7. A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas

The idea of conveying messages through messengers is fairly old. Even in the Vedas Agni (Fire-god) is asked to carry the prayers of the sacrificers or their offerings to other gods. He is known as the Devaduta or Vahni, the bearer. It is through him that the yajamana hopes to send his oblations to the other deities. He serves as a link between the sacrificer on the earth and the gods in the heaven. There is a distance of millions of miles between the two, yet the message is conveyed and is received by the devas through their duta, the Agni. Agni in the Vedas is supposed to be a god with a human form, invested with life and soul. As a matter of fact, it is the deified earthly fire which is supposed to carry the message or the offerings of the yajamana . Thus, the idea of things in Nature being treated as messengers goes back to a hoary past. And there is nothing improbable in it. Human emotions remain the same in all times and climes. A man widely separated from the one he holds dear would try to catch at anything that may serve his purpose. He would try that his feelings be conveyed to the person far away, that his ideas may touch his affectionate companion though he be thousands of miles away. This very idea is at the back of the sending of the presents too. By means of presents one likes to convey to the other person a measure of his feelings and emotional attachment to him but when the person is far away how is this emotional attachment to be conveyed? Even now-a-days when science and technology have annihilated distance , it is not always easy for people living ccfaraway ccfar away to complection, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA come together and exchange their ideas and feelings

for each other. When this is the state today, one has only to imagine as to what would have been the position in days of yore when means of communication were far too primitive and inadequate. Going out to a distant land would not mean a transient separation but keeping away for a long time, may be, for all time. In that event it was natural for people in those days to see any moving thing and then under the emotional stress think that it would convey an element of their mental agony to the person far away. This is the background of Nala's sending a hamsa to Damayanti, his sweetheart. The story as it goes in the Mahabharata is that King Nala, fascinated by the news of the charms and beauty of Damayanti deputes a hamsa to convey to her that he (Nala) is in love with Damayanti. Now, Nala's employment of hamsa as his duta is very ingenious. The hamsa goes to Damayanti's palace and delivers Nala's message. Damayanti is then smitten with love and thus both the lovers are equally attracted towards each other. It is this love which ultimately culminates into Nala's marriage with Damayanti. This was the traditional inspiration for Kalidasa to pick up a cloud as messenger. The idea of employing a messenger for conveying messages was fairly old but Kalidasa made a bold departure, in that he employed an inanimate cloud as messenger. Hithertofore from the scanty material available with us we can say that only animate beings had been employed as messengers. But the poet Kalidasa's Muse could not be fettered by tradition. Its flight brought it to the regions where the difference of animate and inanimate ceases due to emotional stress and strain: prakrtikrpanas cetanacetanesu. It becomes a living organism full of sentiments, emotions and feelings. It is addressed as 'brother'. The cloud is no doubt presented as a man. Kalidasa attributes to it all the feelings of a man, and the tender emotions that the Yaksa experiences . Inspite of all the superstructure that has been raised to make the cloud appear a living being its inanimateness peeps out. It is a human being in Kalidasa's Meghaduta who thinks and speaks through the cloud. The cloud always remains in the background. The Yaksa is always in the foregroundation bis CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. USA

A Survey of Sanskrit Duta-kavyas 171 moments of extreme anguish and agony Yaksa forgets that it is not an inanimate cloud that he is addressing. He thinks that the cloud also thinks like him and will act as he would like him to. Kalidasa succeeds eminently in depicting the state of the human mind when a man is so absorbed in himself that the world outside him perhaps does not exist for him. And if at all it exists ; it exists for him only. This is why the Yaksa becoming oblivious of the fact that a cloud is a jadapadartha, (an inanimate object) picks it up as his messenger. That is the highest peak of his selfcentredness. It was perhaps given to Kalidasa only, to depict this extreme self-centredness which he depicts in three places in his works. In the Sakuntala the innocent Sakuntala incurs the displeasure of the fierce sage Durvasas on account of this very extreme self-centredness. Although the sage announces his advent she pays no attention to him. For her the entire world has become Dusyanta. Similar extreme self-centredness has been depicted by Kalidasa in his Kumarasambhava too. Parvati is so devoted to Lord Siva that for her everything in the forest appears to be Siva. It was this faculty of describing the extreme self-centredness that won Kalidasa a name which will ever remain enshrined in the pages of Indian literary history. It is extreme self-centredness of Yaksa that makes him impart to the cloud all his feelings and emotions. To whatever direction the cloud may move he thinks it is going towards his beloved's place. He gives it a message which it has to convey to the beloved. The later dutakavyas are modelled on the Meghaduta. Barring a few, all of them employ birds as messengers. This is perhaps more in line with the earlier Indian tradition. The employment of a hamsa as a duta, in the story of Nala and Damayanti in the Mahabharata perhaps suggested the use of birds as messengers to the poets. Their style , diction or delineation of sentiment owes much to that of the Meghaduta but the use of birds as messengers, they owe probably to a much older source. As it happened, each poet tried to employ a different bird to serve as messenger. If one poet employed a hamsa , the second one thought it wise to use a Cuckoo sor a peacock while the third one employed a cataka or Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA

the fourth one cakora. Thus, it happened that poets went in search of newer and newer birds sometimes even the insects like the bees to serve as messengers. Each one vied with another to convey his message through a different bird. In a way it has been good too. For it has led to greater variety and more charm. If the same birds had been used by the poets to serve as messengers the dutakavyas would have been a mass of dull and insipid poetry. As they are, they are quite pleasant and charming. This phenomenon has been rather helpful in providing an occasion to poets to exercise their ingenuity too. Now, a word about those duta-kavyas in which abstract conceptions like morality or sila are treated as messengers. This represents a later phenomenon. In Sanskrit dramas Prabodhacandrodaya and a host of other works abstract conceptions like Prabodha, Buddhi, Krodha, Moha etc. occur as characters. We can place dutakavyas with abstract conceptions in a category where the mind of certain people is highly obsessed with philosophical thoughts. A poet or a dramatist uses abstract conceptions as messengers only to give an expression to his innate love for them. He thinks that by personification they will become more easy and understandable to a common man. That is the approach of any practical philosopher, poet or philosopherplaywright. Generally the philosophical conceptions are too abstruse and abstract for a common man. They are very often beyond his reach. He, therefore, wants to avoid them as far as possible. But for the thinkers and preachers who are out to preach their religion to a common man it becomes imperative to put them in a form that may be acceptable to the common man. In this way they hope to inculcate the highest truths of their religion through the medium of light literature. Most of these dutakavyas where abstract conceptions are treated as messengers are composed by the Jainas. Their aim in choosing the abstract conceptions as messengers appears to be to propagate them and to make the readers acquainted with the broad principles of Jainism. It is a tribute to the ingenuity of the authors that they chose the medium of the duta-kavya which since ages had c CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, No Sehad caught the fancy of the New

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 173 people of the country. They realised that people would be only too prepared to listen to them and if properly approached, would be converted to their viewpoint, provided an attempt were made through the medium of lyric poetry which so much appealed to them. People in days gone by wanted to sing the Mandakranta verses of Kalidasa and enjoy their lilting melody. Just as they could sing the verses of the Meghaduta, they could very well sing the verses of the Cetoduta or the Siladuta too and consciously or unconsciously imbibe the principles and doctrines enunciated therein. That must have been the idea of the authors of such dutakavyas. It may also be that these works were composed for the adherents of Jainism to acquaint them more fully with its principles and the doctrines in a language they could understand very well. It is human weakness that people like to read the light literature generally. Dramas, poems, stories and novels appeal to them and if they are used for a particular aim or purpose, that goes right deep into their mind. Bernard Shaw, the playwright and Somerset Maugham, the story-writer through their plays and stories, laid their fingers right at the weak spots of society. Their works, therefore, served their end much more forcefully than any amount of preaching could have done. People generally do not take kindly to preaching. That is why we find stories in the Upanisads and Brahmanas called the arthavadas. These arthavadas serve to highlight a philosophical speculation and make it acceptable to the people much more forcefully than anything else. This is also the basis of stories in the Mahabharata and the Pancatantra. The reason given is balanam sukhabodhaya. The balas, or the ignorant ones, are generally not able to climb up to the philosophical heights. They are the men of the soil. They can understand only the language of the soil. In the Meghaduta Kalidasa blazed the trail that kept on burning even after many centuries. After the Meghaduta there was an outburst of unusual literary activity resulting in the growth of the dutakavya literature of considerable magnitude. The sweet music of the Meghaduta so inspired the later writers that they tried to sing in the way the great master had done but it is an admitted fact that they could Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA

not measure up to the standards of Kavikulaguru. Most of these duta-kavyas were only cheap imitations of Kalidasa's Meghaduta. Some of them were written for an avowed purpose of recapturing the spirit of the Meghaduta which unfortunately proved far too elusive. One thing that stands out by the study of the later duta-kavya literature is that it has pretty little orginal to offer to the reader. The form and content in later dutakavyas in more cases than one is borrowed from the Meghaduta of Kalidasa. Six or seven of them are written on the popular style of samasyapurti where one line from the Meghaduta is conjoined with three lines of the poet's own creation. Some of the dutakavyas are worthwhile while others are poor. The question is: why was it that an element of gradual decay was visible in the dutakavya literature? An analysis of the causes that may be responsible for this is interesting as well as illuminating. One of the reasons for this seems to be Kalidasa's superiority over other poets. All along the Indian tradition Kalidasa has been called Kavikulaguru or Kavikulacudamani. He is ranked superior to all other poets of ancient India. The other dutakavyas that were modelled on his work naturally, therefore, suffered by way of comparison. Some of the dutakavyas in themselves are not so bad as to be rejected outright by a literary critic, but when compared with Kalidasa's Meghaduta they do not have much appeal. Had it not been for Kalidasa, these works would have been ranked as specimens of good poetry worthy of recognition at the hands of scholars and critics. Such, for example, are the Pavanaduta and the Nemiduta. The second reason appears to be the decline in the general standards of literary activity in particular periods. On account of a number of factors in particular periods there appears an outburst of unusual activity in all branches of learning, culture and civilization. In England in Shakespeare's time, such an activity appeared . That was called the Renaissance period. On account I progress in all directions that period is known as the golden period of British History. But after Shakespeare for sometime we do not hear of an outstanding man of letters of CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Defletters. Poetasters replaced

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 175 the poets and imitators followed the original writers. The same thing happened in India too. Kalidasa's period is known to Indian History as the golden period, for, in it the Indian genius threw up a number of gems, the Navaratnas. Kalidasa was one of them. There was an unusual activity in literature, arts, sciences and medicine. It is no use repeating what is so well-known to history. After the golden period there came a time when tinsel replaced gold. Original activity came almost to a stop and there were very few writers left whose contributions led to the enrichment of literature and philosophy. Take for example, grammar. There we find the age of commentaries appearing after the Mahabhasya and the Vakyapadiya. In Medicine a rehash of Susruta and Caraka comes on the scene. In Astrology India becomes a sisya of the Romans and the Greeks and in Mathematics and Sciences the days of the discovery of the zero which revolutionised mathematical studies in ancient days are gone. It is no wonder therefore that the poets coming after the first dutakavya do not measure up to the heights of Kalidasa. As time rolls on due to political factors the writers become less and less original with the result that some other dutakavyas that are found today are not of much use as pieces of literature. Of course we cannot dismiss them as useless as sources of the contemporary history and culture of the country but their literary value does not compel our attention. This fact, though unfortunate in the extreme, is nevertheless true. It seems the later poetasters-it is a misnomer to call them poets-were so charmed by the Meghaduta that they also wanted to try their hand at writing works of the type. This might have served the purpose of satisfying the ego of these poets although some of them at least have very little value so far as poetry is concerned. The third reason is the unusual influence exercised by the Meghaduta on the minds of the later poets which killed their initiative and smothered their originality. The Meghaduta was a model for them in style and content and they had to adhere to it. When something becomes a model, it leaves little room for Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA

originality and innovations and without originality and innovations it is very difficult to create a literature of permanent value and abiding interest. The fourth reason may be the change in the political climate of the country. With the coming into power of the Mohammedans, Sanskrit suffered a definite setback in India. Hithertofore the patronage which the Hindu kings had been extending to the authors of Sanskrit encouraged them to continue their literary activities. Now, the Mohammedans, at least some of them, not only opposed Sanskrit but were positively hostile to it. Imbued with the fanatical zeal to propagate Islam these barbarians from Turkey and Mongolia were out to crush and destroy everything that was Hindu. They carried fire and sword wherever they went. With a few noble exceptions they destroyed temples, harassed people and burnt libraries. In such an atmosphere when there were frequent outbursts of killing and incendiarism it was impossible for literature to flourish. Whatever literary activity that went on in the country inspite of the hostility of the paramount power owed its inspiration to the patronage of the Hindu aristocracy which could not be wiped out even by the frequent orgies of violence. Due to this peculiar situation in the country it was not possible for Sanskrit works of great merit to be produced and this partly accounts for the paucity of talent and lack of originality on the part of the writers and poets of Sanskrit that came on the scene. Serious literary activity can only continue when there peaceful atmosphere all round. In an uncertain atmosphere when there is nobody to recognize or patronize talent, only mediocrities hold the scene. The fifth reason for the decay of the dutakavya literature in Sanskrit is the rise of the Prakrits, the Apabhramsas and the modern dialects. This is not to say that no dutakavya was composed after a particular time, it only means that as the regional languages progressively supplanted Sanskrit, works began to be composed in those languages. Writers began to exercise their poetical ability and express themselves through the medium of these languages. So, those CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collewriters also who had the fascination

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 177 for composing dutakavyas composed them in their respective regional languages and dialects spoken and understood by the people. So, we can say that there was no change in the desire and inclination of the poets to write duta-kavyas or poems in which somebody or something had to act as a messenger to convey a message. This had so captivated the minds of the people that there. could be no question of the cessation of the duta-kavya activity. Their popular appeal persisted. The poets had to cater to the demand of the populace and they did it in their own language. So, the dutakavya activity cannot be said to have suffered a setback in the country. What happened was the change in the vehicle of expression. What formally used to be written in Sanskrit came to be written in the different regional languages. Thus viewed, there was no decay of the dutakavya literature. But so far as dutakavya literature in Sanskrit was concerned, stagnation was slowly visible; gradually the number of duta-kavyas written in Sanskrit began to fall till we arrive at a time when there remained only a trickle. Dutakavyas in Sanskrit are composed even now in India but they are few and far between. Occasionally a Pandit here or there brings out a small poem containing a few scores of slokas to give expression to his poetical ability or to show off his competence in composing verses in Sanskrit. There is practically little originality in the attempt though the charm may be still there. The tradition so far as dutakavyas composed in Sanskrit is concerned, stands broken and no amount of occasional or casual efforts of a coterie of scholars of Sanskrit can hope to revive it. DESCRIPTION OF INDIVIDUAL DUTAKAVYAS Meghaduta of Kalidasa Kalidasa's Meghaduta is a widely known love-lyric, having one hundred and ten¹ verses in the Mandakranta metre . It has caught popular imagination in Sanskrit. The story goes that Kubera once turned out a certain Yaksa for one year for neglect of duty. The

Yaksa took up his abode at Ramagiri mountain. On the first day of the month of Asadha, he saw a cloud on the sky and requested him to convey his message to his beloved consort residing at Alaka The poem is divided into two parts, the Purva Megha and the Uttara Megha. The former contains the description of the route which the cloud is expected to traverse and the latter contains a vivid description of Alaka, the dreamland of pleasure and the message which the cloud is asked to convey to the Yaksa's consort. The richness of Kalidasa's imagination is revealed in the colourful descriptions of Ujjayini, the Himalayas and the Kailasa mountain. His art seems to be natural. The poem contains a graphic description of India's important towns, mountains, cities, rivers, pilgrim-centres etc. It abounds in figures of speech, Utpreksa, Arthantaranyasa, etc., and is written in a very simple and lucid style. Jaina Meghaduta of Merutunga Most of the dutakavyas are unfortunately not dated. This Jaina work, however, is different. It gives welcome information about its date. The author of this poem, Merutunga, was born in a village known as Nani in the year 1403 Vikrama era, i.e. 1346 A.D. His original name was Vastika. He was a great scholar of Sanskrit and Prakrit. He died at the age of 68. This poem contains 196 verses in all the four cantos. In it the poet has given a description of Neminatha who becomes a recluse. His beloved wife sends him a message inquiring after the condition of the bereaved family. The work was published by the Jain Atmanand Sabha of Bhavanagar. It appears as Vol. 76 of the said Sabha's publications. It carries a Sanskrit commentary on it by one Silaratna which has been edited by Muni Chaturavijava. It was printed at Nirnaya Sagar Press, Bombay, in 1924. It is apiece with the duta-kavyas written on the model of Kalidasa's lyric , the Meghaduta. Merutunga is not the only Jain

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 179 writer to make an attempt like this. There are many others like him. The Dutakavyas written by other Jain writers are: Siladuta by Caritrasundaragani, Parsvabhyudaya by Jinasena, Candraduta by Meghavijaya, Induduta by Vinayavijayagani, besides Manoduta and Cetoduta by anonymous writers. While most of the other Dutakavyas by Jain writers are written on the samasyapurti style, three lines of the respective author's composition joined on to the fourth line from the Meghaduta of Kalidasa, the Jaina Meghaduta is an independent composition. Divided into four cantos it deals with the life of Neminatha when he was a child as also his acts of valour (Canto I), then the season of spring and Neminatha's sports in it (Canto II), next is described Neminatha's marriage and his renunciation of the householder life (Canto III). After this is taken up for description the love-lorn condition of Rajimati, Neminatha's wife (Canto IV), who having spotted a cloud in the sky wants to send her message to her beloved husband to woo him back to her (Canto IV, verses 14- 37). The friends of Rajimati coming to know of this console her and tell her that however she may try her husband who has renounced the world would develop no longing for her. The words also have their effect on her. She no longer feels sad and forsaken. She goes to her husband and gets initiation from him. Like her husband she too secures freedom from worldly attachments and attains self-realization. Now, a word about the author of the poem: Merutunga. Jain history knows two Acaryas of this name of whom one is known to have some writing work to his credit. One, Merutunga , the pupil of Candraprabha, the second Merutunga of Ancalagaccha, the pupil of Mahendraprabhasuri. It is the latter who is the author of the present poem. He was born of Naladevi, wife of Vairasimha Porwal of the village Nani in the District of Marwar in Rajasthan in Samvat 1403. His original name was Vastika. Once Mahendraprabhasuri of Ancalagaccha happened to visit Nani in the course of his wanderings. Vastika got the Diksa from him. After Diksa he came to be known as Merutunga. In Samvat 1426 he got the title of Suri at Patan and in Samvat 1445 the title of Gacobanayaka. He died in Samvat 1471 at the age of 68. He spent fection, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA

his long life in social service. In between he also managed to devote himself to literary activity. Including the Jaina Meghaduta he is known to have written eight works: (i) Saptaikabhasyatika (ii) Laghusatapadi (iii) Dhatuparayana (iv) Sadddarsanasamuccaya (v) Balabodhavyakarana (vi) a commentary on Balabodhavyakarana (viii) Surimantrakalpasaroddhara Besides these Jitakalpasara and Rsimandala etc. are certain other works which too are ascribed to Merutunga but whether that Merutunga is identical with our author, cannot be proved with any amount of certainty. The Jaina Meghaduta with its 196 verses lacks the spontaneous flow and charm of the Meghaduta of Kalidasa after which it is modelled. The work has a large number of little known words or well-known words used in uncommon meanings. These words have been culled from it and listed below. A collection of these words is obviously very useful for the study of Sanskrit vocabulary. Not only peculiar words, the author not unoften goes in the course of his poem for recondite formations or laboured constructions. Perhaps this was due to the effect of the age in which he was living when poets and writers delighted in the use of obscure forms which would exhibit their knowledge of lexicography and grammar. An enumeration of the recondite forms would no doubt be interesting but certainly outside the purview of the present study. Hence we restrict ourselves to the enumeration of the little known words or well-known words in little known senses only. Adhara Ananta Anabhyasamitya Anasrava A lady with a low voice (Hinavadini), II, 27. The earth, I, 42. (fem.) Not fit to be approached. faultless. (Monier Williams notes its use in A.V.II.3.2. in the sense of not causing pain) II, 38.

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 181 Ankura Ankepali Apara Arast Asya Uccanda Udvaha Upayati - Urasa (N) Ullalana Ulula (dhvani) Ulloca Katira Kamana Karsu Kastha Kila Kukada - 180 Ksatta Ksirakantha Ksaireyi Khati-(patra) 1 Kharu Garja Garbhaka Gatra Guccha Gudhamarga 1 Gundala Gopati (lit.) Gohira Cari Cara Hair, II, 10. Embrace, I. 49. The hind quarter of an elephant, III. 32. The Southern quarter, II, 13. State of rest, I. 16. Hanging down, II. 7. Son, III. 24. Marriage, I. 31. Chief, main, III. 20. (from ud-lal) Sports, II.44. The white(laughter),III. 28. An awning, a canopy, III. 26. Waist, II. 21. Brahma, I. 26. (i) A ditch of live charcoal. (ii) A river, IV. 29. A deed or action (kriya), II. 30. Flame, lambent flame, III, 18. (Wrongly written for kukuda) one who gives a girl in marriage with due ceremony and suitable decoration; father-in-law IV. 18. A gate-keeper, a guard, I. 33. A youngling, an infant, I. 31. A dish prepared with milk, IV. 15. Chalk, I. 26. One who is in love with improper or prohibited things only, II. 25. An elephant, II. 38. Two nights (rajaniyuga), II. 41. The hind quarter of an elephant, II. 40. A tree, I. 37. Mind, II. 18. The sound of a small oblong drum (viz., Mardala), II. 44. Earth-lord, a king, II. 33. Heel, I. 47. An animal. III, 47-48. A secret place (Gupti-grha), III. 44. CC-O. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA

Jarna Talinata Tara Tarksyalaksma Turu Tryusana Dista Dharma Nagna Nandimukhi Nandyavarta Nadi Nandi Niska Nodya Paksin Patrapala Pakima Pitala Pilu Pundarika Puruha Penjusa Pauraka Pranayya Pratigha Babhru Barkara Mattalamba Mudira Meghapuspa Moca Yapyayana Vana - - - - - - - - - 1 19 A tree. II. 10. Meagreness, slenderness, contraction, II. 31. Charming, II. 20. Krsna, II. 12. A musical instrument, II. 36. (Trikatu) Ginger, long pepper, small pepper, IV. 29. Time, II. 1. A bow, II.10. A bard (accompanying an army), II. 6. Sleep, II. 25. A tree, III. 5. A measure of time, half Muhurta, II. 41. (Dvadasavidhaturyanirghosa), A sound of twelve kinds of wind pipes, III. 36. Gold, II. 3. Wonder, II. 31. A day with two nights enclosing it, II. 41. A long knife, a dagger, II. 8. Matured, ripened, II. 38. Yellow, II. 38. An elephant, IV. 18. An umbrella, III. 33. Much, ample, profuse, I. 22. Ear, III. 37. A garden in the neighbourhood of a city or round a house, II. 9. Desireless, disapproved or rejected, III. 11. Anger, wrath, III.14. Krsna, II. 38. Sport, II. 12. A window, III. 37. Cloud, II. 26. Water(of the cloud), III. 2. The plantain tree, II. 3. Palanquin, litter, IV. 3. Dry, II. 38.

Varna Valaja (neuter) - Vasa Vasati Vindu Visva Vyusta (Neuter) - Sampa Sampa (krtya) Sattra Samjnu Sic (fem.) Sitya. Sumasara Surata Snatra - - -> - StricePi Sthaman Hari I A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 183 The variegated cloth serving as elephant's quarters, II. 3. Gate, city-gate, III. 40. A woman, an elephant, II. 40. Night, IV. 9. Acquainted, knowing, II. 20. The earth, III. 7. Day-break, II. 26. Lightning, III. 26.61. Levelling, IV. 10. A wood, forest, IV. 17. Knock-kneed, I. 32. A garment, III. 4. Corn or grain, III. 29. Cupid, III. 36. Compassionate, kind, IV. 27. Bath, I, 18. A vicious or infamous lady or an unfortunate woman, II. 24. Strengh, I. 22. Wind, I. 20. Meghabhyudaya (Anonymous) A fragmentary manuscript of it having 26 verses in different metres has been found recently.² The author and the commentary on it are both anonymous. Though the colophon of this work is not known and the verses after the 26 th are missing, the work may belong to the 18 th century. The poet has composed this work on the model of Kalidasa's Meghaduta. The opening verses are in the Mandakranta metre but after the tenth verse we find Sragdhara, Arya, Upajati and such like metres. The poet has an intense fondness for alliteration, as for example: navambuvidyullataya samantatah tato vimuncanti samam samantatah vinodayann ambudhara kalapinah CC-0. Profudviksate canaramasan kalapinanitized by S 3 Foundation USA

The substance of the available part is as under: The rainy season has approached and the clouds, dark all round, accompanied with lightning have covered the sky. The peacocks and other birds including all the flora and fauna are pleasing everywhere. Everybody is rejoicing and the cool breezes are blowing. A lover is scheduled to go out and the beloved, inspite of her efforts, fails to prevail upon him to change his decision. She is much perplexed. The lover is away and the beloved beguiles her weary hours in a very sorry state till at last she loses her senses. The messenger seems to be the cloud. The poem is a very nice piece of a love-lyric but unfortunately the complete work is not available. Some words are peculiar to us (for instance jalali). The poet seems to be a Vaisnavite since he writes Rama, Rama, etc. at the end of every verse. Meghadautyam of Trailokyamohana Guhaniyogi The poem was composed about fifty years back. It consists of two hundred stanzas in the Mandakranta metre. The language of the poem is very simple. The subject matter is similar to that of the Meghaduta. In form too, it has similarity with it, with the difference that in this duta-kavya the beloved sends the message to the lover. The story goes like this: A Yaksi receives the message from her lover and responds to it. She wants to convey her feelings and emotions and gives them a clear expression. A large number of verses are close imitation of the Meghaduta of Kalidasa. The poet seems to have good knowledge of rhetorics and prosody . This virahakavya is one of the biggest works found in the dutakavya literature. The poet has no thorough mastery over Sanskrit grammar and has deliberately put in obscure words to display his skill in poetry. Parsvabhyudaya of Jinasena It is divided in four cantos. There are three hundred and sixty four verses in all in this poem: one hundred and eighteen in the CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by $3 Foundation USA

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 185 first, the same number in the second, fifty-seven in the third, and seventy-one in the fourth. Due to its having been written on the Samasyapurti scheme the whole poem has been composed in the Mandakranta metre except the last six verses of the fourth canto where five verses are in Malini and the remaining one in the Vasantatilaka. The poem imitates the Meghaduta in every respect with this difference that at places the dull and the drab descriptions impede the flow of the work. There need be no controversy about the date of the author of this work which was composed, as has been expressly stated by the author himself, during the reign of Amoghavarsa I of the Rastrakuta dynasty. The following two verses of the poem may be quoted here with advantage: iti viracitam etat kavyam avestya megham bahugunam apadosam kalidasasya kavyam! malinitaparakavyam tisthad evasasankam bhuvanam avatu devah sarvadamoghavarsahu srivirasenamunipadapayobjabhrigah sriman abhud vinayasenamunir gariyan! taccoditena jinasenamunisvarena kavyam vyadhayi parivestitameghadutam 11 Amoghavarsa is believed to have ascended the throne in Saka 736 and continued to rule till Saka 799. The theme of the work is as under: There is one Kamatha who having been expelled by King Aravinda goes to the bank of the river Sindhu to practice penance. When Marubhuti, (Parsvanatha), the younger brother of Kamatha learns this he comes to him (Kamatha). When Kamatha, sees Marubhuti he is at once reminded of the past hostilities and thinks of killing him. On account of his Maya he brings forth rains , roars like a lion and rails at Marubhuti. When he finds that all this has left Marubhuti cold, he invites him for a duel and advises him to go to Alakapuri when he would meet his doom at his hands. He further advises him to assume the form of a cloud after his death, to go to Alaka passing on the way from Ramagiri, wherefrom the

journey would begin, to Amrakuta mountain, the Dasarna country with its capital at Vidisa, the rivers Nirvindhya and Sindhu, the city of Ujjayini where it (the cloud) is advised to see the Jaina temples, the river Gambhira, the mountain Devagiri, the river Carmanvati, the city of Dasapura and the river Sita, the region of Brahmavarta, Kuruksetra, the sacred places of Balarama in its vicinity and the Kanakhala mountain which will usher him to Alaka. The poet's description of Alaka is really charming. Equally charming is the description of the union of Vasundhara, the wife of Marubhuti in an earlier birth with her husband (Marubhuti). The whole scene is highly pathetic and emotional. As Kamatha has been saying all this Marubhuti (Parsvanatha) maintains his calm. At that Kamatha again challenges him for fight but that too leaves Marubhuti cold. Then Kamatha creates a bevy of young girls on account of his Maya. They approach Marubhuti singing and dancing, but Marubhuti remains unaffected. All his efforts gone in vain, Kamatha feels highly insulted. He lifts up a rock and when he is about to strike Marubhuti's head with it, a Naga king Dharanindra accompanied by his wife comes there. On seeing him Kamatha takes to flight but Nagaraja prevents him from doing so, offers him abhaya, reminds him of all his evil deeds in previous births and prays to God to have mercy on him (Kamatha). And then he spreads an umbrella of his hoods on the head of Marubhuti who is none else than Lord Parsvanatha himself. The wife of Nagaraja too does likewise. At this Kamatha feels penitent and asks for forgiveness for all his earlier crimes. When he is praying there flows forth a stream of tears from his eyes. At this sight the gods shower flowers from the heaven, and the dundubhis are sounded. The gods come from the heaven to Parsvanatha. The tapasas too come to him. At this the story of the kavya comes to an end. Pavanaduta of Dhoyi It is the oldest available work barring the Meghaduta, Ghatakarparakavya and Candraduta of Jambukavi. The poem contains 104 verses in Mandakranta metre.

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 187 The Pavanaduta of Dhoyi has been published in Sanskrit Sahitya Parishad Series, as work No. 11 and has been very ably edited by Chintaharan Chakravarti with a detailed introduction in English, covering as many as 26 pages from which we learn much about the poet. According to Chakravarti Dhuyi, Dhoyi, Dhoi or Dhoyika as the poet is variously called belonged to the court of King Laksmanasena of Bengal of the 12 th century A.D. He was known to have been one of the five jewels of Laksmanasena's court. The verse which enumerates the names of these five jewels does not specifically mention Dhoyi but mentions one Kaviraja who has been conclusively proved by Chakravarti to be no other than the poet Dhoyi who more than once in his Pavanaduta refers to himself as kaviksmabhrtam cakravarti³ and kavinarapati. The colophon of the work also reads iti sridhoyikavirajaviracitam. As has been said above, King Laksmanasena belonged to the 12 th century A.D. So Dhoyi must have flourished in that century. The upper limit of the poet is furnished by the discovery of the verses attributed to him which begin to appear in works like Saduktikarnamrta (1205 A.D.); Jalhana's Subhasitamuktavali (middle of the 13 th century) and the Sarngadharapaddhati (14 th century). The poet has selected a historical character as the hero of his work. It is said that once Laksmanasena invaded and conquered Malayacaladesa. During his compaign a Gandharva girl of Kanakapuri was fascinated by his beauty, although she could not disclose her feelings to him. After a few days' stay the king left the place and the heroine became sad. She then sent the wind as messenger to convey her feelings to the king residing at his capital Vijayapuram in Bengal. The poet depicted a nice picture of the heroine who is in a very sad condition. The poem has won for him a name . It is a fact that very few poems can excel it or even equal it. Pavanaduta of Vadicandra This poem is written by Vadicandra, The colophon gives the "Santinatha. It consists of one hundred and name of his Gurshar USA

one stanzas in the Mandakranta metre. It does not follow the usual style of the duta-kavyas, as there is no mention of the route. Nor has it any of the attractions of a lyric-poem. The theme of the poem is: Tara, the wife of a king named Vijaya has been abducted by another king whom the poet calls by the name Khecara or Khagapati. The lover while thinking of her beloved's talents bursts into tears and requests the wind to convey his message to her. Thereafter, he tells it (the wind) the charms of the journey although the names of the places en route are not given. The wind is to pass through the woods, the mountains, the rivers, etc. The wind is requested not to put off the lamps at the moment when Khecaras are busy in their sexual merry-making, for they would like to see the naked bodies of their consorts. The lover is busy in brooding over the departure till at last the wind reaches the beloved who is busy in meditation of Jinesa. The wind reaches the abductor too. Then there are a few verses put into the mouth of the wind which are of didactic nature. The wind informs the king that the consequences of abducting another's wife are not good. The mother of the abducting king intervenes just when he is trying to make preparations for a combat, and at her instance the abducted Tara is handed over to the wind who brings her back to the lover. Vataduta of Krsnanatha This poem of one hundred verses is written by Krsnanatha Pancanana who is said to have flourished during the last century. The subject-matter of this work is Sita's abduction; the same as mentioned by Valmiki in his Ramayana. The story of the poem in brief is that Sita who has been abducted by Ravana, feels very sad and requests the wind to convey her message to Rama. The style of the poem is as attractive as that of the Padmaduta.. In the first part the poet describes the sad condition of Sita. After this there is the description of the route to be followed. Thereafter comes the description of Rama's Asrama. Then are

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 189 described a number of things such as Sita's friends, Muni Asrama, sunrise, sunset, Rama's condition in Sita's absence, her message to Rama, benedictions, prayers, etc. Aniladuta of Rama Dayalu Tarkaratna This poem has been composed by Ramadayalu of Bhattapali who was patronized by the king of Vardhamana state. The work has not been published so far. The theme of the poem is the same as that of the other dutakavyas concerned with Krsna's and Gopis' love-affairs. The messenger is wind, i.e. anila, which is requested by the Gopis to convey their feelings to Krsna who is requested to come back from Madhupura to Vrndavana. Marudduta of R.C. Santa Salihasa The latest of the dutakavyas of this category is the Marudduta by Ramesacandra Santa Salihasa. It is published serially in the Divya-Jyotih, a Sanskrit monthly from Simla; the last instalment having been published in its issue of November, 1961. It is a small poem of not much literary merit, and abounding in grammatical and other errors. It is a poor attempt and does little credit to the author. The theme of the work is: A follower of Mahatma Gandhi is put in a prison. After he has been there for sometime, he feels a longing for his wife and son, who are in Indraprastha, the old name for Delhi. The prisoner in these moments experiences the sweet touch of the Malaya breeze from a small opening in his cell and eagerly asks it to convey his message to his kith and kin who are living far away in Delhi. The breeze is to start from somewhere in Eastern India where the man is made to live in confinement during the British days and pass in its long journey through Varanasi, Prayaga (Allahabad), and Kanpur from where it is to take a turn to Agra to have a look at the famous Taj. From Agra it is to proceed to Delhi. At this the poem comes to an end. The message is not described. May be, it is to be taken up in the coming issue or issues but therehastri issues but there is no indication to the effect in the November CC-U. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA

issue of the Magazine which in its previous issues carried the note 'to be continued'. In the course of the description of the journey the poet describes in vivid detail the famous cities and towns that fall on the way, Varanasi, Prayaga etc. with all that is worth seeing in them. Here and there, there are poetic flashes, too, but their charm is very much marred by the inadequacy of expression and faulty idioms, which are unfortunately not a few in the poem. Induduta of Vinayavijayagani Vinayavijayagani, a Jain poet has composed this work consisting of 131 verses in the Mandakranta metre after the usual pattern of the dutakavyas. The theme of this work is: to Vinayavijayagani, a native of Dvadasavarta, has observed celibacy and is absorbed in meditations in the benign company of his gracious teacher residing at a pilgrim-centre named Yodhapura. After the usual evening prayers the poet is just out pay his homage at the sacred feet of his Guru but all of a sudden he goes to sleep and enters a dreamland. He looks at the rising moon and entreats him to convey his message to his revered teacher. He praises the high family of the Moon; her pedigree showing her relation with Laksmi and other gods. Then he relates the route from Yodhapura to Surat. It is in the last verse only that he states his message. It is a request to the effect that the venerable teacher whom he is worshipping constantly may remain kind and considerate to him so that he may continue to follow his path and gain emancipation. It is a nice little poem and makes a delightful reading. It is rich in fine figures of speech. The flight of imagination displayed is commendable. The predominant note in it is that of tranquillity and not Karuna (Pathos) which is a common characteristic of the dutakavyas. The work was published in the 14 th volume in the Kavyamala series. The text of the poem is highly corrupt. From an editorial note on page 45, Footnote I, we come to know the reason of it. The editor says that only one manuscript of it could be found and that too was corrupt and broken at many places. It is unfortunate that the editor

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 191 has done nothing to improve upon the text or to fill in the lacunae, with the result that the verses at many places have lost in clarity of meaning and have become quite unintelligible. Centuries of careless handling of the work has so thoroughly corrupted its text that it becomes impossible many times to arrive at the hypothetical original, however, ingeniously one may try to do it. The colophon of Induduta says that it is an imitation of Meghaduta-Meghaduta-chaya-kavya. From this it is clear that the author composed it in imitation of Kalidasa's Meghaduta. But even a cursory perusal of it shows that it is an unsuccessful attempt altogether. Excepting of course the Mandakranta metre and a few expressions here and there the work has very little similarity with the original whose imitation it claims to be. The text of the book, as available in the Kavyamala series, is broken at many places, and even where it is not, it is highly corrupt . But apart from it, the value of the work as a literary piece is not very high. The poet in keeping with the later poets many times overstretches himself. His language at places suffers from unnecessary paddings, as for example, in verses 27 and 50. The poem does not have uniformity in style. It suffers from jerks. Generally verses are without a charm but occasionally after a few verses there occurs a flash when the poet gives us an original Utpreksa or Upama, as for example, in verse 24 where he imagines that the moon is pale like a withered leaf because it is separated from its beloved, the night. In the day time the moon is seen to be grey in colour and this greyness the poet imagines to be due to the sorrow that the moon may be feeling on account of being separated from its beloved, the night. Now this is a very happy idea. The poet has used here an ayonija upama. In verse 65, Abhramati is shown pleased to see her son, the moon. The mushroom growth of reeds on her banks are her hair standing on end, surging waves are her hands raised to clasp her son. Now this is another nice Utpreksa . At another place the author gives us a nice instance of Hetutpreksa (verse 9). Maidens generally are jealous by nature but they feel ashamed when they see other

maidens' superior talents. This was precisely the reason why Lanka drowned herself in the vast ocean when she saw the glittering beauty of Vatapadri. The Vasvaukasara went out of sight and the Bhagavati concealed herself in Patala. The poet is fond of alliteration also, as for example-panca pancan (verse 22), maravinam navinam (V. 64), vicihastair udastaih (V.65), kelililavilolan (V.67), navyanira gabhira (V. 83) and kantah vanantah (V.90). He used Yamaka also, e.g., narmada narmadormi in V.83, but in his effort for it he does not pay proper attention to meaning. In the above quotation, for example, the meaning of the word narma is taken to be happiness. Narmada should, therefore, be that (river) whose waves give happiness. but the original meaning of the word Narmada is priyalapa. That his Yamaka suffers from such a looseness of meaning is illustrated by another example in V.92. It is sumanah-samvitanam latanam. Here the poet takes the meaning of the word samvitana as 'full of' but actually it should mean 'spread out'. Similarly, in verse 112 the author uses the expression brahmasabrahma etc. Here the additional sa is useless. It should be brahmabrahmarupam. Occasionally the poet writes verses where he uses expressions such as kantam ekantakantam, which are of course sweet and suit the occasion. Generally the work suffers from scribal errors besides other discrepancies which are being discussed as under: In verse 2, line 3, the author says vinaya-vinatah, i.e. vinayena vinatah. Both of these have the same sense and either of the two could suffice. It is an example of adhikapadatva. In verse 3. line 1, the word sikara should be read as sikhara. The word sikara gives no sense, nor can the word sikara be supposed here for that would infringe the metre. In the last line the author has mentioned pancakuta mountain afterwards but the pronoun yatra preceding it in the second line creates a doubt and is an example of Vidheyavimarsadosa, i.e. non-discrimination of the predicate. Again in verse 5, line 1, kridopavanapadavi should be separate from kridatam. In the text it is jumbled up and obscures the sense. In separating the two the prose order becomes clear. Kridopavanapadavi is the agent (Karta) CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Die and is connected with

A Survey of Sanskrit Duta-kavyas 193 the verb aviskaroti. The vatoddhuta ........etc. are the winds compared with the symphony of the citizens which cause the peacocks to dance. This has been mentioned together with the humming of the black bees. The correct formation would have been dhvanadvaditrahrdyan nrtyatkekiprakarasubhagan. In verse 9, line 1, in purama, the syllable pu should be read as pa. This should be parama as that alone makes sense. The reading in the text puramagurudhyanasandhanalinasvantah is also otherwise faulty, sandhana being redundent. Again in the second line in kantam tam iti rajaneh the author has used iti between kantam and rajaneh which splits both the words and is, therefore, misplaced. Visvanatha, the author of the Sahityadarpana has given a list of such usages and syntactical irregularities in his work. In the first line in drstva cainam in V. 9 the author uses the pronoun enam (accusative from etad) which is followed by tam in the second line. Here the pronoun adas (amum) should have been used; otherwise, it is also a case of Bhagnaprakramata. The word sadyah and drak in the second hemistich of the same verse are synonyms; any one of the two would have been sufficient. In verse 16, line 4, the first syllable is missing, it is... totpatu. It may be cintotpattau meaning 'on the rise of anxiety'. In line 3 of the same verse cittavrttim should be read as cittavrttih , it being the subject. It should be in the nominative and not in the accusative case. In verse 18, line 4, the word pranyah should be changed into praninah. But it would infringe the metre. If it remains pranyah, it would be grammatically wrong. The better reading may be prayah santah...etc. In verse 20, line 3, the particle ca after asvam is unnecessary for, ca is a conjunctive particle. There is nothing which it may conjoin or connect. Similarly, in verse 21, line 1, the ca after kautuki is useless as it connects yautake with kautuki which makes no sense. If we replace it by the word san the sense will be clearer.

In verse 24, line 1, the word varghayati should be vardhayati. This is evidently a scribal error or a printing mistake. In verse 28, line 3, jagadvyapi should be combined with sauryapratapah to make the sense clear. It is this which pervades the whole universe. In verse 33, line 2, the word indindira is used in the sense of a large bee, which is very rare. In verse 34, line 2, krdavapi should be joined with savanasarasaih to make the sense clear. It would mean the winds which have become cool with a bath in the pleasure-lake. In line 4, of the same verse stat should be read as syat. It is evidently a mistake. In verse 35, line 1, the reading antimajinavarah is wrong. If we connect it with Yama... etc. then too it makes no sense. In case we read it as Jinavaran it will qualify the prasadan in the second line. The sense will thus become a bit clearer. In verse 37, line 2, visarga should be added to the word vimana. It is the plural of the word vimana that is meant here and not the feminine of the word vimana meaning vigato mano yasyah. In verse 38, line 3, the word krti in abhisrtikrtikrtam is superfluous. The editor has put an asterisk mark here. The expression appears to him to be quite puzzling. We can suggest here a conjectural emendation. According to us the whole line may be recast as vighno yat syad abhisrtikrtam yositam ca tvadiyaih. There does not remain any superfluous word then. In the final line of the same verse duranirvasite should be duranirvasitah and syat should be syah. This emendation would eminently suit the context. In verse 40, line 3, the reading ksanam iyam api should be changed into ksanam ayam api for, it is connected with parisara, which is in the masculine. Preksaniya should be read as preksaniyah. In the extant reading the masculine parisara is followed by a pronoun in the feminine which is evidently wrong. In verse 42, line 1, vicarisyaty avasyam should be read as vicarisyasy avasyam as it is connected with tvam.

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 195 In verse 43, line 2, karyasiddhe nidanam should be karyasiddher nidanam as it is in construction with the word vacanam. If it has to be justified-sthitasya gatis cintaniya, it may be taken as a vocative and may be dissolved as svikrtanijasuhrdah karyasya siddhir yena sa svikrtanijasuhrtkaryasiddhih, i.e. who has taken the responsibility for the success of his dear friend. In verse 45, line 4, udghatanaih should be read as udghatanaih. Or it may be author's own reading in the sense of utksepana. In verse 49, line 3, the word vaya seems to have confounded the editor; for, he has put a question mark after that. Vaya is varya. The top mark for '' might have been omitted in the original manuscript. This conjecture also gets support from the close proximity of varya with vaidurya. Here the author seems to be aiming at a nice alliterative effect. In verse 51, line 4, svam should be sva. Again, the word bahalavidapi should be replaced by the word bahalavitapi. Here da for ta may be a scribal error or a printing mistake. In verse 52, line 3, the text is broken. If we supply the word khara, the lacuna can be filled up. This is supported by the context also. After the dots indicating the break in the text we have the word karah. Before the dots we have usnamsor api. If khara is supplied we would have the complete expression usnamsor api kharatarakarah meaning 'scorching rays of the sun.' This will also be in keeping with the author's love for alliteration which is so evident in the work. In verse 55, line 2, the author has used the word ripusurajita. Due to scribal error or some other reason the order of the words has been inverted. The reading should have been suraripujita. In verse 57, line 1, esam should be asya for, according to context it refers to the moon. Esam cannot refer to prasadanam in the previous verse, for, pronouns refer to words which are used in close proximity to them: sarvanamnam sannihitaparamarsitvam. Now, even if this nyaya is not taken into consideration or its application in all cases is not conceded, the word esam cannot be connected with prasadanam in the previous

verse, for, there the complete expression is prasadanam trikam which is in the singular. Esam, therefore, is indefensible. It should be definitely replaced by asya. Although grammatically this emendation may be right yet it cannot be easily fitted into the metre for the final syllable then will remain short, laghu, which in the first pada is generally considered to be a fault. In verse 58, line 3, the editor has put a question mark after the word katukamatinam. The word katuka of course confuses one on account of its being used in a less known sense and again on account of its close resemblance with the word katu meaning 'sour'. Here, however, the word does not mean 'sour'. It means 'pungent', 'sharp'. Katukamatina, therefore, means 'by the sharpwitted'. In verse 60, line 2 breaks after the word gantum urdhvam. The lacuna may be filled by supplying the word suduram, meaning thereby that the palace intends to go very high in the sky. In verse 61, line 1 is found broken after adri. The lacuna may be filled by supplying the word drdham as it is connected with the word pustim. The anvaya will then be etah drdham pustim dadhatu. The expression agrees perfectly with the sense. In line 3 of the same verse sya may be added to ausadhisa to fill up the lacuna. In verse 62, line 2, mithyanubhavam should be mithyanubhava for, it is conected with tirtharaji, which is in the nominative singular. The whole of the second line is a compound qualifying the word tirtharaji of the first line. In verse 63, line 2, the word drsta should be changed into drasta for, it is connected with the word janah. There is no other word with which it can be connected. Drsta is evidently a scribal error for drasta. In verse 67, line 1 is broken after akhila and the next word after the break is rajanan. If we supply the syllable pu to fill up the lacuna, the expression will be prinaty esakhilapurajanan meaning that it pleases all the inhabitants of the city by giving them its pure water. In line 4 of the same verse the reading CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by 33 Foundation USA

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 197 neyagadanagaryah is puzzling. The editor also has put a question mark there. Even in spite of our very best efforts it has not been possible to hit upon the correct reading in this case. The word punite in line 3 of the same verse should be read as punitaih as it is connected with vicihastaih in the instrumental plural. In verse 68, line 3, the word upanayaih should be changed to upanayeh, otherwise, the sentence would be left without a verb and the meaning would also suffer. The author wants to say 'do not trouble the separated persons with your unbearably sharp rays' and for this purpose the construction should be padaih ma sma upanayeh. In the same line the word prasahyaih, which from the text as handed down to us appears to be connected with upanayaih, is nothing but a scribal error. It ought to be asahyaih. In verse 74, line 3, the text is broken towards the beginning. If we supply gra to fill up the lacuna the complete word will be gramaikaikam meaning 'each and every village'. This very well fits in the context and makes the sense prefectly clear. In verse 75, line 1, again the text is broken. If we supply the syllable gu the complete word will be pratipadagurun which will fit in well with the context. In verse 79, line 1, samanakakubhih should be changed into samanakakubham for that alone makes sense. The sentence is tasmad drangac chamanakakubham prasthitasyantara te, when you go to the southern direction from that city. Not only should the instrumental case be avoided with the word kakubh when it is connected with the word prasthitasya, the plural in samanakakubhih also is unjustified for, Samana's or Yama's quarter is one and not many. The correct instrumental plural would, however, be kakubbhih which militates against the metre. In verse 82, line 1, praudhadurgam which qualifies Bhrgupuram should evidently be praudhadurgam. In verse 88, line 4, the word nejadopi should be changed into no jadopi for, that only makes sense. The whole line would then be pitroh pasyan ka iha suratam lajjate no jadopi meaning 'what fool in this world would not be ashamed when he sees his parent sexually united?"

198 Classical Sanskrit Literature. In verse 91, line 4, the reading is altogether missing. We may conjecturally reconstruct it as; prenkhacchakham anilataralocchunabhangibhir urvim'. In verse 92, line 2, the reading is vividhasumanah samvitanam latanam. Here, the word samvitanam is a big problem. If it is taken to be in the sense of a canopy of flowers a great difficulty would arise for, in the genitive plural the form would be samvitananam. If the word samvita in the sense of 'surrounded by' or 'full of' is taken then the metre would be infringed. The only alternative left to us is to suggest such a word in place of it as may not be far removed from the form of the present word and at the same time may yield an appropriate sense. Samcitanam is one such word. The complete reading then would be vividhasumanahsamcitanam latanam meaning 'creepers laden with a large variety of flowers'. This is a case of confusion of ca and va, which are so similar in form. In verse 95, line 3, nihita meru should be changed into nihito meru. In verse 96 line 1, the word nilacchayam should be nilacchayam for, it qualifies the word puram. In the second line a similar word is used subhracchayam. This is perfectly correct. In line 3 of the same verse the word pinge should be changed into pingaih for, it qualifies iksudandaih. The reading evidently should have been pingais cangaih meaning 'yellow coloured (i.e. ripened)' and of a superior quality. Canga is a Prakrit word. It may be that the poet originally read pingair angaih. In the second line vismrtaih should be changed into vistrtaih as that alone makes sense. In verse 97, line 3 is broken. The particle su would serve well to fill up the lacuna. The word then will be surajah. In verse 98, line 4, the word ksaudre is confusing. The word ksaudra means honey. Here, it has the unusual sense of ksudraih krtah, 'performed by the mean'. In verse 103, line 1, the text breaks after cartha pau. If we add ran to pau we would have the complete reading carthapauran. In cartha the 'r' is superfluous. The proper word should be catha. It means "and also' The meaning of the whole Shastri Collection, New

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 199 line would now be as follows: You will see the people mounted on elephants, horses, and also the other citizens. The emended text thus suits the context eminently. In verse 105, line 2 Sudharmya of Indra is mentioned. It should be changed to Sudharma for, that is the word for an assembly hall of the gods. Sudharmya is, therefore, incorrect. In verse 106, line 2, the sakhayati is probably a mis-print for sukhayati. In verse 107, line 4, the anusvara should be added to the word laksmi for, it is to be connected with the word nidadhatah. In verse 110, line 1, the word kathina is evidently wrong. It should be kathina. The third line of the same verse is broken. The lacuna may be filled up by adding sya to ma meaning 'light blue coloured'. The word dyati is evidently a mis-print for dyuti. Line 4, of the same verse is again broken in the end after bahi. The lacuna may be filled up by adding sca. In verse 111, line 1, the word asiti should be read as asita for, there is no word asiti as such. It qualifies the word smasru. The meaning is 'dark moustaches'. In the same line the kurcankurodyan is evidently wrong. It should be °radyan. In the same verse lines 3 to 4, are vaidrumim aksamalam ragam praptam iva gurugunair ghurnamanam ca citre. Here, the word should be citram; the garland of pearl-beads cannot evidently rotate in an image. Or citre may go with anke in the next verse. In line 3 of verse 113, arhan should be arhan for, it is connected with the world lokan. In verse 115, line 1, in the word namad asumatam the genitive is used for the dative, which runs counter to Sanskrit usage . In verse 117, line 1, the word japa has been used. It is a solecism. The correct form is japa. In verse 120 , line 4, the word sampadi should be samsadi. The construction of the sentence would then be suranam samsadi indram etc. In verse 130, line 2, the word manastvena should be manastvena. In the same verse line 3, the text is broken after sampraty ahani. After this word there is only one letter si. Possibly ni is missing. The original reading might have been sampratyahaninisti Conection, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA va, It is logical that nisi should follow ahani,

Finally, it may be remarked that inspite of our very best efforts, there is still one verse where a reading is enigmatic. In verse 99, line 3, the reading is kutrapyadyadyaraka janitah. It is a puzzle. The editor has also put a question mark here. Candraduta of Srikrsna Tarkalamkara This small dutakavya is attributed to Srikrsna Tarkalankara. He was a great logician. He is said to be the son of Gopikanta Bhattacarya who commented on the Kavyaprakasa. The poet's intention is to propagate his doctrines or philosophy through the medium of the light literature. The poem shows close similarity with the Padankaduta where the poet is more interested in philosophical speculation through a poem. From the Malyavat Parvata, Rama sends Hanumat to Lanka. He comes back after seeing Sita. Rama is very sad because of Sita's separation. In a state of awful bewilderment he espies the rising moon who is moving towards Lanka and asks her to convey his message to Sita. Candraduta of Vinayaprabhu The work contains only 12 verses. The first eleven verses are in Vamsasthavila metre and the last one is in Anustubh. The theme of this work is that a lady separated from her lover sends a message to him through the moon. The moon is requested to inform the hero that his beloved is dying by inches. The moon is moved by her piteous condition and bewilderment. She relates the sad plight of the lady to her lover who being charmed by the melodious voice of the moon comes back and thus the couple enjoys a happy reunion. The poem is really a nice piece where the messenger not only relates the message but actually brings about the desired end. Candraduta of Jambukavi The poet flourished in the 10 th century. This small poem cc-contains only 23 verses in the Malini metres The works though shar

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 201 small, can be placed among some of the master-pieces of the dutakavya literature. The work is also useful for the history of India for it gives chronology of a certain period. Most of the verses are Yamakas of a subtle nature. A large number of scholars or rhetoricians quote these verses in their works. The theme of the poem is the conventional one peculiar to the dutakavyas. A lady separated from her lover requests the moon to go to her lover and inform him of the pangs of separation she is suffering from his absence. The moon is asked by the lover kindly to go back and enjoy her sweet company. Pikaduta of Rudra Nyayapancanana Only a fragmentary copy of it having about 30 verses is available. The metre used is Sardulavikridita. As in the Ghatakarpara-Yamaka-Kavya and in some other dutakavyas, so in this poem also the messenger is sent by the beloved to the lover. The tradition of describing the route to be followed by the duta is missing in this poem. The story in brief runs thus: Krsna has left for Mathura. Vrndavana is no place of attraction to Radha. It is simply repelling and fortunately for Radha a cuckoo happens to pass nearby . She humbly requests it to convey her message to her lover . She does not like to send a beetle as it would surely cling to Krsna's lotus-like feet, since it is in the nature of the beetles to run after the lotus-flowers. The beetle would surely fail to convey the message and come back again. Earlier Radha had sent her mind to Krsna but it did not come back. The cuckoo is asked by the Gopis to ride on an elephant and go to Mathura. After all, what offence have the Gopis given to Krsna that he has entirely forgotten them? The cuckoo would tell him that his votaresses can no longer resist the pangs of his separation. Nevertheless , they sustain themselves in the hope of reunion with him. The trees and the birds etc. of Vrndavana are all sad in his absence. The cuckoo is to request Krsna to give cheer to the Gopis and to come back to Mathura CC-U. Flor. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA

Pikaduta of Ambikacarana Devasarma This poem is attributed to Ambikacarana Devasarma who seems to be a poet of the present century. This poem has not been published so far. The message and the theme of this work coincide with that of the Aniladuta of Rama Dayalu Tarkaratna. Kokiladuta of Haridasa This kavya of one hundred and three verses is attributed to Haridasa (or Harimohana) who composed it in the Saka era 1777. One hundred verses of it are concerned with message proper while the last three verses disclose the poet's own identity. The theme of this work is that Krsna has left Vrndavana. Radha is much aggrieved. She wants to convey her feelings through a kokila. The rest of the matter is an imitation of the dutakavyas of this type. There is no mention of the route. The poet wrote the work to show off his poetical talents. The verses are at times too difficult and abstruse and thus much of the charm of the poem is lost. Kokilasandesa of Venkatacarya It is different from the Kokilasandesa of Uddanda Kavi. The poem has 741 verses on the model of Kalidasa's Meghaduta having 60 and 61 verses in the Mandakranta metre in the first and second parts respectively. The manuscript of the work is preserved in the T. M. S. S. M. Library, Tanjore. The theme of the work is: Having enjoyed the company of sixteen thousand consorts, Visnu becomes tired of Srigara and desires to experience pathos. He becomes the king of Magadha and then under the curse of Agastya sojourns at Malayagiri. He is now separated from his wife and in a state of utter helplessness entreats a kokila to convey his message to his wife. The route which the kokila is asked to follow runs from Malayagiri to Kusumapura. The messenger, as usual, is at the very

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 203 outset eulogised and subsequently entreated to carry his message to his sweetheart. To reach Kusumapura the kokila is to follow a northward course and is to commence its journey after paying homage to Mahendra mountain where the Malaya breezes are blowing. The messenger must have his wife to accompany him lest he (the messenger) should feel the pangs of separation like the hero. After crossing the hermitage of Agastya at Malayakuta the messenger is to go to Satamakhapuri and Tamraparni where the Brahmanas are highly learned. Other intermediate stages are Madhura and the Sahya mountain where the messenger will be delighted to pay homage to Ranganatha, Sesanaga and Padmanabha. The kokila, will then visit Tanja Nagara, the Kaveri, the sacred river Tungabhadra, and the Krsna and then would reach Kusumapura. The actual message is described in the second part of the work. The poem draws inspiration from the Meghaduta only in form and metre but not in spirit, although the predominant sentiment is pathos here too. Kokilasandesa of Uddanda This poem by the famous author of the Mallikamaruta containing 92 verses in the first and 69 verses in the second part is an imitation of Sukasandesa. The poet leaves no trace of his identity but the poet Udaya, the author of the Mayurasandesa, has mentioned Uddanda as a great favourite in the Balya country. Uddanda has mentioned Chennamangalam as the destination of his messenger in Kokilasandesa. This city is identified with Villarvattam. According to Malabar tradition Uddanda was a great scholar, poet and debator who kept up his rank in the Zamorin's Vidvatsadas (Learned Assembly) . After twelve years, the local Brahmin scholars became jealous and propitiated Durga. With the grace of Durga, a baby was born in the Brahmin family of Kakkasson. He grew up to be a great scholar, poet and debator. In his twelfth year he defeated Uddanda in Zamorin's sadas. The ccstory of this poem runs thus: Dof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA

A hero living with his beloved is taken away at night by a celestial being and is brought near the Conjeevaram temple. After two months, the month of Caitra approaches and he sees a kokila, through whom he sends the message to his beloved. The route is described from Conjeevaram in the Chingleput District of the Madras State to a place called Chennamangalam (now a part of Kerala) between the two arms of the Alwaye river. The messenger is entreated to enter Malabar through Mysore (Hoysala kingdom) in the north-eastern corner. The poem closely follows Kalidasa's Meghaduta in technique, and is supposed to be a complement to Sukasandesa of Laksmidasa in so far as it describes such portions of Malabar as are not included in that poem. The poem is written in the usual Mandakranta metre. Bhrngasandesa of Vasudeva' Malayali poets have written duta-kavyas both in Sanskrit as well as in Malayalam on the model of Kalidasa's Meghaduta. In this duta-kavya, Vasudeva has marvellously interwoven the external nature depicted in the Purvabhaga with human feelings charmingly delineated in the Uttarabhaga. The number of verses is 95 and 80 in the first and second parts respectively. The poem is published in the Trivandrum Sanskrit Series, Trivandrum. The theme and substance of the poem is that being charmed by the enticing handsomeness of a lover, enjoying sound sleep in his palace, a Yaksi had snatched him away from the bedside of his beautiful consort Balanili. But she was forced to drop him down in a flower-garden in the vicinity of Padmanabhasvami temple at Trivandrum, due to the chance appearance of a Yaksa. The lover finds himself in seclusion and is perplexed at this strange turn of events. In utter dismay he begins to contemplate over his fate but the sweet hummings of a bhriga catch his fancy. The overwhelmed lover decides to send his message to his beloved through this bhrnga. The poet here follows the conventional method of the dutakavyas. In the Purva-bhaga the CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Doute is described. The bhriga USA

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 205 is expected to travel from Trivandrum to Svetadurga on the bank of Bharatapura, the abode of the beloved . The Uttarabhaga contains the message which is expressed in a very simple style. The poem is also known as Bhramarasandesa, but the name intended by the poet was Bhrngasandesa.10 From Trivandrum to Svetadurga is one month's¹¹ journey but it is completed in two days only. The beetle is endowed with some super-natural power. 12 In keeping with the dutakavya-tradition the poet describes some important places he has visited. According to Sambasiva Sastri, the editor of the work, "he (the poet ) has, in fact, surpassed all others by consigning all his personal experiences to the swing of poesy". In this work the poet has mentioned the names of Sri Narayana Bhattapada, Matrdallapandita¹³ and the famous astrologer Acyuta Pisarota. 14 All these men were probably his contemporaries. The poet has also praised the ruler of Trivandrum 15 who ruled between 1563-1602 A.D. This Sandesakavya seems to have been written during that period. It sheds a welcome light on the historical and also the geographical data of that period. Bhramarasandesa of Mahalinga sastri This is a recent work written in the year 1923 A.D. by Mahalinga Sastri in Sikharini metre and has one hundred and ten verses. The poet has written this poem on the model of Kalidasa's Meghaduta. A resume of the subject -matter is: Indra has killed Vrtrasura. The sin of murdering a Brahmana begins to haunt him in the shape of a dreadful ghost and Indra has no other alternative but to conceal himself in the lotus-tank of the Ganges. He thus gets separated from his beloved consort Saci and in this sad separation sends a messenger to her. A bee is entreated to carry the message to her abode, the Indrapuri. The route runs from Jahnuksetra to heaven. Himalaya, Badarikasrama, Sthanvasrama , Osadhiprastha, Kailasa, Manasa lake and Svargaloka are the important places which the bee would like to see and enjoy during his journey. CC-U. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA

The poem ends with the statement that by virtue of accidental pious recollections, Indra becomes purified of his sins and is released from the sin of Brahmahatya. Brhaspati assists Indra in regaining his lost grandeur and his beloved Saci. The poet aims at conveying to the readers the philosophy of the Puranas, viz. ksine punye martyalokam visanti, that men come back to the earth from the heaven when their accumulated punyas (religious merits) are exhausted and when they do some good in this world they can again be eligible for admission to the heavenly abode. Bhramaraduta of Rudra Nyayavacaspati This poem is attributed to Rudra Nyayavacaspati. The complete poem contains 125 verses. The subject matter of this work has been taken from Valmiki's Ramayana with some innovations and alterations in the route. The theme of the poem is: Hanumat has come back to Rama who is staying at Citrakuta. Rama hears from this messenger of the pitiable plight of his wife and becomes very sad. He recollects the days which he spent in the sweet company of his wife Sita. He can no more bear separation and this creates a grave situation. Rama becomes the Yaksa of the Meghaduta. He is very sad. As the rainy season has arrived, he thinks that all men must be with their consorts. It is just then that a bhramara, a bee, appears there. Rama entreats it to convey his message to Sita who is under confinement in Lanka. The poet then explains the route. He describes once again the sad condition of Sita. Thereafter, the message is related to the bee. The last two verses are concerned with the poet's own identity, etc. Bhrigaduta of Srikrsna The credit of bringing this work to light goes to S.P. Chaturvedi of Allahabad, (formerly of Nagpur). It was published in the Nagpur University Journal No. 3, December 1937. A critique on it was published by Chaturvedi in the Proceedings and CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by S 5 Founciation!

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 207 Transactions of the All India Oriental Conference, 6 th Session, 1930, pages 623-632. We quote relevant extract from it which gives quite a nice description of this hitherto unknown work. The work contains 126 verses in Mandakranta metre. Unlike the Meghaduta there are no Purvabhaga and Uttarabhaga divisions in it. All the verses form one unit, the work itself. The last stanza is in Upajati metre and states the names of the author and the work. The theme of the work is: A Gopi in feigned anger (praptamanantaraya) quarrels with Krsna and spends a restless night. The following morning, she sees nearby a bee humming merrily on the bloomed lotus flowers. With big tears in her sleep-idle eyes, she breathes a heavy sigh and asks the bee to take her message to her lover Sri Krsna. The way shown to the messenger is not exactly the one which the messenger must follow to reach its destination. What our author aims at, is to mention and describe the various scenes of Vrajabhumi which are of great interest to the Gopis and other devotees of Sri Krsna. The bee is asked to go first to the house of Nanda (yahi nandasya geham). The garden, the Malati-bower, scenes of amorous sports (kamakridaparimala), the arch-all these are admirably described. Then comes the royal avenue (rajavithi), where beautiful damsels are seen hurrying to their lovers' places and heart-attracting ball-games (kandukakridah) are being played. Reaching Gokula through a spacious gate, the messenger is to see the image of Ganesa in the court-yard, and the worship of Rohini. He is advised to enjoy the playing on musical instruments and the amorous dance in honour of the deity. Thence he is to go to the way leading to the (river) Yamuna and listen to the witty and confidential talks of the ladies who have gone there to fetch water. He is to keep himself aloof from these temptations and proceed on his undertaken errand . Now, comes the temple of Vagdevata (the goddess of speech) by whose grace even the animals can compose excellent poetic lines. This is followed by a very beautiful description of Lord Siva's temple (Kailasadhama).

Patraduta of Rudradeva Tripathi This is a recent dutakavya¹6 written by Rudradeva Tripathi, son of Ramakanta Sarma who is described by the author as an astrologer. The work is published by Pandit Bhimadeva Tripathi of Shri Maheshwar Printing Press, Mandsore (M.P.). It contains 163 verses written in the Mandakranta metre. At the end of the work there are five photographic reproductions of the things and places described in the work, which has elicited praise from such critics as the editor of the Madhuravani. The theme of the work is: The author Rudradeva Tripathi who is living in Bombay with one of his maternal uncles, Govinda Rama Sarma, sends a letter to his preceptor who is also one of the maternal uncles of the author living in Dasapura in the Malava country. The letter is sent as a messenger to convey the best regards of the pupil, the author, to the preceptor, Rama Candra on the Guru Purnima day. Just as the cloud in the Meghaduta is treated as a living being and human actions are ascribed to it, similarly, our author Rudradeva Tripathi attributes all human actions to the letter. He also describes the route to be followed by the letter which lies between Bombay and Dasapura and passes through Dadar, Balsar, Bullimore, Navasari, Bhrgupura, Revati and Ratnapuri, etc. In between the poet takes a few moments off and describes in vivid detail the various places and scenes of Bombay with all its beauty-spots like Chowpatti, the Juhu Beach thronged with the merry-making people helping themselves with Bhelpuri, etc. and the buses and the trams plying. The journey of the letter commences from the Bombay Central Post Office from where it is put in a Dakvan, carried to the Railway Station and put in a train-compartment. It is described to be a witness to all, that takes place in the compartment; the breakfast by the people, the boisterous laughters of the people and the like. When the letter reaches Dasapura, it is asked to go to a Vidyalaya or a College-building where the author had pursued his studies sometime back. The letter is to deliver the message of best compliments of the pupil, the author, to the preceptor, the maternal uncle of the author.

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 209 Hamsaduta of Vamanabhatta Bana Vamanabhatta, a Brahmana of Vatsagotra, was the court-poet of Vemabhupala, the famous author of the Srigaradipika in the 15 th century. The famous poet Bana Bhatta, the court-poet of Sri Harsa who composed the Kadambari and the Harsacarita was also a Vatsagotra Brahmana. Bana Bhatta is said to be a unique prose writer. In order to equal the fame won by him, Vamanabhatta wrote a large number of books including this Hamsaduta. The subject-matter is the same as that of the Meghaduta. A Yaksa separated from his beloved, sends a message to his beloved consort Kandarpalekha through a swan, who is expected to travel from Mount Malaya (the extreme south of India) to Alaka. The swan is to travel through Tamraparni and reach Madura, the land of the Pandya kings. Thereafter, he is to go to Cauvery, the lands of the Rangas and Colas, the Siva temple of Pundarikapura, Conjeevaram, the Parvati shrine at the bank of the river Kampa, and then is to cross the river Kanakamukhari. Thereafter, he is to pass through the Andhras, the Krsnavati, the Tungabhadra, the Godavari and then traverse the Vindhya mountains, and cross the rivers Yamuna and Ganga and travel through Varanasi, Ayodhya, Kuruksetra, the Himalayas, the Kraunca mountain, the mount Kailasa and reach Alaka. The second part of the work contains a fine description of Alaka, the abode of the Yaksa, and his message to his beloved consort. The work as a whole is very interesting and is closely similar to the Meghaduta. The poet has a thorough mastery over language and rhetoric. Hamsaduta of Rupagosvamin Rupagosvami, a disciple of Sricaitanya, was a great Vaisnava of Bengal. Besides the Hamsaduta, a work of 142 verses in Sikharini, 17 he has a large number of other works to his credit. The theme of this poem is: Lalita, on behalf of Radha and other cowherdesses sends a Swan from Vindavana to Mathura where Lord Krsna resides. The Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA

swan is requested to follow the track of Krsna's chariot driven by Akrura. He is further requested to have rest under the Kadamba tree behind which Krsna used to hide himself while stealing the clothes of the Gopis. He is also expected to visit the Govardhana mountain, a favourite resort of Krsna, the Tamala tree; the Kaliya lake where the Vindadevi had transformed herself into a Tulasi leaf, and from there to the famous town of Mathura. The swan is to go there and see Krsna busy in merry-making with the maidens singing songs of Vikadru and the legendary tales narrated by Akrura. Krtavarman, Satyaki, Garuda and others must be busy in Krsna's service. The swan must look for an opportunity to see Krsna when he is alone, otherwise, he would not like to hear the message sent by the village-maidens. He must request Krsna not to forget them, who were earlier very near and dear ones to him, particularly Radha who cannot resist the pangs of separation any more. The poem is rich in similes and the flight of imagination is spontaneous, although the theme is borrowed from the Srimadbhagavata.18 Hamsaduta of Venkatanatha Vedantacarya Venkatanatha and his son Varadanatha are famous poets of the 14 th century. They are the followers of Ramanuja. A large number of Sanskrit and Tamil works have been written by Vedantacarya. The theme of this poem is based on the Ramayana. The messenger is a swan instead of Hanumat. The route which the swan is directed to follow is described. It runs from Mount Malayavat to Ceylon. The route described here is a repetition of the one described by Vamana Bhatta Bana and the poet has sufficient explanation ready for it. This path is safe and the heavy rains would not obstruct the movement of the passengers there. Hence the messenger is requested to travel through the Eastern Coast of the Madras Presidency. It is a bit longer route no doubt, but it will be free from any difficulty. The swan is expected to go to Karnataka, Andhra, Venkatacala, the river Kanakamukhari

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 211 flowing near Anjanadri, Satyavatiksetra, Hastisaila at Conjeevaram situated on the northern bank of the river Vegavati, the Cola country, the Svetasaila, the Candrapuskarini on the bank of which the Vrksacala and the Pandyadesa are situated. Thereafter, comes the Tamraparni, then the Subala mountain on the sea and finally the messenger reaches Ceylon. Sita is found sitting under the cluster of green trees, where he conveys the message of Rama. The message is nothing new to us. But the poet aims at relating it through an outburst of pathos, the Vedanta doctrines and philosophy only in a new garb. However, the poet has tried to make this poem attractive by the beauty of his composition. He saves it from becoming a dull and monotonous song. Hamsasandesa of Raghunathadasa The theme of the work is exactly the same as that of the Hamsasandesa of Rupagosvamin. Generally the dutakavyas show the route first and then the message is conveyed but here the case is reverse. The poet relates the message in the first half of the poem and the second half contains the route. The theme is as follows: Radha, the chief cowherdess cannot stand the pangs of separation from Krsna. She deputes Lalita, her trusted friend, to convey her message to Krsna, who is living in Mathura . The messenger is requested to describe the day-by-day worsening plight of the Gopis. Krsna has deserted them and this has made them miserable. Every month that passes brings fresh pain and agony. Their condition thus is getting from bad to worse . They want nothing from Krsna except a sweet and kind glance towards them failing which, they may not be able to keep their body and soul together. Hamsasandesa of Purnasarasvati The poem is written on the model of the Meghaduta with this difference that herein the message is being sent by the beloved the lover. The story goes that once a maiden of Kancipura saw

Lord Krsna going out for a festival. She was charmed by his beauty but since he was residing at Vrndavana the poor beloved could not tolerate his separation. In utter confusion and dismay she sent a message to him. A swan was the messenger. The route from Kanci to Vrndavana is described in a very nice way. The poet seems to have lived sometime between the 12 th and the 16 th centuries. Hamsasandesa (anonymous) The poem is in line with the other dutakavyas, so far as the Mandakranta metre is concerned but in the subject matter it differs. The work is mainly concerned with Yoga and Vedanta. The complete poem consists of 101 verses and is divided into two parts having 50 and 51 verses respectively in the Purvasandesa and the Uttarasandesa. The theme is: A devotee transforms his soul into a swan and sends it to Rudrabhakti, i.e. 'Devotion to Siva'. Due to wordly engagements he remains away from his beloved, the Bhakti (Devotion). He, therefore, sets aside the wordly attachments and through his Karman regains his consciousness along with his beloved Bhakti (Devotion). Sukasandesa of Laksmidasa This small poem is attributed to one Nambudiri Brahmana Laksmidasa of Karinnampilly, a small village situated on the bank of the Alwaye river (in modern Travancore). He seems to have flourished in the 13 th century. The poem is composed on the model of the Meghaduta. The message is sent through a parrot from Ramesvaram to Trikkanamatilakam near Cranganur. It is one of the most important cities of the ancient Malabar kings. On his way, the messenger is to pass through Comorin and Trivandrum. It is a nice lyric piece of one hundred and sixty two stanzas (having 73 and 89 verses in the first and second parts respectively). The hero is living in happiness in the sweet

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 213 company of his beloved. In a dream he finds himself suddenly transported to Ramesvaram or Ramasetu, the famous pilgrimcentre in South India. He then sees a parrot to whom he ascribes human organs, feelings and supernatural intelligence and through it sends his message to his wife at Gunapuram. It is a very interesting work but the message and the feeling of separation both take place in a dream. Kiraduta of Ramagopala This poem of 104 verses has been written by Ramagopala who is one of the scholars who composed Vivadarnavasetu under the patronage of Raja Krsnacandra of Navadvipa. The theme of this poem is the same as that of the other poems dealing with Krsna and the Gopis' love-affair. The messenger is a parrot who surely is the proper agency to convey the feelings and emotions of the Gopis to Krsna. Kokasandesa of Visnutrata Visnutrata was a Malabar poet who flourished in the 16 th century. He lived in the village named Vazappilli. The poem contains 120 and 196 verses in the first and the second parts respectively in Mandakranta metre. The poet has followed the traditional method of the dutakavyas. The first part contains the description of the route to be followed in its travels by the messenger and the second part gives the message which is to be conveyed to the beloved. A prince of Sriviharapura is abducted by some unknown powerful magicians and taken away to a far off place. The prince does not know as to where he is and what has happened to him. He is much confused in a lonely place, and is not able to discover the identity of that place. He recollects the days spent in merrymaking and then he thinks of the condition of his beloved wife. The bewilderment at that is acute. In this sad plight the lover sees a koka flying there whom he requests to take his message to Kamarama, where his beloved lives. The koka goes to the beloved cand tells her of the pangson, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA ther of the pangs of separation felt by the hero.

The poem is the longest one in the whole of the dutakavya literature in Sanskrit. Cakorasandesa of Perusuri It is a fine love-lyric which in essence follows the Meghaduta. The poet seems to have adorned the court of a king in Southern India, who had perhaps conferred upon him the title of Navina Patanjali since the poet in the colophon calls himself so. The work is preserved as a fragment. The first part of it having 69 verses is complete in itself except for a few omissions, but the second part having 40 verses is incomplete. Verses 9 to 20 are found intact while all the remaining verses have a lacuna. The theme of the work is that a certain lover did not pay due respect to Vyaghrapada while he went to bow before Sundaresa. The former cursed him and the poor lover had to sojourn at Kailasa mountain. Only a month before the expiry of his term of curse, he saw a cakora through whom he sent his message to his beloved. The message, unlike in other Kavyas, is not verbal, but written on a tree bark with mineral dyes. The first part describes the journey from Kailasa to Hala (the present Madhura), the capital town of the Pandya country in the extreme south of India. The second part contains the message which is, however, incomplete. The historical value of the first part is considerable, as there are descriptions of every important town, river and temple on the way. The second part (incomplete) describes the place where the beloved lives. In the available part the author shows great qualities of literary craftsmanship and striking originality. His conceits are not usually laboured, and the chiselled and bejewelled phraseology gives an impression of rare beauty. The work can be ranked as an excellent production in the entire later dutakavya literature. Mayurasandesa by Udaya Prince Udaya was the famous author of Kaumudi, a commentary on the Locang on the Dhuanyaloka of CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi.

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 215 Anandavardhana. The work under reference is written on the model of Kalidasa's Meghaduta. It contains 107 and 92 verses in the Purva and the Uttarabhagas respectively. The message is sent by a person named Srikantha of Syanandura (modern Trivandrum) to his consort residing at Annakara, a small village in Cochin State. The distance to be travelled is eight miles only. A peacock is the messenger for this job. The route is described in a very simple style. There is a lot on the way to attract the attention of the messenger. The Uttarabhaga contains the message. The lover explains his sad condition due to his separation from his beloved wife. The work is a nice imitation of two or three works of the South Indian poets namely, the Sukasandesa, the Kokilasandesa and the Unninilisandesa (Malayalam Kavya). All of the three works are drawn upon but the presentation is the author's own. He has woven the material drawn from the three dutakavyas into an artistic whole. In that lies his novelty. The poem is rich in nice descriptions of some of the most important towns of South India. The style is very simple but the method of narration is not very appealing. Kakaduta of Gauragopala Siromani year. Its This was composed by Gauragopala in 1811 Saka theme is the same as that of the Aniladuta. Herein the message is sent by the cowherdesses to Krsna. The poet does not like to rely upon the messengers engaged by other poets. They have used Cloud, Swan, Wind and so on to deliver their messages but he criticizes such dutas and in a large number of verses argues the superiority of Kaka to other dutas. In his opinion only the Kaka is the fittest agency of dautya-karma (conveyance of messages). Unlike the other writers in the field, this poet does not worry much about the message or the messenger. He even does not care for the Gopis. That is why he has failed to convey their message to Krsna.

The poet seems to have composed this work to show off his skill in grammar and command over vocabulary. Bakaduta of MM. Ajitanatha Nyayaratna Unfortunately only a fragmentary copy of this work is available. The poem is written in different metres. The route to be covered by the messenger runs from Krsnanagara to Navadvipa. Due to the absence of the initial part, the theme of this work cannot be made out with certainty but from the available stanzas one can gather that some Bhramari whose husband is away, sends her message through a Baka. Bhramari is perhaps some heroine deserted by her lover who in utter sorrow seeks to convey her feelings to the lover. She asks him to think of her pitiable condition and come back to her. It is a good love-lyric and the poet seems to be at his best here. Sunakaduta of K.M. Krsnamurti Sarma This small Sandesakavya of 30 verses in Mandakranta metre was published in 1954 A.D. in the quarterly Sanskrit magazine Sarasvati Susama in the year 2011 of the Vikrama era. The theme of the poem is: Intending to present an ornament to his beloved who is the daughter of his maternal uncle, a lover breaks into the house of a rich man and steals some gold but is caught red-handed and is awarded one year's imprisonment. He is feeling sad but he cannot escape from that stone-built jail. He, in utter helplessness, calls upon a dog whom he pleases with a sweet cake and entreats it to convey his feeling to his beloved consort who is residing at Mahisanagara 19, at a distance of six miles to the west of that jail. The lover further instructs the dog to go through a village having the Vitthala temple. The message is intended to console the beloved for some time till the lover reaches there. The jail term expires. The lover earns some money by business , purchases gold bangles and offers these to his beloved.

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 217 The poem ends with a happy reunion of the two lovers. It is written in a very nice style on the model of Kalidasa's Meghaduta. The poet mentions this fact in his last verse. Uddhavaduta of Madhavakavindra A nice poem of 141 verses, it is written in the Mandakranta metre. The theme of this work is only an elaboration of the idea found in a verse of the Bhagavatapurana wherein Krsna sends Uddhava as a messenger to his parents and Gopis residing at VTndavana. The poem begins with an enquiry about a stranger who visits the Gopis. The Gopis soon come to know that Uddhava is a messenger sent by Sri Krsna. He brings a message for Gopis who without hearing him abruptly begin to describe their own miserable condition due to their separation from their friend. Under an emotional stress one of the cowherdesses becomes senseless. Uddhava tries to bring her to senses. He is perplexed to note that he cannot deliver the message to the Gopis who instead start cutting jokes with him and ask him to convey their message to Krsna. Finally, Uddhava tells Radha (the Gopi who fainted) he has come with a message from Krsna . The messenger appreciates Radha's devotion to Krsna. Uddhavasandesa of Rupagosvamin This poem composed by Rupagosvamin in the 16 th century in Mandakranta metre consists of one hundred and thirty eight verses. The subject-matter of this work is the same as that of the Uddhavaduta with slight variations . Krsna persuades his friend Uddhava to convey his message to Gopis residing at Vrndavana. The route from Mathura to Vraja is related with a vivid description of some important things worth-seeing on the way. Krsna sends his best wishes for his friends and pays homage to his parents.

The poem gives an account of some sacred places, rivers, centres of pilgrimage and thus is very useful to trace the geographical conditions in the contemporary period. The poet also gives a true history of the important towns flourishing in his time. Uddhavaduta of Rajavallabha Misra The credit for bringing to light this hitherto unknown duta-kavya belongs to late Pandit Baladeva Upadhyaya. He has published a beautiful critique on this which was published in the Indian Historical Quarterly, Vol. XII, 1936. We quote below some excerpts from it pertaining to the author of the work, its theme and literary excellence. The author of this dutakavya is Rajavallabha Misra who has also written upon it a useful commentary....The kavya was finished on the fifth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Asvina (Sept.-Oct.) in the Vikrama year 1889, i.e., 1832 A.D.. It consists of 115 verses. The last two verses written in Anustubh metre give the date of the composition and describe the object of the work. The remaining 83 verses are chiefly concerned with the theme which is taken from the life of Krsna, a constant source of inspiration to poets. The poem opens with Uddhava seated under the Kadamba tree and surrounded by the young Gopis of Vrndavana. The ladies naturally become exceedingly pleased to find the friend of their dear Krsna and take the opportunity to give vent to their pent-up feelings of deep anguish at the indifference of their once most beloved companion and begin to shower bitter reproaches on the familiar scenes and objects of the Vinda groves. The Gopi's lament begins in verse 3 and extends upto the 16 th verse. The reproaches are directed at first to the mount Govardhana (3), to the cuckoo (4-5), to the cloud (6-8), to the river Yamuna (9), to the black bee (10), to the animals of the forest like the deer and peacock (11), to the mango tree (12) and lastly to the Vindavana itself which was once the scene of their confidential talks and meandering walks. This will of the ladies moves Uddhava who is deeply pained at finding the love of the Gopis disregarded by his own companion. He gives CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by 53 Foundation USA

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 219 them the message of true and novel love which inspite of physical separation, always gets fixed and greatly developed under such trying circumstances (19). After this Uddhava returns to Mathura where he gives a full and glowing description of the noble sentiments of the Vraja Gopis and the deep agony of their heart due to cold indifference shown to them by Krsna. This speech of Uddhava forms the main body of this poem and extends from 21 st to 82 nd verse. The description of Gopis' condition has its desired effect on Krsna's mind, who is deeply touched (83). With this the poem comes to an end. The author has achieved notable success in placing before his readers his own conception of true love and in describing the noble emotions of the human heart when separated from a person who is truly lovable. Panthaduta of Bholanatha This small work has been composed by a modern poet of Tikuri. It has 105 verses in Sardulavikridita metre with the exception of the two 20 which are in Vasantatilaka. Two verses, i.e. 63 and 64 are incomplete and verse 104 is missing. The work is published in the Pracyavani Sanskrit Series, Calcutta. The poet commences the work with a mangalasloka², enunciating the philosophy of the Gita 22 It would thus appear that he is an adherent of Vaisnavism . Generally the dutakavyas are written in two parts, the first part giving the route, and the second, the message but this poem is an exception, as the poet starts with the message abruptly after the benedictory verse. The theme of the work is as follows: Srikrsna leaves Vrndavana and sojourns at Mathura. He does not send news of his whereabouts . Nor does he send a message to the cowherdesses of Vraja with whom he has been playing throughout his childhood and whose sweet company he has been enjoying. Once Radha goes to the river Yamuna, 23 and sees its blue waters. She loses her senses when she remembers Krsna's absence, but comes to herself when her friends sprinkle fresh CC- 0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by S 3 Foundation USA

water of the holy river on her face. At the same time the Gopis catch sight of a traveller bound for Mathura through whom they like to send their message. They entreat him to tell Krsna that it does not behove him to forget them altogether. They are in a very miserable plight and Durga stands witness to this fact. The Gopis remark that Krsna has perchance lost his sense and sensibility since he has sucked Putana's 24 milk. He should follow the example of Siva who is of the form of Ardhanarisvara. Krsna is definitely a cunning 25 lover, a hypocrite 26, and really the son of rustic parents.27 One of the Gopis continues to censure him 28 till at last she falls on the ground 29 senseless. Another Gopi then continues the thread saying that Kubja and Krsna are both crooked and Fate has skilfully made him a fit match although Kubja cannot compare with Radha's feet. 30 Krsna is a murderer³¹ of womenfolk 32 and a cowherd.33 He has attained a high rank only with the divine power so kindly bestowed upon him by Yasoda, but he must not boast of his valour since the same mother who fed him on her milk has withdrawn her affection from him. After killing Kamsa he has enthroned Ugrasena clearly with a motive to carouse with his handsome maidens; and he is liable to be punished for this act. Finally, Radha declares that he is her only resort and that she is entirely devoted to him. Her only prayer is that she should remain his lovable consort in all the future births that she may have. The idea of the poet, as it would appear from the theme detailed above, is to propagate Visnubhakti through this small love-lyric. Gopiduta by Lambodara Vaidya The author appears to be a court-poet of the modern times.He enjoyed the patronage of a Raja named Jagaddurlabha. The poem has not been published so far. In essentials it is similar to the other dutakavyas with the Krsna-Gopi theme. The message is sent by the cowherdesses to Krsna whom they see when he is going in his chariot . The dust raised by the high

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 221 speed of the chariot falls in their eyes. The cowherdesses feel hurt and all of them fall senseless. After a time they send a messenger to convey their feelings towards their Lord. Nemiduta of Vikrama The author was the son of Asanga. He lived at Khambhat (Gujarat). Rsabhadasa, a celebrated poet in Gujarat was his brother. The last line in each stanza in this work is taken from the Meghaduta of Kalidasa. The poem begins with the message. No route is mentioned herein. The first chapter contains a description of Neminatha's pleasures and activities in his boyhood. The second chapter describes the Vasanta or the spring season and the pleasures of the hero in that pleasant season. The third chapter gives a description of the marriage preparation of the hero. The last chapter contains a description of the grave and the sad state of Rajimati, the beloved consort of the hero, who sends her message to him asking him to abandon the idea of becoming a recluse. The poem aims at placing before the readers the virtues of the Jaina Dharma. Manoduta of Indresa Bhatta This small poem of 45 verses in different metres is attributed to one Indresa of Gokula who flourished towards the end of the 18 th century. He belongs to the Vallabhacarya school . Indresa sends his mind from Mathura to Dvaraka where Krsna resides. The route is described in the same style as in the other dutakavyas. The messenger is to go to Jaipur , Kotah, Kartarpur, Udaipur and such other places and reach Dvaraka. On the way it is to have the much sought for darsana of Krsna in various forms. The mind is entreated to go to Krsna and request him to call the poet to stay with him. The poem is written in a beautiful style. Hrdayaduta of Harihara Bhatta The author of the poem was a famous Vaisnava of the Vallabhacarya school. He was born in a village named

Devarsigrama (modern Deoria) near about the year 1560 of the Vikrama era. The poem is written in Vasantatilaka except the last verse which is in Sragdhara. It is an excellent devotional poem. The subject-matter is the message sent by the poet to Srikrsna. The poet's own heart is the messenger. The route to be followed runs from Prayaga to Mathura. The poet aims at giving expression to his own thoughts through the medium of a dutakavya. He criticises the Vamamarga while he appreciates the Daksinamarga in the Nirguna visistamarga of Sri Vallabhacarya. There are some verses in which original ideas have been expressed in a beautiful language. The poet has made a successful attempt to fashion the dry bones of philosophy and religion into a throbbing body with a glorious kavya-soul full of inspiration and sentiment. The message commences after verse 104. The messenger is asked to request Lord Krsna to allow him a place in his lotus-like feet. Manoduta of Trailanga Vajranatha This poem of 102 verses in Sikharini was composed in the year 1758 at Vindavana. The poet adopts for his theme the famous episode of gambling in the court of the Kauravas at Hastinapura and the insult of Draupadi. The poem begins with some benedictory verses. From the 11 th verse onwards six verses are devoted to the visit of Duryodhana to Pandavas' yajna. The Kuru king is amazed at the strange palace. of the Pandavas who laughed at him. He comes back deeply sad and tells Sakuni the cause of his sorrow, who after consulting him prepares a scheme of playing dice with Yudhisthira who is not so experienced in it. The trap is laid to deprive him of his richer empire and even Draupadi. The scheme is put into operation and it achieves the desired result. Draupadi is dragged into the court by Duhsasana. The real dutakavya commences from verse 133 where Draupadi in a state of utter helplessness asks her own mind to

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 223 go to Dvaraka and request Krsna to come and help her. Krsna hurries up and furnishes saris of multifarious designs and thus saves her from a grave situation. The poem ends in praise of Visnu worship which is the only path to achieve eternal peace. The poem is a labyrinth of a queer type where the poet, while describing the court of Yudhisthira, is busy with demonstrating his knowledge of and skill in astrology, medicine, military science, architecture, Mimamsa, grammar, etc. But the work is not lacking in rhetorical excellence. Qualities of composition such as Anuprasa, cohesion, lucidity and pregnancy of expression are found throughout the work. The figures of speech have enriched and embellished the composition. Few poets could be so talented as the author. Though modelled on the Meghaduta, this dutakavya, is, as a matter of fact, least indebted to it. Manoduta of Visnudasa One of the best known poets of Bengal, Visnudasa flourished in the 15 th century. He was the saint-poet closely related to Caitanyadeva. He composed this poem of 101 stanzas in order to convey his feelings to the common people. The message and the messenger are both super-human. The theme of this work is as follows: After having studied the sacred books like the Puranas the poet feels that one must fully devote oneself to penance and worship. In the beginning the poet thinks of his own deeds and then makes up his mind to seek refuge in Visnu's worship. His own mind is the messenger whom he tells the route and the charm of the Visnubhakti. He asks the messenger to go through Gokula, Yamuna, Vrndavana and reach Krsna. In the end he explains his message of atonement and longing for Bhakti in order to attain emancipation. Manoduta of Ramasarma Only a fragmentary copy of this work is available with the Vangiya Sahitya Parisat, Calcutta . From the colophon of this

poem we gather that the work is a messenger-poem written in a very simple style though not free from some minor lapses which confuse the sense and mar the beauty of some of the stanzas. The theme of the work is: The poet is a great scholar having complete faith in and true devotion to Krsna. He is absorbed in Bhakti. In his contemplative mood he experiences a catechism, a discussion in question and answer-form, between the mind and a Dvija. The mind and the Dvija discuss the Visnubhakti. The Dvija requests the mind to convey his message to Krsna to be kind to his devotees. The Dvija reveals some noble virtues of the mind while conveying its message to Krsna. Siladuta of Caritrasundaragani It is a fine poem composed by a learned Jaina poet with 131 verses in Sikharini metre. The method adopted by the poet is very attractive and simple. He has interwoven the last line of each verse of the Meghaduta in all of his stanzas. The story runs as follows: Prince Sthulabhadra was enjoying his days in the sweet company of his beloved Kosa. Feeling very sad due to the sudden demise of his father, he abstains from the sensuous pleasures and abruptly brushes aside all the wordly attachments. He considers all the wealth, and the relations etc. to be debasing objects and observes celibacy. As a recluse he sojourns with a saint named Bhadrabahu, his venerable Guru. Kosa in utter despair requests him to remain with her. She tries to attract him by narrating the charms and the pleasures of life. She suggests that he stay in his own capital where he has a very nice pleasure hill and a temple built by his predecessors with great labour and carry on with his worship there. But by dint of his forceful arguments and his noble character the saint at last moulds his wife to accept the path of emancipation. In the end she also leaves her home and becomes a true votary of her husband and embraces Jainism. The object of the poet is to propagate the canons and the virtues of the Jaina religion.

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 225 Vanmandanagunaduta of Viresvara This poem is written in the Sardulavikridita except the last verse which is in Malini. The total number of verses is 201. Unlike other duta-kavyas which are generally Virahakavyas, this work is with a different motive. Its subject-matter is: The poet longs to win the sympathy and patronage of a king named Bhimasena, and sends him his own poetic quality as a messenger, though as an intermediary, a learned Brahmana is engaged for this work. The Gunaduta is to go from Ragapura to Kalibhitti (in Mayapura) and complete the journey in five days. The Gunaduta, en route to the place of destination, passes the first night at Mandapa village, the second at Navisariha, and the third at Pratasvenapura. The fourth night is to be spent under the magnanimous hospitality of Omkara of Carava and his younger brother Ramaji. On the last day before the messenger reaches Kalibhitti, he is to relate the message of the poor poet first to Dasaratha, the royal priest, and then under his advice and by his benign grace to King Bhimasena. The poet is a great grammarian and a perfect master of Sanskrit poetics. He has created his own independent theme and is under least obligation to his predecessors. Bhaktiduta of Kaliprasada This small poem of 23 stanzas is composed by a modern Pandit named Kaliprasada. It deals with the way to emancipation. The message is sent through Bhakti (devotion). Tulasiduta of Trilocana Tulasiduta, a love-lyric of 55 verses was composed in 1933 Vikrama era, i.e. 1805 A.D. Like some other dutakavyas the Tulasiduta is also written on Krsna and Gopi's love-affairs. Krsna has gone to Madhopur and the cowherdesses sit together and discuss among themselves this desertion. They see a Tulasi plant in the garden through which

they choose to convey their feelings to Krsna. The last twenty verses are concerned with the message which the Tulasi plant is requested to convey. The poet has not described the route to be followed by the messenger but this is definitely said that it is not to go all by itself. The Gopis send two guards to escort their messenger. One is the sandalwood fragrance and the second is their own Bhakti. The Gopis request the messenger to relate their message to Krsna when he is all alone and in seclusion and not when he is thirsty, hungry or going to bed. Padmaduta of Siddhanatha Vidyavagisa It is a poem of 62 verses in Mandakranta metre. Its theme is: Sita is in confinement at Lanka. She is suffering from the pangs of separation. To her good luck she, through some reliable source, hears that Rama is building a bridge over the sea and will reach Lanka as soon as it is completed. The news blazes the dimly flickering love-candle and Sita gets very sad. She cannot stay without her husband but she is helpless. Fortunately she sees a padma (lotus). She requests it to convey her feelings to Rama. The poet is a Naiyayika. The philosophical and even the autobiographical portions of this work make a difficult reading. The work has not been commented upon so far. The poem is also a strange riddle. The first 12 verses deal with objects which arouse the passion of the heroine. Then one verse describes the duta-darsana. A number of verses are devoted merely to the praise of the lotus. Then follows a description of the virtues of the hero and his courageous deeds. It is only in the last verse that the reader comes to know of the message. There is no mention of the route followed by the messenger. Padapaduta of Gopendranatha The poet, a resident of Navadvipa, reveals that Sri Gauranga has gone to Nilasaila. His dear wife is suffering from the pangs CC-0.of separation. She wants to convey her feelings to Sri Gauranga

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 227 through a nimba tree growing in her courtyard. The messenger is to travel from Navadvipa to Sriksetra via Nadia state, Santipura, Triveni, Sundaravana, Bay of Bengal, Vaitarani river and such other places. Mudgaraduta of Ramavatara Sarma This is a modern work written by a learned scholar. It is a parody of 148 verses having dig at modern society. Murkhadeva (a stupid) does not believe in having a progeny since his father will serve the purpose of his son. Murkhadeva, therefore, observes celibacy and abstinence and lives in the Ramagiri Asramas. For him even the mortal frames of learned scholars are unchaste. He sends a messenger to his 'widow' wife to tell her of his own state. The route for the messenger is very long. The messenger, the Mudgara, the hammer, is to go to New York, Victoria Terminus, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, France, Switzerland, the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt, Italy, Gibraltar, Spain and so on. The poem is very interesting and offers a well-considered criticism of all the evils prevailing in the modern Hindu society. The poet follows the traditional method of the dutakavyas and interweaves phrases and lines from the Meghaduta into different stanzas of his work. Padankaduta of Srikrsna Sarvabhauma This small poem contains 46 verses in the Mandakranta metre. It was composed at the instance of King Raghurama Raya who ruled over Bengal in the beginning of the 17 th century. The poet was a famous scholar of the time and wrote a large number of other works of vital importance. The theme of the work is: Radha is feeling sad since Krsna left for Mathura. The pangs of separation are daily becoming acute, and the Gopis consider his stay at Vrndavana to be a tragedy . Krsna had promised to come back soon to the Gopis but now it appears that it was only a hoax. Gopis send their 'mind' as a messenger but it does not turn up. Desire, on account of its heavy weight cannot serve the CC-Q Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri purpose of Gopis. The Gopis, therefore, decide to send the foot-

print of Krsna as a messenger and ask it to go to Mathura or Gokula wherever Krsna may be found. The messenger is requested to go to their cunning lover and entreat him to come back failing which Radha would die. The main interest of the work lies in the appropriate use of the Nyayaparibhasas for conveying poetic concepts. Ghatakarpara-Yamaka-Kavya Ghatakarpara holds a high position among the poets of Sanskrit. He is considered to be one of the nine gems of the court of Yasodharmadeva Vikramaditya, and a contemporary of Kalidasa. Although this Yamakakavya consists of 23 verses only, it is a fine specimen of Sandesakavya. The difference between the Meghaduta and this kavya is that here the message is being sent by a lady to her lover. The messenger is the same in both the works. The time of sending the message is the rainy season but the duration of separation is different. The lady suffers a month's separation while Kalidasa's Yaksa full one year's. The poem begins with the description of the rainy season (the first six verses). The following six verses are addressed to the cloud. Then the lady narrates the message in some verses followed by others which are her own soliloquy. The last two verses give the poet's own identity, etc. The poem has won appreciation of a large number of learned scholars like Sankara, Vidyanatha, Divakara and Abhinavagupta. GEOGRAPHICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE DUTAKAVYAS The dutakavyas, modelled on the Meghaduta of Kalidasa which they faithfully follow by and large in structure do not usually omit its essential points. As Kalidasa has shown the route which the cloud had to follow in its movement from Ramagiri to Alakapuri, the authors of the dutakavyas too, (some of them of course) were not found wanting in the mention of the routes to cbe followed by their respective dutasgiAs these poets have gone

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 229 in for all kinds of dutas, so they have described different routes too with the result that they throw a flood of light on the geography and the topography of the country in the different periods during which the dutakavyas continued to be produced in its various parts. We may mention below some of the dutakavyas and the routes shown in them. Meghaduta of Kalidasa Journey Route Ramagiri-Alaka Ramagiri-the plateau of Mala-Mount Amrakuta-river Narmada-Dasarna countryVidisa on the river Vetravati-rivers Sindhu and Nirvindhya-the country of Avanti-Ujjayini-the stream Gambhira-Devagiri hill-the river Carmanvati-the region of Dasapura-the country of Brahmavarta and Kuruksetra-the river Sarasvati-Kanakhala-the Manasa Lake-the Mount Kailasa-the city of Alaka. Hamsaduta of Vamana Bhattabana Journey Malaya range-Alaka Route: Malaya range (Travancore range)-Tamraparni- Madura Kaveri-Srirangam-Cola countryArunacala-Kanci-Kala-hasti-mandira-Kanakamukhari (river)-Krsnaveni (river)- Tingabhadra-Godavari-PancavatiVindhyacala-Sarayu-GandakiKrauncaparvata. Pavanaduta of Dhoyi Journey: Malaya range-Vijayapura. Route: Malaya range-Pandya country-Tamraparni- Uragapura (Uraiyur) -Setubandha RamesvaraKancipura-Kaveri-the mount MalayavatPancapsaras (lake)-Andhra country-Godavari- the city of KalingaVindhya Pradesa

Narmada-Yayatinagari-Suhmadesa-TriveniVijayanagara (Bengal), the capital of King Laksmanasena . Hamsasandesa of Vedantadesika Journey Mount Malayavat-Lanka. Route: The mount Malayavat-Anjanadri (Venkatadri)Kanakamukhari (river)-TundirapradesaSatyavrataksetra-Kanci-Vega (river)Hastisaila-Cola country-the white mountain (Svetasaila) Kaveri-Sriramgam-Pandya country-Vrsabhadri-Tamraparni-the mount Malaya-the mount Suvela (on the shore or the middle of the ocean)-Lanka. Sukasandesa of Laksmidasa Journey: Ra mesvaram - Guna kapuram ( Trikkanamatilakam). Route: Setubandha Ramesvaram-along the bank of the ocean-Tamraparni (river)-Mananlur, the capital of the Pandya kings (Manalor)-Sahyaparvata Kerala country-Syanandura-(Trivandrum) Kulapuri-(capital of the Kupaka kings) Kolambadesa (Quilon)-Vallabhagrama (the (Tiruvalla)-Bimbali-Sindhudvipa cantonment of Bimbali kings (Katalaturuttu) Phulla (river)-Subrahmanya mandira-PasupatiksetraCurni (Alwaye or Periyar)-Mahodayapuri (Tiruvancikkulam), the capital of Kerala kingsGunakapuri (Trikkanamatilakam). Kokilasandesa of Uddanda Journey: Kanci-Jayantamangala. Route: Kanci-Kampa river-Ksirasindhunadi (Palar)Cola country-Bilvaksetra-Kaveri- Hosaladesa-Laksminarayanapura-Sahya

A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 231 Prakasadesamountain-Kerala region-Vanmayi (river)Purali (Kottayam) Sambaradesa-KoladesaKukkutakroda (Calicut) (Vekkattunar)-Svetaranya (Triprangor)-Nila (river)-the region of Netranarayaniya Brahmanas the Ranakhala region (Porkal)Vrsapuri-Khalapuri (Tiruvancikkul) Sangamagrama (Iringalakkut)-KurumbavanaAnjanakhalapuri (Tiruvancikkul)-Curni (river)Jayantamangala (Cannamangala). Induduta of Vinayavijayagani Journey Yodhapura-Surat. RouteYodhapura (Jodhpur)-the mount Suvarnagiri-the temples of Mahavira and Parsvanatha-Jalandhara (Jalor)-(the city of) Rohini-the mount Arbuda (Mount Abu) Acalaparvata-Jaina temple of king Kumarapala-Sindhupuram on the banks of the river Sarasvati-the river Sabhramati (Sabarmati) Rajadranga (Ahmedabad)-the city of Vatapadri (Baroda)-Narmada-Bhrgupura (Broach)-the river Tapi (Tapti)-Suryapura (Surat). Meghadutasamasyalekha of Meghavijaya Journey: Aurangabad-Dvipapuri (Div Bandor, Diu, Gujarat). Route Navyarangapuri (Aurangabad)-the mount Devagiri-the city of Devagiri-the mount Solorthe mount Tungila-the river Tapi-Bhrgupura (Broach)-Narmada-the river MahiSiddha- saila-Satrunjaya (a Jaina pilgrim centre)Dvipapuri (Diu). Mayurasandesa of Udaya Journey Trivandrum-Kottayam. Route: Trivandrum-along the ocean-Visnu temple at

Varkala Quilon-Ingudi country-the capital city of Kantiyur-a Kali temple and the Vallabha temple-the Manikantha temple-Vancula (river) Kottayam. Kokasandesa of Visnutrata Journey Route Viharapuri to Kamarama. Viharapuri-Varana-the lake of Sundara-the capital city of Sacandra-the city of SantakaraRamya (the river)-the region of Lokabhadra Siva-Ayodhya-Kamarama.

CLASSIFICATION OF DUTA-KAVYAS ON THE BASIS OF RELIGIOUS SECTS A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 233 23 Jaina duta-kavyas 1. Parsvabhyudaya-Jinasena 2. Nemiduta-Vikramakavi Vaisnava dutakavyas Saiva dutakavyas (i) Krsna 1. Hamsa Sandesa (Anonymous) 3. Meghaduta-Merutunga. 4. Siladuta-Caritrasundaragani 5. Pavanaduta-Vadicandra 6. Cetoduta-Anonymous 7. Induduta-Vinayavijayagani 8. Meghadutasamasyalekha-Meghavijaya 1. Uddhavaduta-Rupagosvamin 2. Uddhavaduta-Madhavakavindra 3. Hamsaduta-Rupagosvamin 4. Padankaduta-Srikrsna Sarvabhauma. 5. Pikaduta-Rudra Nyayapancanana 6. Panthaduta-Bholanatha 7. Bhrngaduta-Satavadhanakavi 8. Manoduta-Visnudasa. 9. Padapaduta-Gopendranatha Gosvamin 10. Hamsa Sandesa-Purnasarasvati (ii) Rama 11. Hamsa Sandesa-Vedantadesika 12. Bhramaraduta-Rudra Nyayapancanana 13. Vataduta-Krsnanatha Nyayapancanana Bhattacarya.

CLASSIFICATION OF DUTAKAVYAS ON THE BASIS OF DUTAS Natural Phenomena Megha (cloud) Pavana (wind) 1. Meghaduta 1. Pavanaduta Kalidasa 2. Jaina Dhoyi 2. Vataduta Krsnanatha Meghaduta Merutunga 3. Aniladuta RamaDayalu Tarkalankara Natural Objects Material Objects Candra (moon) 1. Candraduta 1. Padmaduta Jambukavi 2. Candraduta Vinayaprabhu 3. Induduta Vinayavijayagani Siddhanta Vidyavagisa 2. Padapaduta Gopendranatha 3. Patraduta Rudradeva Tripathi Human Beings 1. Mudgaraduta 1. Uddhavaduta Ramavatara Sarma Mahakavindra 2. UddhavaSandesa Rupagosvamin 3. Gopiduta Lambodara Vaidya 4. Tulasiduta Trilocana 3. Meghadautyam Trailokya Mohana Guhaniyogi 4. Meghabhyu- 4. Pavanaduta daya (Anonymous) 5. Meghadutasamasyalekha Meghavijaya Vadicandra 6. Megha-pratisandesa Mandikal Ramasastri 7. Yaksa-milana Paramesvara Jha. 4. Candraduta Srikrsna Tarkalankara 4. Panthaduta Bholanatha 5. Nemiduta Vikrama

25 A Survey of Sanskrit Dutakavyas 235 CLASSIFICATION OF DUTAKAVYAS ON THE BASIS OF DUTAS ABSTRACT CONCEPTIONS Manas Miscellaneous 1. Manoduta 1. Siladuta Visnudasa Caritra Sundaragani 2. Manoduta 2. VanmandaRamasarma nagunaduta Viresvara 3. Bhaktiduta Kaliprasada Hamsa (Swan) 1. Hamsaduta Vamana Bhatta Bana 2. Hamsaduta Rupagosvamin 3. Hamsaduta Venkatanatha Vedantacarya dasa BIRDS Kokila (Cuckoo) Cakravaka (Anas Casarca) 1. Pikaduta Rudra-Nyaya pancanana 2. Kokiladuta Haridasa 3. Pikaduta Ambikacarana Devasarana Sandesa Uddanda 5. Kokila Sandesa 3. Manoduta Indresa Bhatta 4. Hrdayaduta Harihara Bhatta 5. Manoduta Trailanga Vajranatha 6. Cetoduta (Anonymous) 4. Hamsa-Sandesa 4. Kokila Raghunatha- 5. Hamsaduta Kavindracarya Sarasvati 6. Hamsa-Sandesa Purna/ sarasvati 7. Hamsa-Sandesa (Anonymous) Venkatacarya Miscellenous 1. Kokasandesa 1. Padankaduta Visnutrata 2. CakoraSandesa Perusuri BHRAMARA (bee) 1. Bhrnga-sandesa-Vasudeva Sarvabhauma 2. Ghatakarpara Yamaka Kavya, Ghatakarpara 2. Bhramara-sandesa Mahalinga Sastri 3. Bhramaraduta Rudra Nyayapancanana MAYURA (Peacock) 1. Mayura-sandesa Udaya.

REFERENCES 1. Vallabhadeva (10 th century) has 111 verses; Mallinatha (14 th century) has 121 verses; Daksinavartanatha (12 th century) 110 verses; Purnasarasvati 110 verses; Tibetan version of Meghaduta 117 verses; Panabokke (Ceylonese version) 118 verses; India Office Manuscript of Meghaduta 110 verses; V.S. Agrawala edition, 115 verses; C.S.R. Sastri 115 verses. (He has also given a separate list of 5 slokas which he considers to be interpolated.) Vidvan G. J. Somayaji, Madras 124 verses; K. B. Pathak 120 verses; Sthiradeva 112 verses; Vasanta Ramachandra Nerurkar, Bombay 118 verses (He has given 9 verses separately which he considers to be spurious.), J. B. Chaudhury, Calcutta, 114 verses. 2. MS. No. 5003, 11 pages, 26 verses, V. V. R. I., Hoshiarpur. 3. verse 101 4. verse 102 5. verse 14 6. Sandese 'smin katham api gurusripadambhojayugmadhyanadhvastaprabalatamasa vasudevena baddhe. 7. For instance Mayurasandesa, Kokilasandesa etc. 8. Kokasandesa, Uninilisandesa etc.. 9. Verses 1 and 2. 10 Verses 5 and 49.11. Verse 17. 12. Verse 6. 13. Verse 91. 14. Verse 89. 15. Verse 25. 16. Published in Samvat 2012 17. Some editions contain 101 verses only. 18. X-41, 57 19. It is only an imaginary name. 20. Verse 102, 103; 21. Verse 1 and 2; 22. yada yada hi dharmasya..... Gita; 23. Verse 24. Verse 20.1 25. Verse 21.1 26. Verse 22.1 27. Verse 23.1 28. Verse 24-30. 29. Verse 3, 31.1 30. Verse 35. 31. Verse 38. 32. Verse 40. 33. Verse 42.