Shringara-manjari Katha (translation and notes)
by Kumari Kalpalata K. Munshi | 1959 | 99,373 words
An English translation of the Shringara-manjari Katha by Bhojadeva. This detailed study includes four sections. The Introduction outlines the manuscript's unique features and provides a content analysis. The second section contains the Sanskrit text complemented by an index of proper names. The third section offers an English translation excluding ...
Notes
(Here are included words of rare usage or remarkable in some way.) Yantradharagrha ( yantradharagrha ) P. 7. -is a fountain-house to dispel the heat of the summer days. The complex mechanical contrivances speak of the progress of science in those days. In the Samarangana-sutradhara of Bhojadeva, Bhoja devotes the entire 31 st chapter to 'Yantravidhanam' the descriptions of the mechanical contrivances, their usages and benefits. The word 'Yantra' is derived from the root 'Yam' to control or to restrain. God evolves the universe and also controls its movements: bhramyaddinesasasimandalacakrasa ( tsa ? ) sta ? metajjagattritayayantramalaksyamadhyam | bhutani bijamakhilanyapi samprakalpya yah santatam bhramayati smarajit sa vo'vyat || ( verse 1 ) There are two kinds of controls. The first is the self-control of human beings, the second is the control of the five elements of nature. aza arvi agaf zana farfaruqisqaisfad: 1 arreracaa dagi fqqqqqqsad 11 So the control of the four primary elements namely earth, water, fire and wind (and akasa as their substratum) leads to the production of the mechanical contrivances. Different materials like metals, leather and cloth are then put to use and with the help of wheels, rods and the like, syringes (vs. 28), musical instruments (56), dramatic representations and scenes (59-72), moving animals (73), dancing and singing dolls (74) and various kinds of water machines (109 ff) can be made. The details of the mechanical contrivances in the Yantradhara. grha given in Shringara-manjari-katha are: dolls beating drums, dancing, playing instruments and singing; ducks seated on blooming lotuses drinking the streams of water which looked like lotus fibres; bees humming in lotuses; cakorakas drinking water; cranes plunging in the pond after the sapharika, tortoises swimming up and down in the tanks and mermaids afraid of crocodiles. Streams of water flowed out from the eyes of winged crocodiles, mouths of peahens, hair, breasts, palms and nails of women, mouths of a family of monkeys climbing atop a tree, lotuses, walls, grounds, pillars and pillartops. The whole
picture gives an impression of the rainy days and that was the very purpose as is said in Samarangana-sutradhara of Bhojadeva: idam nanakaram kulabhavanamadyam ratipate- nivasascitranamanukaranamekam jalamucam | payahpatagrasme ravikaraparitapasamanam na kesamatyartham bhavati nayananandajananam || In the Kadambari we read of a somewhat similar description of a cool fountain-house called himagrha. Besides various mechanical contrivances we read of groups of peacocks, cranes, birds, bees etc. (pp. 436-441). The Yasastilaka-Campu (Book III pp. 522-533) also has description of a Yantradharagrha where sukasarikas, bees, peacocks, ele. phants, crocodiles, monkeys and dolls and so on are mentioned. In the Tilakamanjari we have no description of the mechanical contrivances as given in the above mentioned texts but the author seems to be quite familiar with the Yantradharagrha for we find a few references to it. The Shringara-manjari-katha describes only the dharagrha, but Samarangana-sutradhara of Bhojadeva mentions three kinds of fountain-houses. (vs. 117) dharagrhamekam syat pravarsanakhyam tato dvitiyam ca | pranalam jalamagnam nandyavartam tathanyadapi || The Yantradharagrha was an elaborate construction and therefore only kings could afford to build it. prakrtajanarthametanna vidheyam yogyametadavanibhujam | In the very beginning of Shringara-manjari-katha we read that Bhoja was seated on the central moonstone seat of the dharagrha surrounded by his friends and kinsmen. And it seems that the people had access to it, for the text says ( yasyam ) yantradharagrhakamunmadayati manamsi pauralokasya | * Ubhaya-catuh-sastikala (3:¶fsm) p. 12. -Two kinds of 64 Arts. Vatsyayana in his Kamasutra of Vatsyayana refers to both these kinds of 64 arts. The first group is of the 64 Anga-vidyas. (I.3.16). Mastery over these Kalas was necessary for the courtesans to develop their personality and to fulfil their duties as entertainers. Of these Kalas some are purely aesthetic arts, some for the intelect, some for increasing personal charms, while some are merely for * It is interesting to note that a paper on 'Yantras or Mechanical Contrivances in Ancient India' was recently read by Dr. V. Raghvan. It thoroughly treats of the subject. It is a useful and interesting contribution throwing light on this interesting topic. I am thankful to Dr. Raghvan for sending me a copy of the paper.
entertainment. The following arts may be taken as the aesthetic arts: (vocal music), vadyam (instrumental music), nrtyam (dancing), alekhyam (painting), and vinadamaruka - vadyani (playing of stringed instruments). (making designs on the flooring with coloured rice and making various kinds of flower garlands), spreading of flowers and flower-garlands in a room etc.), ffff (setting jewels like emeralds in the floors) are decorative arts. visesakacchedyam ( cleverness in making different tilaka marks on the forehead), T: (anointing the body with kunkuma etc. and colouring of teeth, clothes etc.), cung sayanaracanam (preparing the): (preparing garlands for different purposes), (decorating the crest with different kinds of flowers etc.): (dressing and adorning according to time, place and occasion), karnapatrabhamgah (ear-ornaments of ivory, conchshells, etc. for adornment), (anointing perfumes etc.). (preparing ornaments), utsadane samvahane kesamardane ca kausalam (massaging of body and hair) and (changing the appearance of fabrics such as making cotton appear like silk) are for enhancing personal grace and charms. pratimala ' Accomplishments such as kavyasamasyapuranam (completing the verse from a given single line), (capping verses) (riddles), : (expressing that which is difficult in word or sense), pustakavacanam (knowledge of reading books), natakakhyayikada- rsanam (seeing representations from dramas and Akhyayikas), mlecchitavikalpah (using synonymous words of the Mlechha-bhasa), desabhasavijnanam (using desya words to make known that which is unknown) (remembering heard books), manasi (knowing what passes in others' minds), (composing poems), abhidhanakosa ( knowing dictionaries), chandojnanam (knowing the metrical works), and (knowing poetics) are for developing the mind and sharpening the intellect. Skill) in various useful arts ( hastalaghavam such as sewing ( sucivanakarmani ), carpentry (), embroidering (for) cane work ( pattika vetravanavikalpah ): obtaining desired ends and cheating others. ( kaucumarascayogah, citrasca yogah, chalitakayoga ), household work), experiments in magic (:), cooking and preparing drinks ( vicitrasakayusabhaksyavikarakriya, panakarasaragasavayojanam ) were considered as necessary as the above-mentioned accomplishments. Moreover the following arts seem to be for specialization in different professional activities. Among them can be included rupyaratna- pariksa (the knowledge of different coins and diamonds etc.), dhatuvadah- (finding and treasuring stones, metals, etc.), maniragakarajnanama (knowledge of gems for value etc.), (the knowledge of good and bad omens, etc.), (the making of instruments for yantramatrka
travels etc.), sampathyam (lapidary art) and vrksayurvedayogah (the knowledge of planting, nourishing and diagnosing trees). Finally there are games in which skill was deemed necessary for the entertaining as well as enjoying playing drums etc. in water), (sprinkling water), Hugqgcmianyafafu: (gamble on live things), sukasarika pralapanam (teaching birds like parrots to speak and carry messages), aksaramustikakathanam (making syllabic language for private talks), (making carts of flowers), dyutavisesah and akarsakrida (gambling) and balakridanakani (knowing playing balls, dolls etc. to help children). There are three more arts for self-development, self-defence and life. They are vainayikinam vidyanam jnanam ( code of etiquette and modesty), fuqiai famai a science of obtaining victory) and vaijayikinam jnanam zururfHHai fagrai mag (knowledge of the science connected with physical exercises like hunting). This list of Kalas has been explained along with many other lists by Dr. A. Venkatasubbiah and E. Muller in an article named 'The Kalas' (J. R. A. S. 1914 pp. 351-367). But reference may be made here to two more lists given by Ksemendra in Kalavilasa and by Dandin in Dasakumaracarita. Ksemendra mentions 64 arts. of the harlots: nadya iva jaladhimadhye vesyahrdaye kalascatuhsastih | (p. 56). Of these, except nrtyakala, gitakala panakala, none are similar to those quoted quoted above. These are simply the characteristics of harlots like weeping, cheating and so on. But they are interesting from our point of view because the heroines in the Shringara-manjari-katha show mastery in some of the arts mentioned herein. For instance Devadatta (5 th tale) practises mrtopamakala, and also tirtha-viharana-kala. In the Dasakumaracarita (Book II) also we get a list of arts and sciences in which a ganika is trained to bring her profession to a successful end. The second group of Kalas which is referred to in the Shringara-manjari-katha by the term 'Ubhaya' is the group of 64 Pancaliki Vidyas described in the Samprayogika-Adhikarana by Vatsyayana in the Kamasutra. These are intimately connected with sexual relations. Ujjvala ( chandahsthitiribojjvalatanumadhya ) P. 13 ( U U U _ is a classical metre with the scheme 7 7 UUUU U -U- ) (Hemcandra, Chandonusasana, II.166).
Kadavakka ( kadavakka ) P. 17 - is a Sanskrit rendering of the Prakrit word 394 (See Svayambhucchandas, VIII, 30, Journal of the University of Bombay. November 1936, here is by mistake printed as kauvaya Hemacandra and others give its Sanskrit form as that is with a single (See the first sutra of the Chandonusasana). It is also written as (Cf. Kavidarpana, edited by Prof. H. D. Velankar, A. B. O. R. I. XVI i-ii 1935, note 51). Old Gujarati narrative poems were also composed in units called. But here does not appear to be an unit of composition, but a variety of composition. It may be noted that this form of composition is peculiar to the Apabhramsa literature, while here the use of the word is with reference to the Puranas. Can we infer that the author had in view some Apabhramsa Purana or some Puranas in the local language of the times? Manikulya ( manikulya ) P. 17 -is a kind of composition described by Bhoja in the Shringara-prakasha of Bhojadeva thus: (Vol. II, p. 428). #fugcunui aofua a meca ya gaat aeg 1 gratumad ar Afugeur geergeanta | Nidarsana ( nidarsanam ) P. 17 - is a kind of composition. Bhoja describes it thus: nisciyate tirascamatirascam va yatra cestabhih | karyamakarya va tannidarsanam pancatantradi || dhurta vitakuttanimatamayura marjarikadi yalloke | karyakaryanirupanaparamiha nidarsanam tadapi || (Shringara-prakasha of Bhojadeva, Vol. II, p. 428) The second type of Nidarsana described by Bhoja shows that it em. braced the works which describe the proper and improper actions as is done in the works like the Kuttanimata. Technically speaking this description appears to be applicable to the Shringara-manjari-katha, though in the text as shown at length in chapter IV it is always referred to and recognized as a katha and nowhere it is called Nidarsana. But a detailed consideration of the question awaits the publication of the full text of Shringara-prakasha of Bhojadeva, so that we may have all the data relevant for judging whether the distinctions made by Bhoja between different kinds of Prabandhas are well defined and mutually exclusive.
Lataksutkah ( lataksutkah ) P. 25 The word is of onomatopoetic in the same sense. - taking rounds, faltering. origin and is represented in Hindi as Udyanika (zaifahi ) P. 24 ujjani - This word is obviously a back-formation from the Prakrit ujjania etc. and preserved in the current Gujarati as 'picnic'. Paiasaddamhannavo gives three forms ujjania, ujjaniga and meaning 'picnic'. The word is derived from ujjana ( udyana ) Paiasaddamhannavo quotes the following from the Nisithacurni: ujjanam jattha logo ujjaniaem baccai | TiritiUlitani (tiritillitani ) P . 25 - This word is a Sanskritization of Prakrit feff-base fefefef. It is an instance of the influence of the contemporary Jaina diction on Bhoja. The root faff is recorded by Hemcandra in his list of the sense of (Prakrit Grammar S in nam 4.161). Paiasaddamhannavo records the form feffa from Kumarapalacarita. Ganaratnamahodadhi of Vardhamanacarya notes the word fefefeft ( II. 103 ) and in the commentary he says tiritira capalenanucitacestocyate tiritiriti gatyanukaranam | He also calls it anukaranasabda- tiriti ricurucurvityanukaranasabdo tadakarini vyavahriyate | Lagna (5) P. ' -to feel. The usage and the sense of the word is of the Prakrit root feels. Cf. Gujarati in the same sense. Avva ( avva ) P. 32, 33 - The word which at two other places is mistakenly written as and by the scribe is of Kannada origin, meaning 'mother' or any 'venerable woman'. Hemacandra (Desinama-mala 1,5) notes it in the sense of HCf. the suffix o applied to proper names like Kundavva, Amiyavva, etc. occurring in some 9 th-10 th century Apabhramsa works from Kannada area. Cf. also the Kannada word avva meaning 'mother'. The scribe probably did not understand the word and wrote the forms corruptly as adva and adda | Uttha viale ( JEST Frares) P. 38. --can be rendered into Sanskrit as uttistha vikale if we take uttha as corrupt for the Prakrit 32, Sk. 3. Viale is Voc. Sing. of vimala, Sanskrit vikala 'a perturbed woman'. uttha,
Velavittika ( sifafa | (fa) P. BY _ a maid-servant who earns by announcing time (Cf. Velavittaka). The words prasadavittika (p. 3) and arghya-vittika (p. 46) are similarly formed. The former meaning 'one whose fortune is in his master's favour' and the second referring to 'one whose fortune is in offering arghya (to God)'. The courtesan in the temple is described as arghya-vittika (Cf. Lavanyasundari, 8 th tale). Tarkuka-jana (7) P. 82" This is a rare Sanskrit word. It means a beggar, a suppliant. The other forms noted by Monier-Williams (A Sanskrit-English Dictionary) (p. 440) in the same sense being tarkaka (Mbh) and tarkata (lex.). Monier-Williams (A Sanskrit-English Dictionary) further (p. 58 ) gives two words and which also convey the same meaning paratarkaka of 'beggar'. Though the other form of namely, tarkaka, tarkaka is given in the Mahabharata it seems to be a late form and may be occurring in the interpolated portion of the Mbh. | bai e kukkudu basai ekku liyamtaha duijau nasai | (p. 56 ) 'Mistress, this cock crows: As we take one, we lose the other'. This is some Apabhramsa metrical line quoted as a proverb, as the rhyme of and shows; and the portion beginning with kku liyam upto na sai is in the well-known Prakrit metre called Vada naka having the structure 4+4+4+ - UU. This means that the first line is metrically defective. Putlcarosi ( putkarosi ) P. 56 - to cry aloud. It is same as the Prakrit √ Cf. Gujarati pokaravu, pokara . It is commonly used in the Prakrit and Apa! bhramsa literature. Akka (3) P. & ? 61 - the word is used in the sense of a mother' or 'an elder sister'. The bawd or the procuress of a courtesan is usually addressed as akka. The word Akka is of non-Sanskritic origin. Its vocative is irregularly Akka and hence it is recorded by Panini. (Monier-Williams (A Sanskrit-English Dictionary) p. 2).
. Hemacandra notes it in Desinamamala. 1.6. The word occurs in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, etc. Kaditalla (fam) P. & -Paiasaddamhannavo records in the sense of a kind of an iron weapon which has one edge sharp and is a little curved. It refers to Desinamamala 2.19. In Harisena's Brhatkathakosa also (edited by Dr. A: N. Upadhye) the word kaditalla occurs ( kaditallakara dhirastadanu gayip:1 56.298). The editor in the Introduction (p. 102) explains it as 'some armour or weapon associated with the belt' and compares the word with Sanskrit Katitra and Prakrit Kadilla. This meaning is obviously suggested by him on the assumption that the part f in the word kaditalla is connected with Sanskrit kati . Vantha (8) P. 4 -is a desya word. Monier-Williams (A Sanskrit-English Dictionary) (p. 915) records it as a lexical word occurring in the sense of a maimed person, an unmarried person, a servant or a dwarf. Over and above these senses Paiasaddamhannavo gives the word in the sense of dhurta or thug. Cf. Gujarati a to go vamthavu, astray. This is another instance of Bhoja's diction being influenced by the Prakrit, Apabhramsa and the other spoken languages of the times. The Prabhandha-Cintamani has a vanthakarmapradhanyaprabandha which describes the vanthas to be dwarf in body and attending on the King by massaging his feet. (P. 75). Pattanika ( pattanika ) P. 70, 71 . - The word pattanika (fem.) is not found in the lexicons. The reference to it is as follows. Sundaraka was commissioned by the king (10 th tale) to spend a night in dalliance with Asokavati and record the events, so that the king could show it to Chaddalaka and break their bond of love and faith. For that purpose Sundaraka brings along with him the Pattanika which records what passes between them. ( rajnah sakasat pattanikamekam nijanucarena yacayitva svasannidhava- 77445 tesam nakhapadanam tatha pattanikaya tatpratibimbani jagraha ) (Var: The next day he gives it back to the king and the king presents it to Chaddalaka saying: yadayam prasadah prasarya grhyatam | Therefore it seems to be an instrument, Yantra, to take impressions of happenings which could be reviewed the next day by spreading it out.
Last Folio, 158. (p. 89 ). The fragment of folio 158 is the most important page in the Shringara-manjari-katha, though its loss is irreparable. It contains a prasasti of the work and its author in three Sanskrit verses and four Prakrit Gathas. The metrical. Sanskrit verses help us to infer the number of missing letters. The first verse is in Malini metre. madhuramasrnamugdhasnigdha U Thus: -U U U U U U UUUUUU UUUUUU -- U U - pratikalamati harsad bharati nrtyativa || U. g UThe next two verses are in the Sikharini metre,. imam pasya ksonim vaha cha U U [bhujam ] ganamiso'para ivam sa enamaracayat | pranata U U kathamurvinathah U -- nava sphita ya ca prakrtisubhagalankrtirapi sa ukterullekho U UU U U UUUUU UU U U U U U UUUUU U U U U UU - UUU U kalitah !! || The Prakrit Gathas are metrically correct. simgaramamjari paviuna devi sarassai ajja | mayaramdapa nama .: simgaramamjari paviuna deviऍ uaham vanie | sohaggajasapadaya . unam jasa, kamhavihu sigaramamjari uaha | niyasoha [gga ] vadaya " • || 1 ||2 .||3 [ simgaramamjari pavi ]una vanie manahara ye vi | kannavayamsasoha bho . ||4 They described Goddess Sarasvati as being joyous on acquiring the valuable 'Srngaramanjari' which is like her banner of good fortune hand her ear-ornament. The last verse is in the Anustubh metre in Sanskrit: [va] tsaranam sakadvisah | krteyam bhojarajena katha [ srnagaramanjari ] || It avers that Bhojaraja produced this Katha in Vikrama (lit. the enemy of the Sakas) Samvat..... The missing letters in the verse are the greatest loss to the work, for they would have solved the problem of the date of the work.