Jivanandana of Anandaraya Makhin (Study)
by G. D. Jayalakshmi | 2019 | 58,344 words
This page relates ‘Analysis of Apathyata’ of the study on the Jivanandana (in English) which is a dramatic play written by Anadaraya Makhin in the 18th century. The Jivanandana praises the excellence of Advaita Vedanta, Ayurveda (medical science) and Dramatic literature as the triple agency for obtaining everlasting bliss.
Analysis of Apathyatā
On hearing the report of Matsara, that the efforts of the six in-born enemies in disturbing Jīva’s samādhi has failed, Pāṇḍu plans to attack him once again from within the body by sending Apathyatā. He orders her to make Jīva get attracted to untimely food and sport.[1]
Apathyatā, is next seen at the war front, in the sixth Act (vv.51-5) along with her assistants Mandāgni, Vāta, Pitta and Kapha. She is also known as Rasavatī and Rucimatī. She is the trouble maker for human beings in both conditions of being well or ill. Atibubhukṣā, excess hunger is her form, when she starts her work, and is followed by the three faults, Vāta, Pitta and Kapha. The stomach is the resting place for these three with Apathyatā. This combination is considered as the root cause of the adverse happenings in the body.
In spite of the timely warnings and strict discipline in diet control, the hero, lured by his friend Vidūṣaka, starts taking unlimited food due to the attack of this Apathyatā and her group. Vijñāna Śarmā advises Jīva to withstand her temptation and keep himself steady by not succumbing to her viles.[2]
To sum up, Ānandarāya Makhin has proved himself an able dramatist in chistling the characters to a nicety. He has taken care to pictorise each and every character, be he the king or minister spy or commander-in-chief. The pen-portraits of these characters in this play, though the major part of them being diseases remain etched in the reader / audience’s memory. Each character is given due recognition and their qualities and idiosyncrasies are meticulously brought to the notice of the reader. In addition, the language that is used for expressing the emotions felt by the characters, be they on the hero’s side or on the opposite side, is excellently warped and woven into a relishable experience for the reader as it could be seen in the next section on Rasas and Alaṅkaras.