Harshacharita (socio-cultural Study)
by Mrs. Nandita Sarmah | 2014 | 67,792 words
This page relates ‘Description of City Life’ of the English study on the Harshacharita: A Sanskrit (poetical work) which can be studied as a Historical book of Indian society during the 7th century. It was originally written by Banabhatta who based his Harsacarita on the life of the Gupta emperor Harshavardhana. This study researches the religion, philosophy, flora and fauna and society of ancient India as reflected in the Harsha-Charita.
1. Description of City Life
Bāṇa has given lively detailed description of the city of Sthāṇvīśvara in the country (janapada) of Śrīkaṇṭha, which represents the luxurious city-life of his time. The city had been inhabited by the talented people[1] and they were mostly very virtuous and performed thousand of various sacrifices.[2] The practices and usages of the four castes were also not puzzled.[3] All the sides of the city were covered with plantations of puṇḍra sugarcane[4] and the borders all around were crowded with heaps of corn.[5] In the city, there were many gardens in the homes of the people and the fragrance of the flowers spread everywhere.[6] Besides stonewall[7] covered the city in all directions. The people were expert in using the water-wheel (uddhātaghaṭī) in the tough field or their cultivations,[8] but they were unaware of the harassment of taxation due[9] to the king. They had white washed houses, which resembled moonlight[10] and the city possessed the roads with fluttering banners.[11] There were around a thousand of sacrifices always performed in that city.[12]
Again Bāṇa describes that the palace of that city looked white due to constant performing the sacrifices by the people.[13] The city Sthāṇvīśvara[14] was so well guarded that the enemy were afraid to enter it.[15] There were also big rivers,[16] and many lakes.[17] The writer Bāṇa describes that the city was full of heroes.[18] The singers of the city were like Gandharvas.[19] The city was platform for great festival for wandering actors,[20] the field of architecture for artisans,[21] and preceptor’s house for educationist,[22] etc. There was jingling of the ornaments of fascinating women.[23] There were many sacred temples too,[24] the banners fluttered on the spires of the temples,[25] and the eyes of the people were washed frequently by tears due to the smoke of the three fires.[26] Recitation of the Vedic mantras were also always heard,[27] which implies that the people were very religious at that time.
The author also gives the description of the behaviour of the citizens of Sthāṇvīśvara. The ladies were very beautiful[28] with bright faces and white teeth,[29] and charming resembling the moon.[30] Not only were the ladies beautiful but also sweet and talkative.[31] But interestingly they talked enough about their husbands only.[32] The author compares their bright complexion with that of goddess Gaurī.[33] The beauties of their eyes are compared with the lotuses[34] and also mentioned that the ladies of that city were free from curiosity as they did not wear the marriage thread.[35] The city ladies used to cover their faces as had been the custom of highborn ladies.[36] The citizens were very much interested in music.[37] The guests were very warmly welcomed and only in that city the traveler got everything they desired.[38] The thousand of brāhmaṇas lived near the lake of the city to perform saṃdhyāvandana,[39] and openhanded gifts[40] were offered to the brāhmaṇas.
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
[a] makhaśikhidhūma…., Ibid. [b] jvalanmakhaśikhisahasradipyamānadaśadigantaḥ…, Ibid.
[3]:
satatamasaṅkīrṇavarṇavyavahārasthitiḥ…, Ibid., III.p.42
[4]:
puṇḍrekṣuvāṭasayantatibhinirantaraḥ…, Ibid.
[5]:
pratidiśām…khaladhāna….sasyakūṭaiḥ saṅkaṭasīmāntaḥ, Ibid.
[6]:
tatra nānārāmābhirāmakusumagandhaparimalasubhago…….bhuvanasya, Ibid., III.p.43
[7]:
….śilāprākāreṇe….diśām…, Ibid.,II.p.33
[8]:
uddhātaghaṭīsicyamanai….jaṭilitabhūmiḥ, Ibid.,III.p.42
[9]:
iśvaramāgaṇasantāpānabhijñāsakalajano…, Ibid., III.p.43
[10]:
…..sudhārasasiktadhavalagṛhapaṅkipāṇḍuraḥ…, Ibid.
[11]:
ālokyamāna iva mārgadvajaiḥ, Ibid.,IV.p.70
[12]:
jvalantamakhaśikhisahasradīpyamānadaśadiganta…, Ibid., III.p.43
[13]:
anavaratakratudhūma……dhavalītabhūvanaḥ, Ibid.
[14]:
P. V. Kane comments-‘śrīkaṇṭha was a large country of which sthāṇvīśvara was a Part’, Ibid.,III.p.333
[15]:
yamanagaramiti śatrūbhiḥ, Ibid.,III.p.43
[16]:
kalakalamukharamahāvāhīniśatasaṅkulo…, Ibid.
[17]:
toyāśayairmaṇḍitaḥ, Ibid.
[18]:
vīrakṣetramiti śastropajīvibhiḥ, Ibid.,III.p.44
[19]:
gandharvanagaramiti gāyanaiḥ, Ibid.
[20]:
mahotsavasamāja iti cāraṇaiḥ, Ibid.,III.p.43
[21]:
viśvakarmamandiramiti vijñānibhiḥ, Ibid.,III.p.44
[22]:
gurukulamiti vidyārthibhiḥ, Ibid.
[23]:
…mattakāśinībhūṣaṇaravabharitabhūvano…, Ibid.
[25]:
..surālayaśikharoddhūyamānairdhavaladhvajaiḥ…., Ibid., IV.p.57
[27]:
[a]....mahāghoṣaiḥ puritāśaḥ…, Ibid. [b] santatabrahmaghoṣa badhirīkṛtā ivapajagmurītayaḥ, Ibid.
[29]:
dhavaladvijaśucivadanā.., Ibid.
[30]:
[a] candrakāntavapuṣaḥ…, Ibid. [b] prasannojjvalamukharāgasya…., Ibid.
[31]:
lāvaṇyavatyo madhurabhāṣiṇyaśca, Ibid.
[32]:
priyakathā eva subhagāḥ karṇālaṅkāra…, Ibid.
[33]:
gauryo vibhavaratāśca, Ibid.
[38]:
sukṛtaparināma iti paṭhikaiḥ, Ibid.,p.44
[39]:
prodaṇḍasahasrapatropaviṣṭadvijo….toyāśayairmaṇḍitaḥ, Ibid.,III.p.43
[40]:
vasudhāreti ca viprairagṛhyat, Ibid.,III.p.44