Analysis of King Jīva–the Nāyaka

[Section B: Character Analysis]:—The dramatist Ānandaraya Makhin in his Jīvanandana play portrays human soul as the hero and human body as his kingdom. Since this is an allegorical play the author has skilfully depicted human life in a very interesting presentation where he personifies man’s scientific knowledge, spiritual knowledge, intelligence, vital air, major and minor diseases and medicines for them as characters. The Yogic aspects concerned with human beings in general, the feelings and emotions are also personified with suitable names and forms. Apart from these, he brings in lord Śiva and goddess Pārvatī, the divine couple as part of the drama. The concepts–Kāla (Time) and Karma (Action), are also personified as characters in the drama.

Jīva being the Nāyaka of the play, and being closely associated with Yogic and philosophical principles particularly, Advaita, his character has to be analysed from these points of view though they are intermixed.

Jīvarāja appears in the first, third, fourth, sixth and seventh Acts of the play.

In the first Act, from Vijñāna Śarmā’s musings as he is awaiting to get the audience of king Jīvā in his personal chamber it is understood that though amicable, the king cannot be easily approached since his unusual glow like that of the fire, prevents anyone from doing so (I.36):

ātiparicaye'pi rājṣo bibhemi sahasopagantumabhyarṇam |
yenāgniriva tejaḥ sphuradasyārānnivartayati ||

This verse brings out the normal features of a king on the one hand, and also the first and foremost quality of the soul being by nature blemishless and bright.^[1]

Further Jīva as king is described by the minister as–physically fit and healthy, wearing regal dress of white silk and golden ornaments.

Though he is full of might, he is quite amiable (I.37):

gaṇḍūṣodakaśodhite'pi vadane tāmbūlaraktādharaḥ
  snānāpohitacandane'pi vapuṣi proddāmatatsaurabhaḥ |
nirṇikte sicaye dhṛte'pi kanakākalpena pītāmbaraḥ
  so'yaṃ satyapi na pramādyati sadācārādatiprābhave ||

When the minister narrates the information brought by Dharaṇā, the king is quite attentive and puts forward probing questions. The king is also aware that only by worshipping Śiva and Pārvatī he could procure Rasa and Gandhaka since they represent the potential energies of the Divine couple.^[2]

As the minister advices the king to do penence, there ensues a conversation where at one point the king speaks of Śivabhkati with great emotion which is described by the dramatist as sotkaṇṭaḥ (I.47/48). Here, Jīva’s (soul’s) yearning for the Supreme is brought out through his fervour for Śivabhakti (represented as second heroine to whom the hero shows a partiality).

In the third Act again, Vijñāna Śarmā describes the king who has returned from his penance. Jīva’s face shines with glow now; he is free from worries; his gait is like an elephant which is very much enraged on seeing the elephant of the enemy’s side; also that gait seems to make the entire world to bow down at his feet.

This is because of his heroic majesty (III-21):

vicāravigamādidaṃ vilasati prasannaṃ mukhaṃ gṛhītasuṣamaṃ himavyapagamādivāmbhoruham |
viṣāṇina iva pratidviradadarśanārṣiṇogatiśca kila medinīṃ namayatīva dhīroddhatā ||

By this description, the author confirms that the king Jīva is a Dhīroddhata Nāyaka.

His experience during his penance is explained by Jīva to his consort Buddhi (III. 31/32; p.159)^[3] and to Vijñāna Śarmā (III.27/29; pp.167-69).^[4] The step by step process brings out the Advaitic tenets that are to be followed by the soul to reach the Brahman. He explanation about the properties of Rasa and Gandhaka impresses upon the reader his knowledge in Āyurveda (III.23-6)^[5].

In the fourth Act, the king is portrayed as being involved in the day to day affairs. This act also presents the arrival of the neighbouring kings, with their offerings. Through the dialogues between the king and the minister the various presents brought by them are enumerated.This is a theatre technique utilised by the author to establish the emperorship of the hero.

Now, the author introduces Smṛti, Śivabhakti and Śraddhā as personified special characters. Their meeting with the hero assures the hero’s future mission in obtaining the ultimate goal of complete liberation.

In the fourth Act, the king also indulges in a swing sport, along with the queen in the royal garden as befitting the royalty.

When Apathyatā, attacks Jīva in the form of atibubhukṣā (excess hunger) which is an indicator for the fall of the kingdom (the body) (VI.38/39): ātibubhukṣā rājṣo rājyacyutisūcikā |, the minister makes

Jīva look at the happenings in the battlefield. The body, which is the city, is attacked at different corners and Jīva, the soul, witnesses it. While witnessing the attacks on the body Jīva also undergoes the troubles felt by the body; he almost loses faith in his minister (VI.67-70). But as the minister shows him his body’s reaction on administering various medicines Jīva takes heart and starts following the war. He gives a running commentary of the victory of his own soldiers (VI.80-7).

In the seventh Act, once again Jīva is quite happy about the victory of his warriors and he enlists the diseases who attacked his body and the medicines that thwarted them (VII.1-6). But when the minister is apprehensive about the renewed attack of Yakṣmā, it is removed by Jīva’s rememberance of Śivabhakti and through her he visualises the Divine couple. On being worshipped by him with great reverence, the Lord teaches complete Yoga Śāstra to him. Jīva is now fully free from the diseases, with healthy body; the mind has also now become healthy with Yogic teachings.^[6] Jīva, the king, has won over all his enemies (diseases) and has made his city (body) free of them; thereby he has become a Jīvanmukta.^[7]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

See com. p.43:
jīvo'pi svayaṃ nityanirmalo niravadhikaprabhāsuraśca syāt ||

[2]:

JN. I.36:
ātiparicaye'pi rājṣo bibhemi sahasopagantumabhyarṇam |
yenāgniriva tejaḥ sphuradasyārānnirtathati ||

[3]:

See infra. (Ch.VI), p.187.

[4]:

See supra. (Ch.V), p.112.

[5]:

See supra. (Ch.IV), pp.85-6.

[6]:

JN, VII.32:
mūrdhanyamaṇḍalaniketasudhāṃśubimba niḥṣyandaśītalasudhāplutinirvṛtāṅgaḥ |
meghāvṛtivyapagame gaganaṃ yathācchaṃ caitanyamāvaraṇavarjitamasmi tadvat ||

[7]:

JN, VII.35:
sarve'pi me praśamitā ripavaḥ pure'bhūdārogyamaikṣiṣi bhavantamumāsahāyam |
yogaṃ tatastvadupadiṣṭamavāpya jīvanmukto'smi te karuṇayā kimataḥ priyaṃ me ||