Analysis of Jñāna Śarmā (Apavarga-sādhaka-mantrī)

Jñāna Śarmā though a minister of the king Jīva, does not appear on the stage throughout the drama. In the sixth act, in the course of the conversation between Kāla and Karma, his private meeting with the king is fully described. In the seventh act, when lord Parameśvara teaches the hero the entire Yoga Śāstra, the Lord refers to Jñāna Śarmā and advises the king to seek his guidance also.

Jñāna Śarmā being Apavarga Mantri of king Jīva is brought to the notice of the viewer in the second Act when Pāṇḍu, minister of the enemy king enquires about his whereabouts. It is then understood that Jñāna Śarmā's place with the king has been usurped by Vijñāna Śarmā and he is not within the vicinity of the king when the play starts.

However, in Act VI, when Vijñāna Śarmā, had gone out to personally inspect the readiness of his army men and the king was alone, Jñāna Śarmā who was away from him for a very long time approaches him.^[1] On seeing him, king Jīva is overwhelmed with joy. This meeting is once again presented in the reported speech by Kāla to Karma. The reason as to why Jñāna Śarmā left the king’s side is now explained–Though Jīva's minister for a longer period, when Jīva came under the tight grip of Vijñāna Śarmā, Jñāna Śarmā quietly left the city of Jīva since he felt that he had no place to stay there.^[2] Now, having heard about Jīva’s war with the diseases, he has come to advise him.

From this, it could be understood that earlier Jīva was under the influence of Jñāna; and he had been seeking eternal Bliss instead of taking care of his city (body); Vijñāna Śarmā has now changed this attitude.

Now that there is total privacy, Jñāna Śarmā, who realizes that his duty as a minister of apavarga knowledge is to show Jīva the path for mokṣa, advises Jīva about the imperishability of the body and its being the abode of sorrows.^[3] He further teaches Jīva the Upanishadic truth of Tattvamasi.^[4]

This advice has its full impact on Jīva. He becomes disinterested in his duty as a king, in military affairs and in conquering the enemies; and also he wants to be away seeking the Supreme Bliss.

The dramatist highlights the quality of a real and loyal minister through Jñāna Śarmā’s words–when a king yielding very easily to ill-advice, drowns into a deep ocean of calamities, a good minister must speak the best solution to solve the problems. In case he does not do so he cannot be a good minister.

Whether it is sweet or harsh, the remedial advice must be clearly told (VI.11):

dussāmājikabodhanaiḥ kupadavīsaṣcāramāseduṣastenāpajjaladhau nirāśrayatayā rājṣo vṛthā majjataḥ |
brūte yo na hitaṃ vaco'priyamapi spaṣṭaṃ nigṛhyāgrahāt svāmibhyaḥ sa tu buddhimatpaśuriti prāpnoti mantrī prathām ||

Though, Jñāna Śarmā's character is depicted by the dramatist, through the conversation of Kāla and Karma, his speciality is approved by lord Śiva. In the end of Act VII (28-9) the dramatist ensures the beneficial nature of both Jñāna and Vijñāna and also the necessity of their existing together in one and the same place and time, through the words of the Lord and the Goddess.^[5]

Without presenting this character Jñāna Śarmā directly on the stage, the dramatist highlights the greatness of this sincere minister of king Jīva, through Kāla and Karma, and lord Parameśvara and goddess Paremeśvarī.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

VI. 7:
tattatkāryaviśeṣasādhanavidhāvuktvetikartavyatāṃ jīvasyāsya vibhoḥ svakīyapṛtanāsaṃnāhamālokitum |
niṣkrānte sacive kadācana bhajetyekākitāṃ rājani śrutvā tatsamayaṃ tadantikabhuvaṃ sa jṣānaśarmā yayau ||

[2]:

VI.10:
so'haṃ jīva vibho cirantanasakhaste jṣānaśarmā tathā prāṇeṣvanyatamo muhustava hitākāṅkṣī ca sarvātmanā |
vijṣānasya kumantritaiḥ paravati tvayyavyavasthasthitau śāntastvannagarādviraktahṛdayaḥ prāsthamanāsthavaśāt ||

[3]:

VI.13:
śaśvannaśvarameva viśvaviditaṃ pāpaprarohasthalaṃ medomajjavasāsthimāṃsarudhiratvagromarūpaṃ vapuḥ |
etasminmalamūtrabhāṇḍakuhare heye manīṣāvatāṃduḥkhe nyāyavido vimohamiha ke tanvanti nanvantime ||

[4]:

VI.14:
jagatprotaṃ yasmin vividha iva sūtre maṇigaṇaḥ samastaṃ yadbhāsā tadapi ca vibhāti sphuṭamidam |
ākhaṇḍānandaṃ yanniravadhikasaccitsukhamayaṃ nirākāraṃ yattattvamasi paramaṃ brahma na paraḥ ||

[5]:

VII.28-9:
prācīnaḥ sacivaḥ priyastava suhṛdyo jṣānaśarmā muni stomasyāpi sudurlabhaḥ sa bhavatā mānyaḥ sadāhaṃ yathā |
śreyassaṃghaṭanāya hanta bhavataḥ satyaṃ sa evārhatipreyastvaihikamātanotu satataṃ vijṣānaśarmāpi te ||
śaśvadjṣānādabhinnaḥ san vijṣānamapi mānaya |evaṃ sati ghaṭeyātāṃbhuktimuktī kare tava ||