Part 6 - Innovations and deviations

Maṅkhaka has applied in his Śrīkaṇṭhacarita some important innovations as well as deviations. Maṅkhaka turns the story of tripuradahana into a fullgrown literary epic. Though he took the skeleton of the story from the Mahābhārata and the Śp, however he has styled the story with his unique innovations. Again, he has taken recourse to some additions and elaborations as well. The contents of the cantos such as canto I, II, III, IV, VI-XVI, XXII and XXV are additions in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita, those are not found in its original sources. The cantos in the beginning are introductory in nature, without any relation to its subject-matter. Some of them have been added only to fulfil the rhetorical need of the epic. Canto XXV i.e. the last one is just an appendix and merely an addition. Along with these, several legends from the Purāṇas are found scattered in the whole poem, which are nothing but additions. As for example, there is the reference of rescue of the divine females, imprisoned earlier by the demons, which is actually an important addendum.^[1] Among the additions, some of them have some kind of relation with the main story, whether directly or indirectly, some have no direct relation with the story, even then considered to be necessary, from the standpoint of the norms of poetics laid down for composition of a literary epic. Besides, some have no connection at all with its theme. The supplementary descriptions in cantos, ranging from IV to XVI are dimly connected with the main story. Again, the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita is too much elaborative in nature and the elaboration is considered as one of the main characteristic features of the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita.

The subject-matter of the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita i.e. the burning of the Tripuras starts from canto XVI. 27 and continues up to canto XXIV. In its source, viz. the Karṇaparvan of the Mahābhārata, it was narrated in less number of verses (179), in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita, it takes more than 500 verses. It occupies twelve, six and three chapters respectively in the Rudrasaṃhitā, Jnānasaṃhitā and Sanatkumārasaṃhitā of the Śivapurāṇa Maṅkhaka extends it to twenty-five chapters or sargas, which prove the power of elaboration of Maṅkhaka. However, the style of elaboration, found in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita is quite different from its sources. The progress or movement of the story in the Mahābhārata and the Śivapurāṇa is a little bit fast, but the description in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita is very slow. Maṅkhaka takes his time to elaborate every single detail in the story. Not only this, the prefatory accounts, subsidiary descriptions also got his patient notice and importance.

Though these elaborations sometimes, are over-burdened with repetition and prolonged statements, Maṅkhaka escapes from his critics as because the theme of his epic is not just tripuradahana, rather the life or activities of Lord Śiva. In the original source, it is found that the demons asked Brahmā, the boon of immortality earlier, however, the prayer being rejected, afterwards they prayed that they might be the owners of three moving cities, which would be united after thousand years and then only they might be killed with a single arrow. Maṅkhaka, however skips over the condition that the Tripuras would be the owners of the three moving cities and which along with their owners would be united after thousand years and then only they might be assassinated simultaneously. Maṅkhaka, regarding their assimilation, opines that the three demons were united out of their anger to triumph over their opponent by a combined assault. Therefore, until and unless, they come jointly, out of their own resolve, the Tripuras cannot be vanquished. Interestingly, Maṅkhaka refrains from mentioning any time-bound for killing the demons, thereby keeps the anxiety and tension alive in the story. Thus, the grounds, for the union of the demons appears quite normal and convincing, as it has been stated that the Tripuras gathered together out of their wrath to conquer Lord Śiva and the army of the gods, by an united attack.

Again, in the source i.e. the Sanatkumārasaṃhitā of the Śivapurāṇa, there is very little or short description of the battle of the gods and the demons. That is to say, no worthy description between the Tripuras and the army of Lord Śiva has been depicted. Rather, it is found that Śiva has burnt the three cities of the demons along with the demons inhabiting there into ashes without any effort at all. However, in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita also, the Tripuras are burnt easily by Lord Śiva. But Maṅkhaka has empowered the rival demons and portrayed a true picture of the grand fight of the two parties, as according to him, the win of the either force was uncertain. Without the prowess of the demons, innovated by the poet, the splendid parade of Śiva’s army would have been a total show-off and mockery. This way, the triumph of Lord Śiva over that of the mighty Tripuras speaks in support of the glory of the hero. Again, it is found in the Mahābhārata XXXIII. 16, that Maya has been ordered by the Tripuras to build three cities for them.

The Jñānasaṃhitā of the Śivapurāṇa (XIX. 62, 63) also holds that Brahmā has ordered Maya to do so; it also holds that Maya was one among the Tripuras and he created the said cities for them. Nevertheless, according to the account found in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita, Maya has built three cities for the Tripuras, comprehending their motive of conquering the three worlds, separately so that they might not be killed, until they are united. From this, it becomes evident that the Tripuras are neither dependent on Brahmā’s order, nor they requested Maya to build the cities for them, on the contrary, Maya has himself pursued their will. All these, implies the strong persona of the Tripuras. Thus, the depiction of the dignity of the contender is a necessity to demonstrate the magnitude of personality of the hero, and therefore, this is an innovation, Maṅkhaka has employed in his poem.

Another deviation of Maṅkhaka is that during fight with the demons, though contrary to the mythological norms, Gaṇeśa has been seen on the lion’s back.^[2] It may be justified on the ground that though rat is the traditional mount of Gaṇeśa, however while fighting; a lion is more capable than a rat. Again, after the fierce fight and triumph over the demons, the gods followed Śiva towards Kailāsa and therein Kailāsa, they bestowed Him with eulogies and only after that, they returned to their respective abodes. This is an important innovation of the poet, not to be found in its sources, as in the sources^[3], the gods after receiving due permission from the Lord, they bid farewell to the Lord and not followed Him to Kailāsa and they just departed to their places. Again, in the Sanatkumārasaṃhitā (54, 66-68) of the Śivapurāṇa also, it has been mentioned that Lord Śiva has returned to Kailāsa, after bidding adieu to the gods, and here, there is no mention of the god’s going after of Śiva, to Kailāsa. It seems that Maṅkhaka has added this portion, just to heighten the level of the character of the hero, and this is one of the important innovations of Maṅkhaka. Along with this, Maṅkhaka’s another innovation is that he has exclusively portrayed the character of Lord Śiva, though in its sources, Brahmā and Viṣṇu are depicted as co-hero or sometimes, greater than Śiva. In the Karṇaparvan of the Mahābhārata, Duryodhana has related this story to Śalya that Brahmā had been made the charioteer of Śiva, during the tripuradahana episode, because a charioteer should be superior to the warrior, riding a chariot. From this, the supremacy of Brahmā over that of Śiva has been sought to establish by the speaker, which however, belittles the heroism of Śiva. Again, as found in the Matsyapurāṇa., Viṣṇu has taken the form of a colossal bull and by the help of his horn supported the chariot of Śiva, which was perishing due to lack of support. He again, in that very form of the bull is found to have entered the city of the demons and drank up the nectar in the well there, which could enliven the dead bodies of the demons, plunged into it, and without the destruction of which, it was impossible to defeat the Tripuras. Besides, in the Śivapurāṇa also, it is found that Viṣṇu took pivotal role in converting them to a perverted religion, by the help of a Jaina ascetic created by Him and thereby leading to their annihilation. This way, in the sources, Viṣṇu too acted in a prominent role, just like Brahmā do, and thus projects Himself as an associate hero. Maṅkhaka, however desists from this practice and thereby the character of Śiva gets space and scope for appearing prominently.

Besides these innovations and deviations, there are some more to be added here. In the Matsyapurāṇa., it is stated that the Tārakākṣa, Vidyunmālī and Maya was the master of three cities, made up of iron, silver and gold. There is no mention of Kamalākṣa therein the Matsyapurāṇa., in lieu of him, Maya is stated to have practiced penance together with Tārakākṣa and Vidyunmālī. Again, in the Matsyapurāṇa., it has been stated that at the command of Lord Śiva, Indra and the other gods have attacked the city of the demons and during that time, Śiva awaits for coming out of the Tripuras. Therein, Nandī has been depicted in a powerful role, such as Nandī’s killing of Vidyunmālī^[4] and Tārakākṣa.^[5] Besides, Nandī went to the city of the demons, at the command of Śiva, even before reaching of the arrow of the Lord there as well as persuaded Maya to get out of the city. Again, therein the Matsyapurāṇa., Maya is seen to have created a well, full of nectar, by his magical powers and he used to dip the dead bodies of the demons there and enliven them.^[6] Viṣṇu however, taking a bull form entered the city of the demons and drank up the ambrosia contained in the well as well as crushed the demons.^[7] All these aforementioned details are found in the Matsyapurāṇa.

Regarding the tripuradahana story have nothing to do with in the Śivapurāṇa, except the references of the constituents of the chariot of Śiva. Again, Bhāgavatapurāṇa^[8] relates the story of tripuradahana as found in the Matsyapurāṇa.^[9], concisely. Moreover, in the Śivapurāṇa, it has been mentioned that the Tripuras practiced penance in the cave of the mount Meru^[10], along with these, it has been mentioned therein the Śivapurāṇa, that earlier Śiva refused to kill the Tripuras for their being devoted to Him as well as they were doing some marvellous works, though they were torturing the three worlds and the gods.^[11] However, afterwards they swerved from the path of devotion towards Śiva and dispose of the Vedic religion.^[12] Then gods propitiated Śiva and persuaded Him to be in favour of the gods. All these were done by the skill of Viṣṇu. Again, in the Śivapurāṇa, it has been stated that there has been uttered a voice from the sky that announced that until Śiva worship Gaṇapati, He will not be able to annihilate the Tripuras, Śiva complied accordingly.^[13] These were however, not to be found in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita, and these may be termed as deviation done by Maṅkhaka.

This way Maṅkhaka, although has made some innovations, deviations, additions as well as elaborations in the undernourished story of the Mahābhārata, to shape his Śrīkaṇṭhacarita as a truly literary epic, however, it is seen that Maṅkhaka mostly follows the Karṇaparvan of the Mahābhārata, regarding the account of the story.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Śrīkaṇṭhacarita., XXIV. 34

[2]:

Ibid., XXIII. 14

[3]:

Mahābhārata, XXXIV. 114, 117

[4]:

Matsyapurāṇa., 140. 34-36

[5]:

Ibid., 138. 46

[6]:

Ibid., 136. 9-11

[7]:

Ibid., 136. 63-64

[8]:

Bhāgavatapurāṇa, VII. 10. 54-68

[9]:

Matsyapurāṇa., chapter 129-140

[10]:

Śivapurāṇa, II. 5. 1. 10

[11]:

Ibid., II. 5. 3. 1-6

[12]:

Ibid., II. 5. 4. 1-20

[13]:

Ibid., II. 5. 10. 6. 7