever. This gave her an opportunity to let him know her mind. In mild sarcasm she asked him how his benediction would bear fruit when there were more beautiful girls on earth than she. Narada was not so slow - witted as not to grasp the sting; nor was he a person to tolerate such impudence, Immedi- ately he retorted with a sardonic laughter :- "Oh! grand beauty, don't think time will always be bounteous. Who knows what is in the womb of the future? When a man having exactly the likeness of your lover and a woman that of yours come into existence, nobody can reckon the agony that will come upon you both". Realising the implied curse, Rambha with a promptness that was hers became all humility, bowed low to him and bade him adieu.

G. V Knshna Rao

Kalabhäsini, who overheard this conversation, followed the plane of Rambha and Nalakubara then flying at a very low level. When she could no longer follow it, she walked towards Nārada who had by then got down to the earth. She was impressed by the beauty of Nalakubara, and felt that she had fallen in love with him. With the help of the great seer she wanted to win him over to herself. Prompted by this secret longing, she approached Narada, and paid her obeisance. During the conversation that followed, the seer told her, God willing, she might really become Rambha's rival. Then he recollected that she was a regular visitor to the court of Krsna, and that she was the very maiden who had repeated the whole poem of dandaka composed by Manikandhara in praise of Krsna after its very first recital. With a profundity too deep for their line to fathom, he got her to repeat the poem once again. She requested him to accept her as his disciple and be- stow on her the honour of carrying his uina into the harem. To this he readily agreed. Manikandhara, guessing that she was seek- 14 ing private audience with the seer, betook himself out of ear- shot: Approaching Narada she requested him to enhghten her with the story of Kaläpürna which had cropped up in the conver- sation between Rambha and Nalakubara. The divine seer informed her that he could not reveal the story as it would spell mortal life, long and prosperous to one who did it. This information given, they departed to meet once again in the court of Krsna.

SECOND CANTO The main object of Narada's regular visits to Krsna was to study music and become a master in that art. Along with Kalabhäsini he continued his studies first under the wives of Krsna, and then directly under the Lord Himself. During this whole course, Mankandhara would wait for his guru outside the gate because he had no access to the harem. Within a few years Narada became so proficient mn that art that all the wives of Krsna paid him their highest tributes. By the grace of the Lord, Manikandhara also became as proficient in that art as Narada and Kalabasini though he had no opportunity to study along with them. After taking leave of Krsna, Närada was on his way back

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followed by his two disciples. At that time he expressed his doubts to them as to the sincerity of the compliments paid by the wives of Krsna. Kalabhasinı told her guru that she would have found out their real opinion if she had the power to assume the form of anyone of the lades in waiting. The seer, reading her desire to acquire the necessary power to meet her supposed lover, Nalakubara, determined to bring about that mischief. So he readily conferred on her the power of assuming any form she liked. Obtaining this power from him, she went into the harem and returned almost immediately to tell her guru that all those com- pliments were offered in sincerity. Pleased with this service, the divine seer blessed her that she would meet her lover whom she sncerely loved from the very beginning, and departed from her accompanied by his second disciple. Thus her visits to the court having come to close, Kalabhasıni was in an indolent mood. Her thoughts once agan flew back to Nalakubara. How ever hard she tried, she could not wean her 15 mind from him. There appeared no way for her to meet her sup- posed lover. Time was hanging heavy. One evening, while she was brooding over her love mn her garden, a siddha named Manistambha alighted there with his lion from the aenal path. To her great surprise, he addressed her by her name, enquired after her health and her love for Nalakubara. He explamed to her the object of his visit. Good music was his meat and drink. Before he met Kalabhasini his faculty of clairaudience nounshed him with Manikaridhara's music. Because Manikandhara was occu- pied with his penance, he was denied the opportunity to hear his soul-moving music. So Manistambha requested her to entertain hum with her art. In her cunosity to know the later history of Manikandhara on the one hand, and to ascertain his supernatu- ral powers on the other, she requested him to tell her how Manikandhara happened to undertake penance. The siddha narrated what Närada had told Manikandhara before his final departure. The divine seer became envious of Tumbura's musical faculty. His proficiency was so great that Narada performed severe penance and obtained a boon from Visnu. G. V. Knshna Rao

He was to be trained in that art by Krsna. That was why Narada continually visited him for so many years. After giving an ac- count of his visıts, Narada advised his dısciple, Manikandhara, to dedicate his musical talent to the service of the Lord, to go on a pilgrimage and then to perform penance. Following this advice Manikandhara visited vanous holy places and then took to pen- ance.

This account given by Manistambha was confirmed by a parrot perching on the branch of a tree near by. It informed Kalabhasini that it had come from heaven, and that Indra had sent Rambha to Mankandhara with the sole purpose of prevent- ing him from carrying on his penance. After giving this news, the bird took leave of her and flew away on her own mission.

THIRD CANTO Rambha proceeded to Manikandhara's hermitage with her attendants as directed by Indra and very soon managed to en- snare him with her beauty. In the meanwhile, Manistambha, who was being entertamed by Kalabhäsinı, informed her at her re- quest how Manikandhara had become a victim to Rambha, and how he had to part from her owing to her unconscious reference to Nalakubara in her concubinal ecstasy. Being pressed further by her, the siddha told her that Nalakubara was waiting for his beloved Rambha in the outskirts of Manıkandhara's hermitage, and laughed at her because the sole cause of her enquiry was her anxiety to know the whereabouts of Nalakubara. When the siddha was about to leave Kalabhäsinı, she pressed him to take her on his lion to her supposed lover25. Pretending hesitation a while, he put her on the lion and started on his aenal journey. When they reached the neighbour- hood of the temple of Mrgendravahana, the lion refused to go forward. He whipped it hard, but it did not budge even an inch. Kalabhasını became nervous. By way of explanation the siddha told her that there was the temple of Mrgendravahana near by and that no lion dared to move around or above the lion of the goddess. He informed her that it would be better for them to wor-

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ship the goddess and then proceed towards their destination. They got down and left the lion to seek its prey. Manistambha asked her to wait for him at the temple and left her for a while promising to bring flowers for worship. There at the temple, she met a very old and fragile lady, who, to her great horror and consternation, informed her that the siddha was a cruel man, and that he had brought her there only to sacrifice her to the goddess. Sumukhäsatti, for that was the name of the old lady, advised her to make good her escape before he returned to the temple. This news came as a bold from the blue. What was her object, and what was she going to meet with? How could she escape now from one who had the supernatural powers of clair- voyance and clairaudience? Resigning herself to fate, she read the edicts on the pillar. She was now quite certain that she was about to be killed. To acquire a vast empire he was going to sac- rfice her to the goddess. Manıstambha, having returned with flowers, asked 17 Kalabhäsin to follow him inte the inmost sanctuaries of the tem- ple. Apprehensive of her coming death, she requested the old woman to accompany her. Immediately the siddha guessed that the old woman had revealed to her everything. Losing no time, he caught Kalabhäsinı by her hair and began to drag her to the presence of the goddess. Her bitter wailing and despondent ap- peal moved the old woman to the core, and she forbade him to kill her in the name of the goddess. Not heeding this, he was about to strike when Sumukhäsatti offered her own head. He cut it off, and then raised his sword once more to strike. Before the blow came down, the siddha and Kalabhäsini were flung away far, far into the lap of distance. Sumukhāsattı was resuscitated in a new body, beautiful and young. Once again she began her yogic practice. As this was going on, one day, Kalabhasın returned to the temple, and asked her who she was. What was her surprise when she heard that the young woman was none other than Sumukhasatti! Just at that time Mankandhara also arrived at the temple with his mu- sical instrument on his shoulder. As he saw Kalabhāsıni, his G. V Knshna Rao

heart leapt into his mouth because after such a long time he was able to meet his co-disciple, whom he had never expected to see any more. With overflowing emotion he enquired after her wel- fare and the cause of her appearance at that place. Kalabhäsını with an equal ardour told him how she had been brought to the temple by Manstambha, and how Sumukhäsatti had offered her life to save her. At this juncture, Manistambha also appeared on the scene, and learnt after enquiry who the young and beautiful lady was. Pressed for his later history, he gave the following ac- count :- Thrown far by the goddess, both Manistambha and Kalabhasini fell on a flowery bed in the vicinity of Manikandhara's hermitage. When he got over this shock, he saw by his side Kalabhäsin with her frame slightly quivering and yet most allur- ing. Unable to control his passion for the quivering beauty beside him, he tried to embrace her. To escape from this molestation, 18 she cried aloud for help; and help came from Nalakubara who was not very far off. While the siddha was running for his life at the unexpected turn of events, Nalakubara caught him and de- manded that he should be shown where the lady was. As Manistambha was benig dragged back to the flowery bed, Rambha appeared on the scene, released him and led Nalakubara into a bower near by. The siddha, who could not afford to lose his sword that had fallen into the hands of Nalakubara, waited for an oportunity to regain it. As their dallance was going on, another Rambha made her appearance. Nalakubara was so puzzled that he could not know who the real Rambha was. Presently there ensued a truculent quarrel between the two women. Närada, who was ever on the watch for such situations, appeared on the scene, enjoyed the quarrel to his heart's content, and left the place without explicitly revealing their respective identities. To regain her lover, the sec- ond Rambha tred to force the first to follow her to the court of Indra. But the first Rambha swore in the name of Nalakbara that she would not step into that court, whereupon the second Rambha sneered at her saying that it was but a trick to hide her Studies m Kalapurnodayam

inability to take the aerial path. This clue opened the eyes of Nalakübara; he was now able to recognize the real Rambha, and so proceeded to punish the impostress most violently while the true Rambha cursed her that she would be put to the sword in the near future. While the real Rambha was enjoying Nalakubara's com- pany, there appeared another Nalakubara on the scene and raised a quarrel. Manistambha, who was watching these bewildering events, was unable at first to believe his own senses. But the fight between the two Nalakubaras was so fierce that he could not but believe at length what was going on under his very nose. Very soon Rambha parted them, and taking them aside one after another, questioned them when Kalapurna's story was referred to. The first Nalakubara could not tell her, whereas the second could. Thereupon she left the impostor in disgust and joined her real lover. The aggneved Nalakubara cursed the impostor that he would meet his death soon. Manistambha did not know where 19

the impostor went, but the celestial couple returned to heaven. The siddha took the sword left in the bower by the impostor and returned to the temple. After narrating these incidents, Manistambha requested Kalabhasını to relate to him what befell her after she left the flowery bed.

FOURTH CANTO To their great surprise, Kalabhāsinı disclosed to her audı- tors that she was the very impostress, and explained to them how she was able to assume that form by virtue of the boon she had obtained from Narada. Now her only sorrow was, she told them, that her chastity had been violated by some other person than Nalakubara. When she was about to say something more, Manıkandhara came out with his confession. He was the person who dallied with her in the form of Nalakubara and later on re- ceived a curse from the celestial lover. He recalled their earher asociations. Sınce their first meeting he had loved Kalabhāsin, G. V. Knshna Rao

but he was prevented from expressing his love for fear of Nāradā's resentment. He was very happy to have been united with her. When she heard it, Kalabhasini's joy knew no bounds because she was united with Manikandhara whom she had loved from the very beginning. Explaining this and the psychic phenomena that led her to believe that she was in love with Nalakūbara, she told them that none would believe it to be true because firstly, she came from the courtezan class, and secondly, her attach- ment to Nalakübara was as clear as day-light. Her obvious sincenty, candour and veracity roused the true lover in Manikandhara. He consoled her saying that he truly be- lieved her words and even reminded her of tthe parting words of Narada as a proof of the truth of her statement. In addition, he gave the following account in support of the validity of the psy- chic process which she descnbed as having personally under-

20 gone. Before he became the disciple of Narada, Manikandhara propitiated Mrgendravahana and acquired the poetic gift. To get that new power tested by the literary critics of Kashmir, he vis- ited that country and stayed with a Brahmin. Just at that time there came the news that Salina and Sugatr were drowned in the lake, Satataladaghna. He asked his host who they were and he gave the following story. In that Saradapitha there was a pnest who had an only daughter named Sugatrı. Owing to unknown causes the father left the family and disappeared. Where he went, and what be- came of him, nobody knew. When the girl came of age, she was married to an apparently docile and pliable youth called Salina, who was required to live with his mother-in-law and his wife. On the first night of their meeting, Sugatri was gorgeously decorated and sent into the nuptial chamber. Salina, who had no attraction for jewellery or colourful finery did not care even to look at his wife but sank into a deep sleep in utter indifference. Thus nght after night passed with no ray of conjugal love touching the full bloom of her maidenhood. Studies in Kalapurnodayam

This indifference on the part of Salina created difficulties for him. The mother-in-law, who was eager to have grandchil- dren, was very disappointed, and began to dislike him. She even imposed on him such menial tasks as watering her garden. This humilating treatment given to her husband by her mother pained Sugätr very much. She could neither endure it nor put up an open fight with her mother. The second course would naturally make her family affairs the town talk. As days passed by, Sugatr could no longer sit idle at home, while her husband was working hard in the garden. Without informing her mother she went there, hid herjewels safe in some place and began to help her husband in watering the plants. With this physical labour she was ex- hausted. She was profusely perspiring and her breasts were gen- tly nsing and falling. Salina coud no longer be indifferent to her quivering beauty and at once took her into his arms. Within two days Sugatr came to understand her husband's temperament. he did not like anything but quivering beauty. While they were 21 thus living happily, one day Salina got angry with his wife and threw himself into the lake, Satataladaghna, and died. After narrating this story, Manikandhara asked Sumukhäsattı whether she did not know the heroine as she claimed that country as her native land. With a sweet smile on her face she told them that she was that very Sugatr. Great was their surprise to hear this news. This was doubled when Manıstambha came out with the confession that he was the very Salina. Naturally this led to the question of identification. Be- cause both Sumukhäsatti and Manistambha gave the same cause for their dispute, Manikandhara declared them to be really hus- band and wife. While Sumukhasatti was feeling grieved over Manıkandhara's curse, Kalabhasini asked him why he was not able to tell Rambha that the reference to the story of Kalapurna was made in the neighbourhood of Dvaraka. Manikandhara re- plied to her that he had never heard ofit. Then remembering that he was not with Narada when she asked the seer about it, she told him what she had heard from her guru. Alaghuvrata, a G. V. Knshna Rao

Malayali Brahmın, who had come there to seek his fortune and having heard from Kalabhäsinı that by coming to know the story of Kalāpūrņa one would acquire wealth and enjoy a long and prosperous life etc., sat down to do penance with the object of coming to know the story by the grace of Mrgndravahana. In the meanwhile, Kalabhäsinı begged Manistambha to sac- rifice her to the goddess and thus obtain his wish. He refused to comply with her request expaining that he would not dare to raise his sword once again against her as he was forbidden to do it in the name of the goddess. Since his sword was sure to kill her sooner or later, she entreated Manikańdhara to sacrifice her, and thus obtain a vast empire. Persuaded from all quarters, Mankandhara after long hesitation offered her to the Goddess. Because he hesitated, he was told by the goddess, that he would acquire the empire only in his next birth. In the meanwhile Kalabhasını woke up unhurt and found herself in her garden in Dvaraka. Mankandhara hid his sword and uina in the temple, 22 presented the manthara to Alaghuvrata and went to the Srisaila with the object of throwing himself into the valley and thus court death. Sumukhäsatti and Manistambha stayed there for some time carrying on yogic practice, and later on set out on their lion to visit various places of interest.

FIFTH CANTO By the end of the second year of Alaghuvrata's penance, he was flung far into the air by the goddess along with his manthara. When he regained his consciousness and opened his eyes, he found himself in the full court of a king. There was a baby in the cradle before the ruler. Alaghuvrata bowed low to the kng and presented him with the manhara. The king in his turn presented it to the baby. No sooner had the central gem touched the heart of the baby, than it laughed and said that it was happy to see it once again after two years. Every one in the court was taken by surpnse. The king in his curiosity and wonder questioned it where and how it had seen it when it was hardly two months old. While the audience listened with rapt attention, the baby narrated the following :- Studies in Kalapurnodayam

Originally it was the pet parrot of Sarasvati and Caturmukha. Once Brahma was dallying with Sarasvati in their garden near a lake. Although she was truly happy, she tred to hide her pleasure by pretending to be offended with her hus- band. Brahma, at this turn of events, asked the parrot in the cage near by to tell him a story. The parrot, however, pleading her inability, requested him to tell one himself, whereupon he gave the following.story :- In the city of Kasärapura there lived a king named Kalāpūrna. His father was Sumukhāsatti, a woman, and his mother was Manistambha, a man. As soon as he was thus born, he became a youth and was presented by a siddha named Svabhäva with a jewel, a bow and arrows, all invested with su- pematural powers. He conquered Madasaya, another kıng, and made hım his vassal. Hıs minister Satvadātman, made him the anointed king of Angadesa. Attracted by the jewel, the four 23 Agamas, the purohits of Madasaya, attended upon him. Once it so happened that one of the four Ägamas offended the king by fondling the jewel too much; and as a consequence, all of them were driven out. Madasaya also left the court along with his queen, Rūpanubhuti and his baby, Madhuralalasa, only to re- turn after some time. When Madhuralālasa, came of age, she was gıven ın marrage to Kalāpūrna. Sarasvatı, who was all the while carefully following the story, embraced her husband and asked him whether it was not an account of their love narrated in the form of a story. In spite of his smiling denials, he had to admit the truth when she came out with her lucid comment. Sometime after this event took palce, Rambha came to the world of Brahma to pay her homage to Sarasvati. Just at that time the parrot was repeating the manita that emanated from the throat of Sarasvati. The sensual woman that she was, Rambha came to know everything that had happened between Sarasvati and Chaturmukha through the innocent creature. Sarasvati G. V. Knshna Rao

happened to overhear the parrot imparting her secrets of love, and cursed that it might be born as an unchaste woman among mortals. Brahma, who came there, consoled the poor creature with the blessing that she would in her subsequent life be born as Madhuralālasa and marry Kalāpuma and be famed for a chaste wife. He warned Rambha that the revelation of the story of Kaläpura would confer upon the narrator and the auditor mor- tal life, long and prosperous. That very parrot was born as Kalabhasini in Dvaraka and saw the manthara with Manıkandhara. Then Alaghuvrata requested the baby to tell him where he could see the king Kalapma. It directed him to get the informa- tion from the audience. The king at once told him that he was Kalapurņa, and then introduced Satvadatman, Madasaya, Rupanubhuti and the four Agamas. He also informed him that 24 the baby was the daughter of Madasaya and Rupanubhuti. Requested once again by Alaghuvrata to be enlightened on the question of Kalapura's supernatural birth, the baby nar- rated the following events. At her husband's request, Sumukhäsatti exchanged her sex with her husband by virtue of the boon she obtained from Mrgendravahana. In that state Kalapurna was born to them, and at once he became a youth. Satvadatman abdicated his throne in favour of that superman to absolve himself of the crime of unjustified advances of love he made to Sumukhāsattı. Svabhava was no other person than the father-in-law of Manistambha. It was he who gave his son-in-law the lion and the sword. After having practised yoga for a long time in the depths of the Satatäladaghna, he emerged from it and reached the Srisaila. There he met Manikandhara who was about to throw himself down into the valley. Learning from him his personal story and promising to give him a jewel, a bow and arrows which would bestow victory and prospenty, Svabhava dissuaded Manikandhara from courting death in that manner. Studies in Kalapurnodayam