Harshacharita (socio-cultural Study)
by Mrs. Nandita Sarmah | 2014 | 67,792 words
This page relates ‘Impact of Environment on Human Mind and Body’ 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.
2. Impact of Environment on Human Mind and Body
Health and hygiene always depend on the environment. We have found that the references to environmental thoughts are to be found in various literatures and several ancient works. References to the ancient literature tells that the people were highly conscious of their surrounding, and the fundamentals of environment such as earth, air, water, wind, every plant and tree etc. were objects of their veneration. In Yajurveda, there is a prayer[1] that all the creatures may be in peace forever. In 7th century A.D. people worshiped the trees of their veneration. Bāṇa describes that queen Vilāsavatī[2] had offered worship and saluted to the great trees such as—aśvattha i.e., the holy tree.
Again, they paid great attention to develop their physical and mental health which is co-related to environment. The social environment has already discussed in chapter-6 (Social Aspects). So, this chapter includes on natural environment only. Nature serves as a link in the story of Bāṇabhaṭṭa. When he gives the description of Śrīkaṇṭha janapada, he presents lifelike picture of the rice crops,[3] singing herdsmen mounted on buffaloes,[4] groups of camels[5] etc. Man plays a vital role in the natural environment system. The people had assigned religious and respectable status to innumerable animals and birds during the time of Bāṇabhaṭṭa. The writer himself mentions that he saluted to an auspicious cow (naicikī) when he was starting for a journey.[6] According to the Amarakoṣa, among the cows, the best type of cow is naiciki.[7] In these circumstances, reference may be made to a vivid picture when Harṣavardhana had entered the forest Vindhyāraṇya, where the journeys of the travelers had been hindered by huge buffaloes.[8] Again, various animals like śāra, gaja, mahiṣa, mṛga etc. were too and fro around them and gazing without any hesitation in Vindhya forest.[9] The mountain, forests, rivers etc. are the gift of nature creating recourses for the substance of living beings. Bāṇa mentions that during that time the forest was covered with huge plantain trees and it looked like a forest of kalpavṛakṣas. The umbrellas of peacock’s feather looked like a forest of ruby trees.[10]
It has been found in the Varāhapurāṇa[11] that plants and trees offered protection to animals and insects as well as to the human beings with abundant supply of wood. A description is found, when Divākaramitra was giving lessons to his pupils, a small tiger was sitting by his side, and a deer was licking his feet, and a pigeon (kapota) bird was taking the nībāra (one type of rice) from his right hand.[12] In these circumstances, a reference is to be made in the Mahābhārata[13] which depict the feeling of gratitude towards the dumb animals for their service to mankind. The impact of all surrounding environment is felt on human mind and body. Bāṇabhaṭṭa has not only observed the mind of the natural things such as birds, an animal etc., but also describes the impact of nature in human mind. For example, psychology of teenager, which we know from the conversation between Mālatī and Sarasvatī, that all surrounding atmosphere such as the Sun, the Moon etc had impact over their mind.[14] Therefore, Divākaramitra established his hermitage (āśrama) in the Vindhyāraṇya, which had been far away from all noises, and, also, he taught his students in a natural atmosphere.[15]
Again, in 7th century A.D., people had paid great attention towards development of their physical and mental health. Divākaramitra was a vegetarian; he lived on fruits only. Consequently his breath became fragrant[16] and he also told that fruits and roots were common with the entire forester; there was nothing in that forest that he (Divākaramitra) could make all his own. So Divākaramitra could not offer anything special for Harṣa.[17] In this context, it is also found in the Atharvaveda[18] that the land which is full of trees can afford food and nourishment to all the people of the world.
Bāṇabhaṭṭa has observed very carefully all natural atmospheres where he lived. He has not only observed the feeling of people, but the mind set of animals also. The author mentions that on seeing the cloud in the sky, the birds like mayūra, cātaka and the elephant screamed joyfully and the Peacocks danced when it turned to thunder.[19]
P. V. Kane also remarks—
“The peacock is in its glory before the advent of the rains and its feathers begin to drop after the rains.”[20]
In the Mahābhārata also it is mentioned that the animals and plants have the feeling of joy and sorrow and, hence, it is said that hurting of plants and killing them indiscriminately is a sin-
sukhadukhḥayośca grahanacchinnasya ca virohanāt |
jīvaṃ paśyāmi vṛkṣāṇamacaitanyaṃ na vidyate ||[21]
When Rājyaśrī entered the forest Vindhyāraṇya, it was covered with śāra grass; her eyes became contracted by the sharp points of long śāra grass that had entered her eyes and, the flowers of kuśa grass struck her eyes, which became red and swollen.[22] Again, her feet could not be moved owing to the swelling caused by the fatigue of the journey.[23] At that moment, for quick heel of Rājyaśrī, the foresters applied different medicinal herbs, like red arsenic to the swollen eyes.[24] The Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃgraha also prescribes it.[25]
Bāṇa gives the description of human physic with the natural colours. Queen Yaśomatī’s feet were radiant in her pregnancy so it is compared with the lotus flowers.[26] In the description of Vindhya forest, he compares dark shades of the trees with the collyrium and with the darkness of the hell (pātāla).[27] Again the colour of Dhātakī flower is compared with the blood; therefore, the young lions licked that flower in their greed for blood.[28]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[3]:
kṛtamadhukarakolāhalairhalairulikhyamānakṣetraḥ, Harṣacarita,III,p.42
[4]:
mahiṣapṛṣṭhapratiṣṭhitagāyadgopālapālitaiśca, Ibid.
[5]:
…sahasrasaṃkhyaiḥ kṛṣṇaśārai śārīkṛtoddeśaḥ, Ibid.
[6]:
pradakṣiṇīkṛtva…. naicikīm, Harṣacarita, II.p.25
[7]:
syaduttamā gauṣu naicikī, Amarakoṣa,II.9.66
[8]:
mahiṣaiḥ muṣitam paṭhikāgamanam, Harṣacarita,VIII.p.130
[9]:
vindhyavanamidam….., agaṇitagajakulakalitam, aparimitamṛgapatiśarabhabhayam, urumahiṣamuṣitapaṭhikāgamanam, atiniśitaśarakuśaparuṣam, avaṭaśataviṣamamaviśat, Ibid.
[10]:
kalpalatāvanāyamānaṃ kadalikābhiḥ, māṇikyavṛkṣkavanāyamānaṃ mayurātapatraiḥ, Ibid.,II.p.27
[11]:
Varāhapurāṇa,170.40
[12]:
[a] āsanopāntopaviṣṭavisrabdhanekakesariśāvakatayā…, Harṣacarita,VIII.p.128 [b] pibadbhirvanahariṇairjihvālatābhi…, Ibid. [c] vāmakaratalanibiṣṭena nīvāramaśnatāpāravatapotena…., Ibid.
[13]:
gāśca saṃkīrtayennityaṃ nāvamanyeta tāstathā| aniṣṭaṃ svapnamālakṣya gām naraḥsamprakīrtayet|| Mahābhārata, anuśāsanaparvan, 78.18
[14]:
[15]:
Ibid.,VIII.p.128
[16]:
mūlaphalābhyavahārasambhavamudvamanniva ca parimalasubhagaṃ vikasakusumapaṭalapāṇḍuraṃ latāvanam, Ibid.,VIII.p.129
[17]:
sakalavanasarasārthasādhāraṇasya kandamūlaphalasya girisariṭambhaso va ke vayam, Ibid.,VIII.p.130
[18]:
Atharvaveda,XII.1.127
[19]:
[a] meghamayā iva kṛtaśikhaṇḍikulakolāhalāḥ, Harṣacarita,VIII.p.127 [b]...jaladharaṃ garjitāḍambaraṇām, darpaśātamapaśyat, Ibid.,II.p.31
[20]:
Ibid.,p. 562
[21]:
Mahābhārata, Śāntiparvan, Mokṣadharmaparvan, 184.17
[22]:
….pārṣṇipraviṣṭaśaraśalākāśalyaśūlasaṅkocitacakṣuṣā……. kuśakusumāhatilohitānāṃ śvayatāmakṣṇāṃ…………………, Harṣacarita,VIII.p.131
[23]:
..cādhvanīnaśramaśvayathuniścalacaraṇena…………., Ibid.
[24]:
lepīkṛtamanaḥśilena ca………, Ibid.
[25]:
[26]:
kamalalobhanilīnairalibhiriva ……caraṇau, Harṣacarita, IV.p.59
[27]:
[a] añjanacalā iva pallavitā, Ibid.,VIII.p.127 [b] pātālandhakārarāśaya iva….., Ibid.
[28]:
rudhirāhutibhiriva pāribhadradruma…….vibhāvasan, Ibid.,II.p.23