Introduction to Mahakavyas (big poems)

There are certain common characteristics of the higher class of the large poems (mahakavya. Their subjects have to be derived from the epics (itihasapurana), 'they should be extensive, and ought to be embellished with descriptions of cities, seas, mcuntains, seasons, weddings, battles fought by the hero, and so forth. This class is represented first by Asvaghosha's (350 A. D) Saundarananda in eighteen cantos describing the conversion of his half brother Nanda by the Buddha; and the Buddha-charita in seven cantos of which the last four were added by Amitananda, describing the life of the Buddha; it is "essentially the work of an artist" both in choice of incidents and arrangement of matters. Then comes the greatest poet Kalidasa (450 A. D.) with his Kumarasambhava in seventeen cantos of which the last nine may be of later addition describing in a fascinating manner the courtship and wedding of god Siva and goddess Parvati and the birth of Kumara. It "appeals more deeply by reason of its richer variety, the brilliance of its fancy, and the greater warmth of its feeling." It abounds in that poetical miniature painting in which lies the chief literary strength of the Sanskrit poetry, affording the poet free scope for the indulgence of his rich and original imaginative powers; it is conspicuous for wealth of illustration. That the seventh canto is the conclusion of the Kumarasambhava is shown by the great commentator Mallinatha, who did not comment upon the subsequent cantos added by some one other than Kalidasa whose theme ends in the union of Siva and Parvati. The great author has fully illustrated Manu's dictum that women are great object of honour and light of households because they give birth to children (prajananartham mahabhagah pujarha griha-diptayah) whereby God's creation is continued. Herein, as in Sakuntala, Kalidasa has demonstrated that the love for sex gratification depending on youth and beauty and inspired by cupid

is a cursed one and never lasting, and that the love of the hearts based on religious ground sustains in social welfare because wife is the root of it (kriyanam khalu dharmyanam sat-patnyo mula-karanam). The yoga (asceticism) of Siva could not fully achieve its end without the aid of Uma who could win him by her own asceticism. The efforts of minor gods with the aid of cupil in the exciting spring season and the fascinating youth and beauty heightened by charming decoration of Uma accosting Siva in the solitude of forest of penance ended in the very very destruction of cupid. But undecorated and emaciated by ascetic practice Uma struck the heart of asectic Siva because the holy look of the ideal wife, Arundhati, had already generated a desire of Siva for a partner. The union of Siva and Parvati in wedlock attracted even the great seven sages (saptarshi) who came accompanied by Arundhati to witness this wedding. Parvati herself blamed the efforts of gods and cupid and her own beauty and determined to make her charms successful by means of asceticism³. This is cur ideal love of heart ending in social welfare by birth of children; the foreign ideal of marriage for sex gratification terminates in failure and separation when the short-lasting youth and beauty disappears by birth of children. Birth control cannot prevent the decaying youth and beauty of the body. Kalidasa's best poem is, however, the Raghuvamsa in nineteen cantos, describing the life of Rama together with an account of his forefathers and successors. Its style is simple, its similies are apt and striking; "it contains much genuine poetry ", it "may rightly be ranked as the finest In lian specimen" of large poems. Next comes Bharavi (500) with his Kiratarjuniya in eighteen cantos describing the combat between Siva in the guise of a Kirata (hunter) and Arjuna; the author's "style at its best has a calm dignity (arthagaurava) which is certainly attractive. While he excels also in the observation and record of the beauties of nature and of maidens", but at places it contains number of stanzas illustrating all kinds of verbal tricks and mannerisms. The Bhattikavya of Bhatti (Skt. Bhartri, died 1 nininda rupam hrdayena parvati vyartha mamarthya lalitam vapuscatmanah sutya gabha bhaknabhimukhi katham cat | iyesa sa kartumanyarupatah samavimasthaya tapobhiratmanah |

.D.) in twenty-two cantos describes the story of Rama by way of illustrating the forms of Sanskrit grammar; 'the absence of the longer metres explains the comparative ease of the style, for the larger stanzas encourage development both of that and expression'. He was imitated by Magha (seventh century) in the Sisupalavadha which in twenty cantos describes how the Chedi prince Sisupala was slain by his cousin Krishna; as a whole 'it does not lack in poetical beauties and striking thoughts,' although there are metrical puzzles. The Naishadhiya or Naishadhacharita of Sriharsha, son of Hira and Mamalladevi under Vijayachandra and Jayachandra of Kanauj (second half of twelfth century), describes in twenty cartos the story of Nala and Damayanti. Despite the too many Yamakas and rhymes there is elegance and the These skill in of language in it. considered to be the great poems because the great commentator Mallinatha did not care to write commentaries on other lesser poems. use are The Janaki-harana of Kumaradasa (earlier than Magha and later than Kalidasa) preserved only in a Sinhalese word-for-word translation describes the story of the stealing of Sita by Ravana in twenty cantos; it was largely influenced by Kalidasa in style as well as in subject; the author adopts the Vaidarbha form and develops in a marked degree the love of alliteration. There are a number of poems of exetensive size but of much inferior quality. The Hayagrivavadha of Mentha (also called Bhatri-mentha and Hastipaka) probably belongs to the latter half of the sixth century. The Ravanarjuniya or Arjuna-Ravaniya of Bhima, Bhuma, Bhumaka or Bhaumaka of about the same time (seventh century), in twenty-seven cantos describes the strife between Arjuna Kartavirya and Ravana (as given in the Ramayana) by way of illustrating the rules of grammar (like Bhatti). The Kavirahasya of Halayudha (about tenth century, an eulogy of the Rashtrakuta king Krishna III (940-956) also illustrates the modes of formation of the present tense tense in Sanskrit. The Buddhist Kapphanabhudaya in Pali of Sivasvamin (ninth century) describes in twenty cartos the conversion to Buddhism of Kapphana, a king of the south, who

had an evil design against the king of Sravasti. The Haravijaya of Kashmirian Ratnakara (ninth century) describes in fifty cantos the slaying of the demon Andhaka. The Kadambari-kathasara of Abhinanda (ninth century) is a metrical epitome of Bia's Kadambari. The Ramacharita of another Abhinanda of unknown date deals with the story of Rama from the stealing of Sita by Ravana. To the Kashmirian Kshemendra (of eleventh century) are ascribed three poems of worthless pcetry but of great industry and dreariness, iz, the Ramayana-manjari being an epitome of the Ramayana, the Bharata-manjari (1937) an epitome of the Mahabharata, and the Dasavatara-charita (1066), the ten incarnations of Vishnu. The Chitrakanta-charita of another Kashmirian, Mankha (welfth century), describes in twenty-five cantos the overthrow by Siva of the demon Tripura. The Haracharita-chintamani of the Kashmirian Jayaratha (twelfth century) describes the Saiva myths, practices and beliefs, and is of some religious interest but of no poetical worth. The Jain author Rolimbaraja (about 1050) wrote in four cantos the Haravilasa, and Amarachandra (1250) wrote Babharata; both these are religious poetry in epic style but "in an unpretentious and pedestrian Sanskrit." The Ramapala-charita of Sandhyakara Nandin (twelfth century) of Bengal describes simultaneously the story of Rama and the king Ramapala of Bengal. The Raghava-Pandaviya of Kaviraja (Suri, Pandita), probably same as MaihavaBhatta under the Kadamba king Kamadeva (1182-1197), also of the Jain writer Dhananjaya (probably between 1123-1140), describes simultaneously the stories of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Such poetic feat is unique, wonderful and incredible. This is imitated by Haradatta Suri of unknown date in his Raghavanaishadhiya where the story of Rama and Nala is simultaneously told. And the climax is reached by Chidambara in his Raghava-Pandaviya-Yadaviya where the stories of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Bhagavatapurana are simultaneously attempted with some absurdity. The Jaina Kanakasena Vadiraja of the Dravida country (about 950) wrote his Yasodharacharita in four cantos. The same story is told by Somadeva (of a later date) in his Yasastilaka. Another version of the same is told by Manikya Suri (of eleventh century) in his Yasodhara-charita. To the great Jain

poet Hemachan ira (1088-1172) is ascribed the enormous work (written between 1160 1172) Trishashti-salakapurusha-charita which in ten cantos handles the lives. of the sixty-three best men of the Jain faith, the twentyfour Jinas, twelve Chakravartins, nine Vasudevas, nine Bala levas, ani nine Vishnu-dvishas. It is lonely and wearisome but the language is simple. Harichandra (of unknown date) describes in his Dharmasarmabhyulaya in twenty-one cantos the life of the fifteenth Tirthankara, Dharmanatha. Vagbhata (twelfth century) describes in his Neminirvana in fifteen cantos the life of the Tirthankara Neminatha. The Pandava-charitra and Mrigavati-charitra of Devaprabha Suri (thirteenth century) describe the story of the Mahabharata and of Mrigavati respectively. Charitra-sundara anin fourteenth century) describes the story of the king Mahipala in his Mahipala-charitra in fourteen cantos of 1159 verses. These poems have not much literary merits. There is more poetry in the Padmachudamani of Buddhaghoshacharya (not the Pali scholar Buddhaghosha of the third century). The Nalodaya describing the restoration to power of king Nala does not probably belong to Kalidasa but an unknown inferior poet. Similarly the Setubandha or Ravanavadha in Prakrit relating the story of Rama is not the work of Kalidasa and belongs to an unknown author.