Chapter 7 - Evaluation

Jīvānandana Nāṭaka, the extraordinary allegorical Sanskrit play had been analysed in the preceding chapters from three different angles–Āyurveda, Advaita and Nāṭakalakṣaṇa. Having established the authorship of Ānandarāya Makhin regarding the two plays–Vidyāpariṇaya and Jīvānandana, in the second chapter, the Act-wise summary of the play has been given in the third chapter. Going through the next three chapters, it can be assuredly proclaimed that Ānandarāya Makhin is a dramatist of great literary skill and ingenuity. He has made use of all the literary embellishments in constructing the play in an inimitable style and has ingenuously blended Āyurveda and Advaita in a single presentation without any confusion and ambiguity. The play is rich with all the excellences and charm of a classical drama. Also it smoothly presents the principles of medical science and philosophical nuances.

Theme

From the very first Act, it has been clearly pointed out by the dramatist, Śivabhakti is an essential requisite to obtain mokṣa and Jīva is shown to be partial towards Śivabhakti. The main theme of the play is–Jīva undergoes physical and mental illness on account of his karma. Physical illness is known as vyādhi and the other is ādhi. When Jīva is under the grip of different physical ailments, he is known as vyādhigrasta; when in the clutches of the mental illness like kāma and krodha, he is called ādhigrasta. To get rid of both ādhi and vyādhi, bhakti towards the Supreme is essential. This can be achieved only through Yoga. Only with the Grace of the Divine Couple, nirbīja samādhi, the ultimate state of Yoga is obtained. Jīva becomes Jīvanmukta with the support of Śivabhakti. Hence, Jīva remains always attached to Śivabhakti from the first Act.

Starting from the Nāndī verses, the dramatist never moves away from his message that a healthy body is indispensable to obtain not only the trivargas (dharma, artha and kāma) but also the apavarga (mokṣa). While the first Nāndī is a prayer to Dhanvantarī who has the medicine for healthy body, the second Nāndī is addressed to Śiva to bestow on Jīva, the desired health (ārogyam abhipsitam) as he is paṣūnām patiḥ.

This paves way to achieve jīvanmukti through Śivabhakti and Yoga taught by the Lord himself as the hero declares in the concluding verse (VII. 35cd):

yogaṃ tataḥ tvadupadiṣṭam āvāpya jīvanmukto'smi te karuṇayā … |

Style

In between these themes of Advaitic and Ayurvedic concepts the playwright has woven the plot and characters in such a way that the reader/audience eagerly follows the drama evincing reactions such as concern, anxiety, wonder, worry, eagerness, fear, anger, repulsion, awe and so on. To bring forth such effects in the audience, Ānandarāya Makhin has skillfully handled the language with rhyme and rhythm.

It has been already shown how well he has presented all the nine rasas through beautiful expressions.

As he himself says in the Prastāvanā, his style is lucid but lofty and his poetry is striking and suitable to the context everywhere (I. 3ab):

rītiḥ sukhapadanyāsā śāradīyā vijṛmbhate |

The commentary Nandinī quite correctly explains this as:

śāradīyā rītiḥ granthasyāsya vāgvilāsavaikharī sukhapadanyāsā sulalitapadabhūyiṣṭā satī vijṛmbhate prauḍhaguṇālaṅkṛtā virājate iti |

True to this, one can find Ānandarāya Makhin's style of writing very interesting and attractive, being embellished with alaṅkāras, guṇas, rītis and vṛttis.

Ānandarāya Makhin seems to be quite conversant with literary specialities and poetic excellences of ancient poets like Kālidāsa, Bhavabhūti, Viśākhadatta, Kṛṣṇamiśra and Vedānta Deśika and his composition reflects their lyrical grandeur and poetic descriptions. Sometimes his expressions look like ‘mirror images’ of Kṛṣṇamiśra’s Prabodhacandrodaya and Vedānta Deśika’s Saṅkalpa-sūryodaya since the subject matter of Jīvānandana Nāṭaka is akin to the plot of these two plays. The Nandinī commentary of M. Duraiswami Aiyangar points out these similarities in all identifiable places.

The speciality of the work lies in the fact that it is a valuable combination of philosophical views of Vedānta and that of the fundamental aspects of Āyurveda presented in a very suitable format of a nāṭaka. The high literary talent of the author exhibited in modelling this drama makes the entire play quite engrossing and appreciable.

While the author on the one hand is a great literary composer and Vedāntin, on the other hand he proves himself to be versatile scholar with skill in the science of Āyurveda. Hailing from a family of scholars, his work Jīvānandana Nāṭaka stands as a sample of his literary talent, excellent knowledge in politics and warfare, the ingrained philosophy of Śivabhakti along with deep practical knowledge in Āyurveda.

Within the drama Jīvānandana Nāṭaka, one can find ideas from various texts–specifically on Āyurveda and Dharmaśāstra. Since the play deals with war and politics, Rājanīti is often cited as in the case of Vijñāna Śarmā talking to himself about the difficulty of a king’s duties (Rājadharma):

(i) Worshipping Vedic scholars who have done severe penance, providing charity to deserving people, punishing the wicked and safeguarding the welfare of the citizens are the rightful deeds to be carried by a king.^[1]

(ii) In the process of ruling a country well, the king has to take care of himself, his ministers, friends, kingdom, forts, treasury and army.^[2]

(iii) When the able ministers carry out effectively and cleverly their duties and handle successfully the state-affairs with secrecy, then, the king can be free of worries.^[3]

(iv) When such ministers with dedication execute their assigned duties, then, the treasury would be well maintained; enemies would be under control as their activities get screened by well-trained spies; the rightful income of the kingdom would also be well balanced; the army men and other families would be provided with all comforts; and the public would become free of fear from thieves.^[4]

Ānandarāya Makhin utilising this short soliloquy of the minister has provided the principles of Rājanīti as they are given in Śukra Nīti, Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstra, Kāmandakīya Nītisāra and other similar texts.

So too are his references to Ayurvedic texts:

(i) When talking about the properties of Rasa and Gandhaka, Ānandarāya Makhin cites three verses (III. 24-6) from Rasaratnasamuccaya. Again in describing Rājayakṣmā, he cites three more verses (VII. 76-8) from Nidāna section of Aṣṭāṅgahṛdaya. In the sixth Act having diseases and medicine as characters, there are many Ayurvedic texts cited to define them both. In Act III, when Jīva prays to the Lord to bless him with Rasa and Gandhaka, there are two verses (III. 30-1) composed by Ānandarāya Makhin reflecting the ideas of Yajurveda (12.49 and 12.96). Verse 39 of Act I talks about Rasa and Gandhaka as the potencies of the Divine couple; the base for this concept is found in almost all the Ayurvedic texts like Caraka Saṃhitā, Suśruta Saṃhitā, Rasaratnasamuccaya and so on. The entire composition is replete with reflections of Ayurvedic concepts.

Apart from these, he makes Lord Parameśvara cite Śruti texts and the Bhagavadgītā in the seventh Act when he teaches Yogic knowledge to Jīva. When Jñāna Śarmā preaches to Jīva about transcience of human life and advises him to move away from mundane life and seek for mokṣa by resorting of the Lord, the entire dialogue brings to mind many Śruti passages, Advaitic texts including Kṛṣṇamiśra’s Prabodhacandrodaya. Throughout JN, one can find an echo of this drama in delineating Advaitic principles. Ānandarāya Makhin differs from Kṛṣṇamiśra in only one point–that is, while the latter advocates Viṣṇubhakti, Ānandarāya Makhin being a staunch devotee of Śiva, propogates Śiva bhakti as the means to attain mokṣa.

As said earlier, Ānandarāya Makhin being a well-read poet, at places echoes in his writings, both in poetry and in prose, kavis like Kālidāsa and Bāṇa.

(i) The very first dialogue of Vijñāna Śarma as he enters the stage–mayi jīvati jīvasya reminds one of Bhīma's declaration as he enters the stage in Veṇīsaṃhāra–

svastha bhavantu mayi jīvati dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ ||

(ii) The description of Manmatha being burnt to ashes by Śiva given in verse 37cd of Act VI–

kopoddhāṭitanaiṭilekṣaṇapuṭaproddāmadhūmajvala jjvālājālavijṛmbhaṇena sahasā bhasmīcakāra smaram ||

Immediately brings to mind Kālidāsa’s words in Kumārasambhava (III.72):

krodhaṃ prabho saṃhara saṃhareti yāvadgiraḥ khe marutāṃ caranti |
tāvat sa vahnirbhavanetrajanmā bhasmāvaśeṣaṃ madanaṃ cakāra ||

(iii) King Jīva on his return from penance in the Puṇḍarīkapura is quite confident as he had been blessed by the Lord.

Hence his gait is vigorous as though he would bring all the world under his control (III. 21d)–

gatiśca kila medinīṃ namayatīva dhīroddhata ||

This echoes the words of Bhavabhūti in Uttararāmacarita (VI.19) where Rāma, seeing Lava and Kuśa ready for fight, admires their stance thus:

dṛṣṭistṛṇīkṛtajagattrayasattvasārā dhīroddhatā namayatīva gatirdharitrīm ||

Not only poetry; his prose style too resembles in its construction, clarity and fineness, the style of Bāṇa Bhaṭta. For instance:

(i) The description Jīva seated in deep Samādhi as given by Karṇamūla in Act II (25/26; p. 105-06):

tatrādrākṣaṃ ca sannirīkṣaṇaikapare īkṣaṇe nigamārthaśravaṇaprasṛte śravasī śivanirmālyagandhasantarpitaṃ ghrāṇaṃ vighasāmṛtā svādanaikatānāṃ rasānāṃ tretābhasmāvaguṇṭhitāṃ tvacaṃ dharmārthasaṃgrahītārau karau tadarthaṃ kṛtasaṣcāraṇau caraṇau cirantanasarasvatīcikuraparimalamodasadanaṃ vadanaṃ ca | taddarśanenaiva kvacidapi sthalamalabhamānaḥ sthatumapi nāśaktnuvaṃ kiṃpunardevasyājṣāṃ paripālayitum |

(ii) The description of Lord Śiva when he gave darśana to Jīva for the first time and bestowed on him Rasa and Gandhaka, in Act III (28/29; p. 169): tadanu mayi prasādābhimukhaḥ prajvaladagniśikhākalāpa-kapilajaṭāmaṇḍalāṭavī-viluṭhajjāhnavī-carabālahaṃsāyamāna-candralekhaḥ kaṇṭhagata-kālakūṭadyuti-yamunobhaya-pārśva-nissara-nnirjharāyamāṇa rudrākṣamālikaḥ parihitaśārdūladṛṣṭaśilābhaṣjanaṃ ṭaṅkaṃ ca kaṣcana bhagavān kāṣcanagiridhanvā girikanyāsametaḥ sa māmetadavocat |

Having been a minister for warfare and politics under Śāhaji I, Śarabhoji I and Tukaji I, Ānandarāya Makhin records his experiences as a minister also in this play. Under the guise of war between the diseases and medicines, he has elaborated on espionage, war tactics and political principles. He has also elaborated on Rājanīti and Rājadharama. One more matter recorded by him is the respect accorded to an emperor by his allies. In the drama, he creates a situation to bring in this idea. In the fourth Act, when Jīva is once again immersed in the day to day affairs of his kingdom, the minister informs him that many vassal kings are awaiting in the darbar to have his audience. Not bringing the vassal kings on the stage, the playwright has ably constructed the dialogues of the king and the minister in such a way that the audience is led to know that all the kings have enquired about the health of the king and are placing their offerings before him. Minister Vijñana Śarmā enumerates the various offerings to the king–heap of gold, variety of precious gems, jewelleries, yards of pure white silk for making dresses; high-bred horses, chariots, herd of young elephants, attractive swans, that can speak sweetly parrots, fighting sparrows, fast moving eagles, peacocks with graceful plumage and some more animals; in addition, the birds are brought in proper golden cages.^[5]

It is also recorded by him that these kings were to be suitably honoured with equally valuable silk garments with turbans and upper garments, along with ornaments of great value.^[6]

Besides all this, Ānandarāya Makhin was a staunch Śivabhakta. His Śivabhakti is visible throughout the play and this concept has been made into a character also. Ānandarāya Makhin is dedicated both to Lord Śiva and goddesses Pārvatī and he sees Śiva as 'Sāmba' throughout the work. Wherever the opportunity arises, he makes use of the situation to praise Lord Śiva, extol his valour, enumerate his exploits and offer prayers to him. The object of the playwright seems to be to create his work as a literary offering to the Lord.

Ānandarāya Makhin also maintains this objective upto the end of this nāṭaka. The very last line of the concluding verse of this play emphasises the poet’s extraordinary Śivabhakti (JN VII. 38d):

bhūyādasya kaveścirāyurarujo bhaktiśca śaivī dṛḍhā ||

His Śivastuti in the beautiful Daṇḍaka metre in the VII Act is a fine evidence of his adoration of Lord Śiva.^[7] From the above analysis, Ānandarāya Makhin can be valued as bhuvirāja, an efficient minister of the Maratha king of Tanjore; as kavirāja since his literary compositions are at the same time lucid and lofty; as jñanarāja as he had proved himself and advocate of Advaita and a great exponent of Āyurveda; and lastly as naṭarāja rājabhakta since he has been an ardent devotee of Lord Śiva.

While there have been some allegorical drams which have attracted the attention of modern scholars, Jīvānandana of Ānandarāya Makhin stands out unique as it brings out the tenets of not only Advaita but also Āyurveda. Such a type of drama is not only for visual presentation but also serves as a guide to those who are interested in medical science. This play offers much scope for scholars to attempt to bring out salient features of philosophical thoughts, as well as moral and ethical values that would enhance human life.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

JN. III. 8:
ātmānaṃ parirakṣya duṣkaratapovṛddhadvijārādhanairdānīyeṣu ca bhaktipūrvamasakṛddeyapradānairapi |
daṇḍaṃ daṇḍayitamātraviṣayaṃ kṛtvā dharitrītale rājṣā dharmapathe matiṃ kramayatā saṃrakṣitavyāḥ prajāḥ ||

[2]:

ibid.,.9:
śvaḥ śreyasārthaṃ yatate'niśaṃ yo rājṣā kilānena pṛthagvimarśaḥ |
svasminnamātyeṣu suhṛtsu rāṣṭre durgeṣu kośeṣu baleṣu kāryaḥ ||

[3]:

ibid., III. 9/10:
nirjṣātasarvatantreṣu vigūḍhāmodhamantreṣu vinyastasamastakāryabharasya tu rājṣo niścintataiva | paraṃ tu teṣāṃ vyākṛṣyante durantayā tatkāryacitayānayā hṛdayāni |

[4]:

Ibid., III.10:
sāmantā vinameyurityupacayaḥ kośasya siddhyediti sthaneṣu dviṣatāṃ sthitīrapi carāḥ paśyeyurāptā iti |
syādāyopagamo yayeti vibhavaistuṣṭāḥ pravīrā bhaṭā varteranniti mā malimlucagaṇāt bhūrudvijeteti ca ||

[5]:

ibid. IV. 8-10:
kaścit svarṇoghameko maṇigaṇamaparo bhūṣaṇavrātamanyaḥ kṣomastomaṃ paro'śvān rathakulamitaro bālamātaṅgasaṅgham |
sāmantakṣoṇipāleṣvahamahamikayopāharadṛṣṭipātairdevasyānugrahītuṃ sakaruṇamucitaṃ sarvamityarthaye'ham ||
haṃsāścitragatāḥ śukāḥ sphuṭagiro lāvā mitho'marṣiṇaḥ śyenāḥ śīghrajavāḥ śikhaṇḍina upārohatkalāpoccayāḥ |
ānītāstapanīyapaṣjaragatā bhūpairamībhirmudā kiṣcāvekṣitavikramāśca mṛgayākāleṣu kauleyakāḥ ||
dattāni bhūpatibhirebhirupāyanāni teṣāṃ vaśe kuru mamādhikṛtā narā ye |
etāṃsabhājayitumarpaya tattadarhāṇyuṣṇīṣakaṣcukadukūlavibhūṣaṇāni ||

[6]:

ibid. IV 20cd: nirupādhikanissīmakaruṇāmṛtavāridhiḥ diṣṭyā dṛṣṭā bhagavatī pumarthaghaṭanāpaṭuḥ ||

[7]:

See Supra Ch. VI under Lord Parameśvara.