Kavyamimamsa of Rajasekhara (Study)
by Debabrata Barai | 2014 | 105,667 words
This page relates ‘Karpuramanjari of Rajashekhara’ of the English study on the Kavyamimamsa of Rajasekhara: a poetical encyclopedia from the 9th century dealing with the ancient Indian science of poetics and rhetoric (also know as alankara-shastra). The Kavya-mimamsa is written in eighteen chapters representing an educational framework for the poet (kavi) and instructs him in the science of applied poetics for the sake of making literature and poetry (kavya).
Part 11 - The Karpūramañjarī of Rājaśekhara
[Full title: The Dramas of Rājaśekhara: (i) The Karpūramañjarī]
This is the four acts Prākṛta Saṭṭka (a peculiar type of drama)[1]. In the act I, started with the entry of king Caṇḍapāla, his queen Vibhrāmalekhā and Vidūṣaka with their retinue. When the king and queen enjoying the beauty of (spring season) Vasanta-kāla, greet each other for prosperity. Then there is a debate between the Vidūṣaka and Vicakṣaṇa an attendant, regarding the poetic skill of each others. Then the king Caṇḍapāla admit the poesy of Vicakṣaṇa and Vidūṣaka gets angry and feels away. After sometime he is return and says about the arrival of Bhairavānanda, a sorcerer, renowned for his magical skill. On the request of Vidūṣaka, Bhairavānanda brings forth the prices of the southern country, in Vidūṣaka dresses to the court of king Caṇḍapāla. The princes tell the queen about her whereabouts and knowing her to be Karpūramañjarī, the daughter of Śaśiprabhā and the maternal sister of the queen, she feels very happy. The king Caṇḍapāla falls in love with the princess. Then the request of the queen Bhairavānanda lets the princess to live with the queen for some days.
In the act II, the king infatuated with his love to Karpūramañjarī is portrayed to be thinking of her beauty. The Vidūṣaka come to the king along Vicaksaṇa and then Vicaksana gives a love-letter to the king which is sent by Karpūramañjarī. Then the king with the help of Vidūṣaka and Vicakṣaṇa manages to see Karpūramañjarī while she was swinging and engaged to fulfillment of the ardent desires of Kurbaka, Aśoka and Tilaka, through the direction of the queen.
In the III act, the king becomes sorrow to unite with Karpūramañjarī. To see king’s situation Vidūṣaks tells him of a dream of his own. After they hear the description of Karpūramañjarī afflicted with amorous sorrow done by her attendant Kuraṅgika. On hearing this they proceed forth and reach near Karpūramañjarī. In order to pacify Karpūramañjarī, who was sweating severely the Vidūṣaka fans with his over-cloth. The light extinguished with this and the king picks up the hand of Karpūramañjarī with consoles her. Then the royal bards portray the commencement of twilight and the moonrise.
Then in the IV act, Vidūṣaka tells the king that Karpūramañjarī is imprisoned by the queen. The attendant of queen, Kuraṅgika tell the king that his marriage will be celebrated in the evening on this day. The queen agrees about this and arranges the marriage. Then the king marriage with Karpūramañjarī and attains sovereignty.
According to A. B. Keith and Sten Konow, Karpūramañjarī is the earliest work of the Rājaśekhara[2]. To the critics Keith, I Sekhar and S. K. De realized that the portrayal of the love of king Caṇḍapāla and Karpūramañjarī does not win to the mind of the appreciation and approbation of the spectators. The only merit of this Saṭṭaka is it handles elaborate Prākṛt metre charmingly for the Rājaśekhara’s ability. There he seems to give the more importance to poetic diction than dramatic action.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
In the Sāhityadarpaṇa ācārya Viśvanātha says about the Saṭṭaka as:
“saṭṭakaṃ prākṛtāśeṣapāṭh yaṃ syādapraveśakam |
na ca viṣkambhako'pātra pracuraścādbhuto rasaḥ ||
aṅkā javanikākhāḥ syuḥ syādanyannāṭikāsamama || ” -Sāhityadarparṇa: 6/ 276