Chapter 8 - Conclusion

The foregoing study of the Usaharana-kavya into respective chapters makes it evident that Trivikrama Pandita though a staunch philosopher, combines in himself all poetic talents of a Mahakavi. Trivikrama Pandita has inherited marvellous personality with which human beings are rarely gifted. I. No doubt, the poet Trivikrama Pandita has supplied a little information regarding his family heritage in the introductory verses to the Usaharana-kavya. He has said that Subrahmanya Pandita was his father and the preceptor too. He belongs to the family of scholars by name Likuca. Besides, the Sumadhvavijaya an epic poem of Narayana Pandita, the son of Trivikrama Pandita, narrates the life account of the poet in detail. On the basis of this authentic source, it is said that Trivikrama Pandita was born in a village Kavu or Kavaguli, lying about two miles north of the modern town of Kasargod. This poet flourished from 1258 A.D. to 1320 A.D. Other than the Usaharana, Trivikrama Pandita has to his credit one philosophical work viz. Tattvapradipa, a lucid commentary on Madhva's Brahmasutrabhasya; and three stotra-texts viz., Nrsimhastuti, Visnu-stuti and Vayu-stuti. II. The Usaharana-kavya runs into nine cantos. The First Canto begins with gods' approach under the leadership of Brahma, to Lord Visnu. They praise the glory of the Milk Ocean and of Lord Visnu. They earnestly ask Lord Visnu for the protection of good souls on the earth from the clutches of wretched demons like Kamsa. Then Lord Visnu incarnates as Krsna and kills Kamsa. 1. Infra., p. 12

222 The Second Canto deals with the construction of Dwaraka city and of Sudharma hall therein, by the divine architect Visvakarma. Then, conversation takes place between Krsna and Yadavas regarding precautionary stratagies to be undertaken at the advent of Kalayavana. At the end of the canto, Kalayavana is reduced to ashes by the fire emitted from the eyes of Mucukunda. The Third Canto contains the description of abduction of Rukmini by Lord Krsna. It results in unbearable insult to Jarasandha and others. They followed these two with an army, and make efforts to overpower Krsna. But Balarama prevents them from doing so. For, Rukmi gets angry and chases with army Lord Krsna. But finally Rukmi is frustrated by Krsna. Then Krsna enters Dwaraka together with his wife Rukmini. The Fourth Canto gives a lively description of the love-sports of the divine couple - Lord Krsna and Rukmini. Then, takes place birth of Pradyumna. But the child-Pradyumna is carried away by demon Sambarasura. With the intention of destroying him, Sambarasura throws the child into the sea. A fish in the sea swallows him. And by a freak of fate, the fish is brought to the kitchen of Sambarasura. When it is cut, there found a child inside the fish. A chef, Mayavati takes the child to her bosom and nourishes him as her own son. In course of time, Sambara demon is destroyed by Pradyumna. Then Aniruddha is born to Pradyumna. The Fifth Canto reads a beautiful description of the garden-sport, water-sport, and drinking scene of Aniruddha with his companions. One night, Banasura's daughter Usa sees a dream of meeting handsome young Aniruddha. She falls in love with him. Having read Usa's heart, her friend, Citralekha abducts Aniruddha and brings him before Usa. Both fall in love with each other. Then, the poet describes the love scene between Usa and Aniruddha.

223 The Sixth Canto in the beginning tells that Dwaraka is sunk in woe. The people in the palace are not finding Aniruddha. They have no clue as to where he has gone. Yadavas discuss about the disappearance of Aniruddha. In the meantime, Narada makes his appearance before Krsna; he tells them about how Usa is fallen in love with Aniruddha, and how he is abducted by Citralekha. The Seventh Canto describes the scene of the battle between two opposite parties, i.e. Lord Krsna and Siva. Krsna destroys the attendant spirits of Siva. Thereupon Siva emanates Tapajvara and shoots it at Krsna. But Krsna drives it out with Sitajvara emanated by himself. The Eighth Canto further continues the description of the same. Siva in order to protect Banasura, makes all attempts to win over Krsna. Nevertheless, Siva is defeated by Krsna. Then Banasura with his thousand arms fiercefully fights against Krsna. But at the end, all thousand arms are cut by Krsna. Here ends the eighth canto. The Ninth Canto being the last one, describes that Banasura submits to Krsna himself. Krsna together with Pradyumna and Balarama returned to Dwaraka accompanied by Aniruddha and Usa. Here ends the narration of the story of Usa and Aniruddha in the Mahakavya. III. In so far as the source material of the Usaharana-kavya is concerned, it is said that the story of Usa and Aniruddha is well known and found to be there in the Bhagavata Purana (X Uttarardha 61-63), the Harivamsa, the Khila portion of the Mahabharata (116-128 Adhyayas), the Visnu Purana (V. 32-33), the Padma Purana (Uttarakanda, Adh. 277.) the Siva Purana (Yuddhakanda, 1-5 Adhyayas) and in the Brahma Purana (96-97 Adhyayas). When reading the story of Usa and Aniruddha in the Puranas mentioned above, one comes to know that all the Puranas excepting the

224 Siva Purana have been regarded as Vaisnava Puranas. And for Vaisnavites, the Bhagavata Purana and the Harivamsa Purana are more authoritative. That is why, it should be considered here that Trivikrama Pandita being an ardent follower of Mahva's Vaisnavism, should have regarded the Bhagavata Purana and the Harivamsa as the prime sources of the Usaharana-kavya. While going through the Puranic texts mentioned above, one does find some variant readings: (1) The Padma Purana accounts that Lord Krsna removes Siva's stupification at the request of Parvati.2 (2) The Siva Purana states that when Banasura passed the order to kill Aniruddha, he listened to the divine voice and consequently retired from killing him.³ (3) In the Siva Purana, it may be noted that Vaisnavajvara submits to Lord Siva. However, the Siva Purana upholds Siva's supremacy; and hence Vaisnavaivara's surrendering to Siva holds good in the context. (4) The Harivamsa describes that Aniruddha prayed Durga to get himself free from the clutches of serpent-cords and he succeeded. His prayer in the Harivamsa is known as 'Aryastava'. (5) Further, the Harivamsa makes a note of worthy consideration that Lord Hari and Lord Hara are glorified as one and the same godhead. This identity is of course here a unique one. These are the remarkable variant readings adding to the main story of Usa and Aniruddha. But none of the variant readings is given scope in the Usaharana-kavya by Trivikrama Pandita. Nevertheless poet's narration of the story runs through various interesting descriptions enriched with poetical conceits. 2. WN Infra., p. 77 3. Infra., p. 43

225 IV. It is popularly known that Kavya is divided into two sections : Sravya and Drsya. This tree of Kavya was planted by the ancient poets like Valmiki, then sprouted by the poets like Bhasa, further blossomed and became fruitful by Kalidasa. Despite this, Trivikrama Pandita has composed this jewel of Sravyakavya, the Usaharana, with a view to highlight over-all supremacy of Lord Krsna, an incarnation of Lord Visnu and to arise devotion to Him in the mind of Sahrdayas too! This epic-poem Usaharana stands out as unique in itself; because like that of Kalidasa it endows Prasadaguna through the sweetness of grape-juice, like that of Magha, it is beautiful with figures of speech, Citrabandhas, like that of Bharavi, it inherits profoundity of thought, and like that of Harsa it carries significant descriptions. In recognising the Usaharana as a Mahakavya, its all characteristics are found well in tune with its being an epic poem. It consists of nine cantos which is not very lengthy. It opens with the Mangala sloka invoking Lord Visnu. It describes Lord Visnu's incarnation as Krsna, His destruction of Kamsa and Kalayavana, His marriage with Rukmini, birth of Pradyumna and Aniruddha, abduction of Aniruddha, fight between Siva and Krsna, union of Aniruddha and Usa. Lord Krsna being the Pradhana-nayaka of the Usaharana is characterised as compassionate, noble, clever, valiant etc. the qualities of a Dhirodatta type of hero. The Usaharana reads the description of the Milk ocean, Dwaraka city water-sport, garden-sport, love amusements of Usa and Aniruddha, battle, Raivataka mountain etc. All cantos end with different metre from that of preceding ones. All cantos were written in an agreeable metre and well connected with the contents thereof. Lord Krsna is characterised as triumphant. And Trivikrama Pandita's purpose of writing this poem is to gain favour of Lord Krsna and to rouse devotion to Him in the minds of readers. Thus, the Usaharana-kavya admirably satisfies the requirements of a Mahakavya.

226 V. Furthermore, descriptive elements in the Usaharana are clothed in Trivikrama Pandita's scholarly significant language. The description of milk ocean occuring in the first canto of the poem may be said to have included as a prelude to the incarnation of Lord Visnu as Krsna. The poet exclaims that the milk ocean is characterised as a personification of generosity. 4 The poet shows close resemblance of milk ocean with Adhvaryu.5 The poetical fancies of ocean-waves to be the fans and a curtain over Adisesa's glances causing disturbance to the love sport of Lord Visnu and Laksmi,6 are just charming. Thus, Trivikrama Pandita has given a serial view of the milk ocean. In similar manner, the poet has displayed his descriptive power in giving vivid pictures of the forest, Dwaraka city, Raivataka mountain, Lord Narayana, female beauty of Usa, garden sport, water sport, love amusements of Krsna and Rukmini and of Usa and Aniruddha, battle scene. These descriptions carry the quality of original images of beauty in human life. These descriptions have been well processed by the poet with his imaginative ability and poetic talent. Besides, it may be remarked here that these description are felt not unnecessary in the context of the development of the theme of the poem. In subjective content of the poem, Trivikrama Pandita has followed the path of Kalidasa. VI. So far as the use of figures of speech in the poem is concerned, it may be said that Trivikrama Panndita makes his poem attractive with the garland of beautiful flowers-like Alankaras. He has used verbal figures like Anuprasa, Yamaka, Chhekanuprasa, Vrttyanuprasa etc. Besides; the poet has shown his unique excellence in composing the verses in bandhas embodying the Citrakavya. It seems, Trivikrama Pandita lived in an age of artificial poetry, in which the use of fanciful use of words, ingenious 4. Infra., p. 116 5. Infra., p. 117 6. Infra., p. 118

227 turns of expression, the various bandhas like Murujabandha, Ardhabhramakabandha etc., were indulged in by the poets. Besides Sabdalankaras, the poet has adorned his poem with more than twenty Arthalankaras like Upama, Utpreksa, Karanamala, Tadguna etc. at proper contexts. Trivikrama Pandita has been successful in admitting poetic beauty in a mythological poem. And the figures of speech have really heightened and clothed his poetic beauty with garment of worthy of thought hidden in it. VII. It is well known fact that the poetic composition is regulated by the metres. And Trivikrama Pandita is undoubtedly a remarkable poet to give appropriate value to the classical metres. The seventh chapter of the thesis affirms that the poet has ably employed more than twenty metres in his poem in a significant and magnificient manner. Of the metres that poet has used, some metres like Pramanika, Dodhaka, Pramitaksara, Campakamalika, Udgata etc, are very rare metres. The employment of the metres at appropriate places is quite emphatic in the poem. Trivikrama Pandita has used all kinds of metres coming under the four groups such as Samavrtta, Ardhasamavrtta, Visamavrtta and Jati. Thus it is quite clear that the poet has displayed his knowledge of prosody in a perfectly echoing method. VIII. Evaluation of the scholarship of the author of the Usaharanakavya, is however evident from the last three chapters of the thesis. As revealed in the fifth chapter giving us descriptive aspects of the poem, a reader would come to know about Trivikrama Pandita's descriptive ability blended with majestic and noble poetic elements. As shown in the sixth chapter, Trivikrama Pandita is a scholarly poet in using Sabdalankaras, Bandhas and Arthalankaras. Poet's fondness for pleasing alliteration, Yamaka etc. is quite explicit and significant too. It speaks of poet's deep knowledge of rhetorics. The point is that for Trivikrama Pandita, there is

228 no defined boundary between what is plain language and what is pure rhetorical expression; because he has maintained an equilibrium between these two aspects. Therefore, to understand the poem of Trivikrama Pandita means to penetrate into a refined section of Sanskrit rhetorics. Thus, it can be said that this epic poem is replete with various Alankaras which have enhanced the beauty of the poem and added perspicuity, grace and sweetness to the theme of the poem. The seventh chapter of the thesis represents Trivikrama Pandita as a metric genius. His lavish use of more than twenty metres in the poem speaks of his mastery over the science of prosody. These metres have been used in a perfect symphony of the subject-matter of the poem. IX. As the title of the poem suggests, it may be said that Aniruddha is the hero of the poem. He is portrayed as Dhiralalita type of hero who is careless of his kingdom, tender at heart, and is always engaged in dance, music etc. And Usa is heroine who is advanced in prime youth. The predominant rasa is Srngara. But after a close reading of the text, one can unhesitatingly state that Krsna is the hero in this Kavya. He is portrayed as Mahasattva and Sthira in the contexts of carrying away Rukmini, facing Rukmi, fight against Rudra; as Ksamavan when showing favour on Rukmini, Mahadeva, Saivajvara and Banasura; as Nigudha in counselling with Yadava ministers; and as Atigambhira and Avikatthana in the battlefield and in His victory. Therefore, Krsna is the main hero. X. Moreover, an aspect of Rasa delineation is one of the vital features of a literary work. Trivikrama Pandita is found to have given balanced importance for the delineation of various sentiments in the Usaharanakavya. A close reader can observe the development of Virarasa (heroic sentiment), Srngara-rasa (erotic sentiment), Adbhuta-rasa

229 (marvellous sentiment) Raudra-rasa (Furious sentiment), and of Bhayanaka-rasa (Terrible sentiment). The Vira-rasa is predominently developed in the poem. In the third canto wherein Rukmi encounters Krsna; secondly in the seventh, eighth and ninth cantos, fight takes place between Lord Krsna and Saivajvara Siva as well as demon king Bana - in all these contexts the sentiments of Vira, Raudra and Bhayanaka are developed. The poet has delineated Srngara-rasa in the description of love-sports of Krsna-Rukmini in the fourth canto; garden-sport, water-sport, love-sport of Usa and Aniruddha occuring in the fifth canto; again when Usa and Aniruddha moving through Antariksa to Dwaraka on Garuda expressed in the concluding portion of the ninth canto. The reflection of the Adbhuta-rasa may be seen in the description of milk-ocean, and of Lord Narayana in the first canto, and in the description of Sudharma-hall in the second canto of the poem. XI. Trivikrama Pandita's poetic language communicates his aesthetic experience through the medium of his inimitable style. The poet implies in his introductory verse" that the poem would run through Pancali, Vaidarbhi and Gaudiya style. He employs these styles corresponding to the nature of enumeration. The author has used Pancali and Vaidarbhi styles in the descriptions of milk-ocean, love-sports, etc. which represent prasadaguna. And he follows Gaudiya style where Vira, Raudra and Bhayanaka sentiments have been developed in the poem. XII. Being an ardent Vaisnavite of Madhva tradition, Trivikrama Pandita has brought in Madhva's doctrinal aspects in the poem without defacing the central theme. Verily, Trivikrama Pandita's main purpose of composing the Usaharana is to uphold Lord Visnu's over-all supremacy Z vaidarbhamarganugatah kavindrah kecit pare gaudapathapravinah | prayena tesamanuvrttyabhavad dvayanabhijnastvapathena yami || Usaharanam, I. 6

230 propounded by Madhvacarya of Dvaita system of Vedanta. However Lord Krsna, the Pradhana-nayaka of the poem, is one of the incarnations of Lord Visnu. So, the presentation of Lord Krsna as supremely superior amounts to the upholding Madhva's doctrine: "Ef: ur:". In the first canto, gods' approach to Lord Visnu under the leadership of Brahma asking for protection from the demons, Visnu's incarnation as Krsna, and in the ninth canto Krsna's victory over Lord Siva underline the supremacy of Lord Visnu Himself over all gods, Lord Siva and Brahma too. Moreover, Krsna's counselling with Yadava ministers of the poem, and Yadavas' speech in the second canto imply Madhva's doctrine of souls' dependence on Visnu and hierarchy among them (: argar: nicocca bhavamgatah ). 8 XIII. In a nutshell, the gracefully modest reference to himself by Trivikrama Pandita in the beginning of the poem, reveals certainly the humility of a great poet, conscious of his ability and superiority and not that of a novice. Trivikrama Pandita undoubtedly deserves the honour of contributing the Usaharana as a Mahakavya to the history of classical Sanskrit literature. The finish, the accuracy and the ease with which the poet has composed, leads one to the conclusion that the Usaharana-kavya is certainly the work of a born-poet. In fine, the merits of the Usaharana Kavya of Trivikrama Pandita though less noticed by literary critics, preserves its vigour of thought and lofty eloquence in expression. With this merit of the Mahakavya, Trivikrama Pandita may be undoubtedly regarded as one of the great poets, that have shed lustre on the literary history of Sanskrit. * 8. na praudhasabdapi na carthapuskala na vapyalamkarasubha krtirmama | na sravyavrtta rasikairupeksita naveti kascid vriyate vadhuriva || saharanam, I.4