4. Motifs (9): The messages

In all Dhanapala has utilized this motif eleven ten times: (i) The anonymous love-letter; (ii) Vijayavega's oral message from Vajrayudha; (iii) Citralekha's errand to Gandharvaka; (iv) Samaraketu's message to Malayasundari; (v) Harivahana's message to Samaraketu; (vi) Kamalagupta's reply to Harivahana's message; (vii) Candraketu's k message to Samaraketu%;B (p.t.o.)

303 (viii) Tilakamanjari's message to Malayasundari and the latter's reply; (viii) Tilakamanjari's message to Hari- " vahana%3B (*x) Patralekha's message, through Citrakekha, to Vicitravirya; (x) Vicitravirya's message to Harivahana. (i) The anonymous love-letter, sealed in an envelope with nipple-marks, serves, on the one hand, to give give due prominence to the aesthetic aspect of Harivahana's character and, on the other hand, to remind Samaraketu of Malayasundari, thereby providing the necessary cause for putting the narrative in the mouth of Samaraketu and thus employ the technique of emboxing the narratives.The The turn of the story is necessary for carrying the byeplot a step further after bringing the friends of the previous birth together. The love letter, by reminding Samaraketu of his own love-affair naturally makes him despondent in contrast to all other companions who are overjoyed at the interesting analysis of the message in it. This heightens the curiosity of the friends and adds to the element of suspense in the narrative which must now take a turn in order to bridge the gap upto Samaraketu's falling in love with Malayasundari at the island Ratnakuta. From the poet's point of view it provides an opportunity to him to show himself off in capacity of an able rhetorician, comparable to his own patron, as far as

304 the faculty of poetical appreciation is concerned. (ii) Vijayavega's oral message from Vajrayudha is intended to reveal the magic power of the Balarina ring which turned the tables against Samaraketu by benumbing him and his forees.It is interesting that the report of Vijayavega about the battle consequent to the night attack by the enemy forces, does not contain the slightest indication as to the acceptance of Kusumasekhara's offer of his daughter Malayasundarf's hand by Vajra- 23 yudha towards the price of cessation of hostilities. Evidently this was treated by him as a personal affair, perhaps permissible under the military conduct rules of the time! And Vijayavega, as a faithful friend, was naturally not expected to report such a personal affair of his superior officer to the king, especially when such a step conduced to the success of the duty assigned to Vajrayudha and inflicted a worthy punishment to the restive feudatory by compelling him to offer his dear princess to a commander of the enemy rather/to a worthy prince!! than 24 (iii) Citralekha's errand to Gandharvaka includes in it three messages: (a) The one by Patraleka to her duttamsi pitra mantrivargotsahitena vigrahopa samaya | samprati tvatpradanamatrenaiva pratipannasandhirayodhyadhipati senapatervajayudhasyah VC. 24. ibid.pp.170-171. 23. Tilakamanjari p.298:

305 father Vicitravirya at Suvela mountain%; (b) her own message to Vicitravirya%3B and (c) to Gandharvadatta. 25 (a) The message of Patralekha, "though not spelt out in so many words by the poet, evidently concerned the despatch of the divine sandal-aeroplane (HaricandanaVimana). It is intended to provide an excuse for Gandharvaka to unknowingly travel from over the shrine of Lord Mahavira Jina on the Suvela mountain where he hurriedly reaches in search of some medicinal plant to counteract the effect of the poisonous fruit swallowed by Malayasundari. Consequently he incurs the curse of Mahodara, the Yaksa attendant in charge of the protection of the temple. There seems to be no other purpose of Patralekha in sending for the aeroplane from her father except perhaps that it was but a natural privilege of a daughter to occasionally claim the things of her liking from her father! (b) Citralekha's message to Vicitravirya conveys to him her verification about the indentity of Gandharvadatta with his long-lost daughter. This paves the way for Malayasundari's marriage with Samaraketu, since she is the daughter of Gandharvadatta and the grand-daughter of Vicitravirya. It was forecast bu Vasurata that Gandharvadatta will be united with her kith and kin when her 25. Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala(x) •P.341: devi, tattvato na jnayate | yuktaya tu niscitamidam | yasya marganaya purvedhuritah suvelapaitam gato gandharvakastadeva teneda hari- candarna vimanamaji tam | $

306 daughter Malayasundari is married. This identification of Gandharvadatta brings into action the divine help from Vicitravirya. The placing of the message serves to complicate the plot and enhance the suspense. (c) Citralekha does not mention any message to be conveyed to Gandharvadatta. She only asks Gandharvaka to go to Kanci and just see and serve Gandharvadatta for some time. This is meant to make Gandharvaka go to kanc and that is why he happens to see Malayasundari on his way, back from Kanci, to the Suvela mountain. (iv) Samaraketu's message to Malayasundari (via Bandhusundari) has been mentioned but in passing when Harivahana asks Gandharvaka to carry it to her as the latter takes leave of the prince to proceed to Kanci and 26 meet Gandharvadatta. This message accidently reaches when, the hands of Malayasundari,/after cursing Gandharvaka, the aeroplane was thrown away by Mahodara to the far off Adrstapara lake wherein this desperate beloved of Samaraketu is about to drown herself. The message urged Bandhusundari to take care of her royal friend Malayasundari. It serves to provide the requsite consolation to Malayasundari in the nick of time and saves her the ordeal of a third attempt at suicide. Mahodara, being the guardian 26.Tilakamanjari p.173.

307 deity of Malayasundari's (Priyamvada's, in her previous birth) temple, was naturally interested in conveying her safely to a place where the aeroplane was meant to be 27 conveyed by Patralekha, the daughter of Vicitravirya, a staunch royal Vidyadhara devotee of Lord Mahavira's idol in the temple put under his protection. That is why the aeroplane is thrown into the far off Adrstapara lake, which being in the sphere of Patralekha's domain, is a safe place for Malayasundari. Gandharvaka is now transformed into a parrot and hence the message has been lying tied up to his skirt with which he covered the unconscious body of Malayasundari, who later on utilized it to fasten breasts preparatory to jumping into the waters 28 her bege of the lake. t 29 (v) Harivahana's message to Samaraketu" was dispatched in an unexpectedly marvellous way when, at the end of the autobiographical narration of Malayasundari to Harivahana, the former suggests to the latter to send a message but regrets that not even a bird is available to carry it to its destination. At this, there came down a parrot from the nearby flock, and offered to carry the 27. See supra ft. nt.No.25. 28. Tilakamanjari pp.337-338... 29. ibid.p.192; pp 193.

308 30 message. This message, on the one hand, adds to the suspence as regards its source by its unexpectedness and, on the other hand, indirectly gives the clue to Samaraketu as to the direction in which Harivahana is stationed at the time. It saves Samaraketu from an attempt at suicide and impels him to start on a search mission in the northern direction by which the mad elephant kidnapped the prince. 31 (vi) Kamalagupta's reply message to Harivahana has also the advantage of unexpectedness consequent to its proper placing in the narrative at a point when everybody has lost hope about ever tracing the whereabouts of Prince Harivahana. The message was all of a sudden seen lying beside Kamalagupta who could not find out who brought 32. it. His idea of involving the superhuman agency to carry the reply back to Harivahana is highly ingenious and the sudden appearance of the parrot in response to Kamalagupta's invocation heightens the curiosity of the listeners. This message reaches Harivahana when he is resting after the luncheon at the palace of Tilakamanjari in the vidyadhara city of Rathanupuracakravala, and reminds the prince of 30. Tilakamanjari p.348: kumara ! kimasakyamasya ? lekhapradanasadhyametatte prayojanam |... kintu vidhivasad vasare'tra paksimatro 'pi nikate nasti kacinnabhasvaro yastvadiyavrttantamavedayet ' iti vadantyameva etya nijayuthat sukasakunih avadit -- | 31. ibid.p.384 ff. 32. ibid.p.194.

1 309 his friend Samaraketu and others and consequently, slackening his interest in the Vidyadhara kingdom and his beloved, rouses him to return to Ayodhya in search of his friend. This reply, along with his own message, is responsible for the merry-go-round of mutual search of each other by Samarakety and Harivahana, and attracts the assistance of the superhuman forces in the form of a thousand Vidyadhara soldiers detailed by Tilakamanjari for the purpose. (FM (on p. 321) (vii) This message of Candraketu orders his son Samarato immediately proceed to Kanci at the head of the armed forces to assist King Kusumasekhara in his military distress. Before the arrival of this message, Taraka has already urged Samaraketu to go to Kanci on the strength of the clue given by Malayasundari in her double-meaning parting message. But the poet is not satisfied with this device and would not like to take Samaraketu to Kanci on such a fickle ground. The letter serves as a proper instrument and solid reason in keeping with the martial qualities of Samaraketu. His arrival under these circumstances logically links the later events like his night attack and so on. The love-affair serves the purpose of intensifying his desperation consequent to his failure to find out Malayasundari and his stay at the temple of Love-god in the palace-garden. [(viii)continued 6-309]

kai 310 working of the mind of Tilakamanjari and her strangely beautiful womanly behaviour in keeping with her superior status of a divine being in comparison to the rather inferior status of human Harivahana. 34 (viii) Tilakamanjari's cold message of regret, after she is reminded of the lover, Jvalanaprabha, of her former birth, elavates her in point of chastity in love, and gives an unexpected shock to Harivahana, who is consequently heart-broken and desperate with his life. It is this recklessness coupled with his generous nature of disinterested helpfulness that enable him to achieve the rare feat of successfully carrying out the tough penance for superhuman attainments, without which Tilakamanjari can never allow herself to be willingly united with him. The message by its shock-treatment, thus,draws out the best efforts of Harivahana absolutely needed for his sublimation to Vidyadharahood. 35 i (**) Patralekha's message, through Citralekha, to Vicitravirya can hardly be described as a message proper, as it is merely hinted at by a single word "tatha" (let it be so). Yet it is through this message that Vicitra- 33 virya comes to know about the whereabouts of Malayasundari, who is by now recognized by him as his grand-daughter, 34. Tilakamanjari p.396. 35. ibid.p.423.

311 36 whom he immediately takes to his residence, the Suvela mountain, and deputes Kalyanaka to fetch Samaraketu there, in view of the prophecy of Jayantaswami. (x) Vicitravirya's message to Harivahana through Kalyanaka, is meant to fulfil the prophecies of Jayantaswami and the astrologer Vasurata. For this it is necessary to take Samaraketu, the bridegroom, to Suvela mountain, the residence of Vicitravirya, the grandfather of the bride in keeping with the social usage of the times. And Samaraketu, being now under the charge of Harivahana, cannot go to the bride's place for marriage unless he is properly invited with due ceremony. Again, being a mere human being it is simply impossible for him to traverse the vast distance between the Vaitadhya region of the Vidyadhara's (in the North Himalayan ranges) to the Suvela mountain in the midst of the southern (Indian) ocean. All these problems of propriety, distance, conveyance and fulfilment of prophecies are solved by a mere message to Harivahana to send Samaraketu with Kalyanaka who has been specially deputed with an aeroplane for the purpose. The message, moreover, is an indirect index of the general recognition of Harivahana's new status as a Vidyadhara emperor among his equals in the Vidyadhara world. That is why it is 36. Tilakamanjari p.422.

312 addressed to Harivahana, rather than to samaraketu. Had this not been Dhanapala's intention, he could have made Vicitravirya address the message to the latter's daughter Patralekha, or to her husband Cakrasena, the Vidyadhara Emperor.