5.9. Santa-rasa or the Quietistic sentiment

The Quietistic sustained by its permanent mood of complete indifference to worldly objects (nirveda) is delineated on four occasions, viz., (i) when Samaraketu addresses a prayer to the image of Lord Rsabha ; ( 11 ) when Harivahana swims out of the Adrstapara lake and reflects on the events; (iii) when Harivahana consoles Malayasundari; and (iv) in the religious discourse of Maharsi who reveals the past births of the heroes and the heroines of the Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala When Samaraketu reaches the temple of Lord Rsabha on Mount Ekasraga after his hazardous journey through the Vindhya forest and happens to see the huge thought-gem image installed therein, he is overcome with a sense of devotion and addresses a prayer in a voice choked with tears of joy. 491 The poet pictures the event this: anantaram ca nirantaroda caduccaromamkura kadambakena kadambakesara ropaharamiva kirata vigraheोpamagralagnojjvala jalavipruna maharghamukaphalardha- mivotpita suddhyaina sirasi viracita jalimukula karalabhala- pattastataghatitaiksu ki samputa iva jalarasitulaya bhaktya pranamya tribhuvanabhavanadipamabhavanadipam samsarajinarinyakaparijatamaparijatam sakala- bhavyalokanayanabhinandanam nabhinandanamanandagadgadaya navodabharalasarasatpayo - danadameduraya 491. Tilakamanjari, pp. 217-218. amiya atigambhiraya bharatya smarayanniva *

816 samavasaranadundubhidhvaneriti kartum stutim prastutavana suskasikharini kalpasakhiva - nidhiraghanagrama iva kamalaganda va maravai'dhvani | bhavami maranya iha viksito'si muninatha kathamapi || drste bhavati nayanasrstya samamadha janma jina saphalamabhunmama | akrtapunyamapi sukrtijanam prati laghumatmanamavaimi na samprati || The poet here reminds us that this prayer is meant to enhance the sense of aversion (samvega). He has utilized the the fundamental determinants like hopelessly transient nature of worldly existence, the excitant determinants like the divine temple and the awe-inspiring huge image of Lord Rsabha, the consequent determinants like horripilation, tears of joy, choked voice, and evanescent feelings like joy, and yearning for emancipation. The Quietistic sentiment is again touched on another occasion when the mad elephant, that was pacified by Harivahana's music of the lute, carried him away to the mountainous region of Vatadhya, and, as the prince flourishes his dagger, the elephant falls into the lake%; Harivahana swims out of the water and begins to reflect on the unexpected turn of events culminating into his transportation to the remote region where he is left all alone to fend for his way.

817 He sits on a slab. His wet body has to be dried by the midday breeze. His throat and mouth are drying up. He is overpowered by a sense of wonder at the strange sequence of events that have suddenly cut him off from his kith and kin. The poet depicts his reflections in the following words : 492 aho virasata samsarasthiteh, aho vicitrata karmmaparinatinama, aho yadrcchakaritayamabhiniveso vidhaih, aho bhamgura svabhavata vibhavanam | athaiva tadrsi trnikrtatridasapatimiाnasaundaryasampadi nije sadmani suhrtsameto vinavadanadijanitamanandamanubhavannavasthito'hamacaiva duggagirikantaramadhyava- rti parivrto vanasvapadasatera nyavede sikapathikasamanyamavastha visesama, | sarvva svayamevamprakarah samsarah | p This sentiment is again brought in when, on another occasion, Harivahana consoles Malayasundari as she completes the narration of the tragic events of her life. Harivahana himself is overcome with a sense of dejection and reflects about the inevitability of the consequences of past 493 misdeeds, thus: aho niravadhipracarom vidhih | nastyagocarah purakrtakarmmanam, T asakyapratikara krtantasaktih | avyahata gatih sarvvatra bhavitavyatayah | He then proceeds to console Malayasundari with the following 494 words: ma visida | ma khedamudaha | ma krtantamakrosa | ma karmmanam dehi dosam | 492. Tilakamanjari,p.244. 493. ibid., pp.345-346. 494. ibid., p.346(7ff.). ·

818 iha hi samsarasadmani samasaditavatarah svabhavavimalau'pi janture katraiva janmani dasavasaina dipamkura ivanekani rupantaranyanubhavati | tadetadamrtavinabhutam vasturupamadhigamya kasmadvisadini mavasi | kathaya divyesu va manusesu va yasyaikyaivavasthaya vyatitah kalah | yascati punyavanapi praganubhuya sausthani pascanna duhkham praptah | sarvatha dhairyamahi | antamupagatah samprati pratikulacari visamayah sa te visamadasavipakah | sidhda sunyasidhdayatanaseva | tisthati sa te dirghayuraghatitakleso jivi- tesah Dhanapala has specifically mentioned that the stories of both Samaraketu and Malayasundari are tragic and meant to arouse the feeling of aversion to transient worldly pleasures. And lastly, this sentiment of the Quietistic id again pressed into service when Tilakamanjari happens to come across the Maharsi and listens to his religious discourse which 496 harps on the supremacy of the Law of Karma, thus: iha hi jivah subhasubhanimicanirvvitatena svakarmmana nityamanusrtah pari- vartamano mahati samsaracakre kusalakulalaparigrhita iva sr- mrtpindah sthala- kosakalasadini sprsati vividhanyavasthantarani | } $ On being questioned by the Vidyadhara King Virasena, he reveals the mystery about the past births of Tilakamanjari and Harivahana and later on of Malayasundari and Samaraketu beginning with the events of their life as Priyangusundari and Jvalanaprabha and as Priyamvada and Sumali respectively. 495. Tilakamanjari,p.114 (4): sakalo'pi samanyena madduhkhavrttantah | ;345 (21) tena- navasano desa karina caritena tasyastusaranile meva nalinakarah param mlanibhagamam | 496. ibid., p.406(b).

819 The miserable nature of their human life with its alternating series of pleasures and pains is thus highlighted in e contrast to their comparatively long stretch of happy divine life in the heaven, though the latter too has to end as the merits are exhausted; the only permanent happiness is said to result only through utmost devotion to Lord Jina and accumulation of profuse merit through pious deeds. Dhanapala has specified the purpose of the Maharsi's narration, viz.,to create a sense of aversion to transient worldly and heavenly 497 pleasures.