8.2. Imagery in Dhanapala’s language

Imagery in fiction is usually less conspicuous ♫ than imagery in verse; in most prose fiction imagery - when it is present at all - operates as a half-hidden undercurrent, something of which we are only sporadically aware. But there are exceptions. When a novelist wishes to attract attention to his images, to make us consider them as integral part of his narrative, he can extend it over a long passage drawing detailed parallels between the object and the thing with which it is compared, giving his imagery an 379, unusual and exaggerated weight. t 376.SSOS,pp.18-19. 378. ibid.,p.19. 'The most common use of / 377. ibid., p.98. / 379. Tech.Mod.Fict.,p.170.

985 imagery in the novel is made by writers who wish to draw a figurative parallel between the behaviour of their characters and some quality in the external world. The language of the Sanskrit prose romances like the Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala is fundamentally ornate and conspicuous by exhuberant imagery in close harmony with the prevalent context, situation and mood. The Sanskrit poets make full use of their resoursefulness in plying all possible syntactical structures inlaying them with beautifuly ingenious figures of speech based on sound, sense or both together. We have already discussed this aspect in detail in the last chapter. Here we shall confine ourselves chiefly to the imaginative aspect of Dhanapala's style. The highly graphical imaginative appeal of of Dhanapala's style can be seen in the following specimens: (a) Realistic Touch : In the following instances the descriptions in the Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala assume a highly realistic touch: The reverberating laughter of Vetala is graphically represented with the accompanying picture of his widely open frightful mouth, as in : akasasamnibhaprabhabharabharitakakuma sphutotphullanayananasaputena mukhapravrtasamtanotasa prakatitakaraladamstra mandalena vidaritavikata TT- nikamabhisanasrvana bhuvanatrayatrasakarinahattahasena 380. Tech.Mod.Fict.p.170. (49,5ff.).

986 The picture of a brandishing sword, fatal like a cobra, is drawn, as in : jagraha krpanam, | amecakasumina vimuktapatuvisacchtabhisana ca vicakarsa samkarsananuja iva kalindatanayataramgatva liyamindranila- khandakhacitacca nakosata | (52,17ff.). The gaze of King Meghavahana appreciative of the sharpness of its blade is described thus : nisthurakaramgusthatarjani kotima jrjita titisna snadhare ca tatra prasannaghavalayatamayudha ciccacisayeva vikaca vica klinagbandhura babandha drstima, | (52,20ff.). A pale palm-leaf is likened to the cheek of a young love- -lorn shephard girl, as in : abhimata viyoga vidhurami eka mini kapolapandutadi patrama, --- (108, 22 ). The foot-steps of an elephant on a river bank are pictured thus : vananimnagavatara kahane ghatitaparipatini jalabhrtani padamudra mandalani (187,16ff.). The sense of shame on failure in front of an anxiously Bwaiting master is described in the following words : abhimukham mukhanikhatadrsti margopavistamistasvamikusalavavina- paryutsukara rajakamavalokya lajjaya parasparasya prsthe niliyamanam - (189,6ff.. stanapasyata | The description of the way an elephant is made to sit and again stand up is highly realistic, as in : --- kumbhapithapatitamkusako tighatnopavista manavarata nisthurakrosakarsiti - tthanayatnam yanagajavasama (232,21ff.).

987 A series of feminine foot-prints are beautifully depicted in a realistic manner, as in : uparipatitena padapaprasavarenuna paramrstapurvadrstasakalavayavasobham kvacitsatva m kvacitsavilambam kvapyapathagam kvacinmargalagnam saralam samkatesu, kumcita kusastambesu, khanditam khandasailesu, valitam vrksa- mulesu, kutilam pamkapatalesu, virala balavanadi veniko pare nu, spastamusa- renu nastam silaphalakesu (254,lff.). padaिma --- | A suggestive glance of an emperor emerges in : yugapannyamcitam bhayabhusamjnaya purusama ptamajuhava (274,15ff.). The realistic touch is conspicuous in the description of bashful Malayasundari slowly getting up from the lap of her lover as she regains consciousness, as in: --- sanaih sanairutthaya krtasirovagunthana tasya nrpakumara yamkaparyamkadeka- dese kamalini palasasayanasyopavisama | (313,17ff.). The circular halo of the rays of the Candratapa necklace worn by Tilakamanjari is represented beautifully, as in: --- sarvvatancandrikapatalasa ndrastadamsu nicayairmuhurtamai kathavalam visvamasviniva jaladodara pravistaharinamkamandala rakarajanirajanista | (b) Picturesque : (405,6ff.). The element of picturesqueness is prominent inth the following specimens : A picture of the villagers anxiously awaiting the arrival of a royal procession emerges in : avakara kutakesvadhirudhastadagapalisu pumjitairdevakulavarandakesu krtavasthanah

988 padapaskandhaisu bamdhdasanairu dhvasthataiscopavistasca lambitobhayabhujaisca jaghana- pakhivanyastahastayugalaisca sirnapattikagadhanathita sidhenukasca vata- satakakrtasirovestanaisca venuyastisu krtavastambhesva skandharopita yita- dimbhairava (gramaiyakaih )----- (118,10ff.. An acquatic bird taking a dive ■ into the water to pick up a fish emerges in the following passage : sakala jighrdayantarita davavacamcukrtajalaprapatani vamjulajatani (210,14ff.). The glance of a beloved directed at a lover is quite vivid, as in : mukulitam madena, vistaritam vismayena, preritamabhilasena, visa- mitam vridaya, vrstimivamrtasya, srstimivasasthasya prakrstantah pritisamsini vapusi me drsti- (362,11ff.). masajata | . The discomfiture of the door-keepers as they guided Harivahana through various apartments of TilakamanjarI's palace is picturesquely depicted, as in : skhalitagatina vimalajalakuttimenu, nih samkakrta padakramena gehamgana vilasa - dirghikasutpatitavitataparivastrapatena pattasalasu, satvaraptidiptipatena vaiduryavalabhi dvara vivarenu, sphotito magena sphatikastambhotthalakesu, lalatani- hitocanahastena niryata jirampathesu, tarjjitatapatradharena padmaragasadmaprabharaga- patalatapesu, jatadinmohena bahalendranilamandira chayandhakaresu vetradhariganenopadisyamanasaranih (373,14ff.).

(c) Suggestion :- 989 Dhanapala's language exhibits a beautiful suggestiveness on many an occasion. The following specimens would give an idea of the poet's genius: The ponds in front of the houses in Ayodhya are suggesthe exes tively depicted as/gan of the earth, as in : pratigrham svacchaghavalayatabhirdrstibhiriva disa isena vasudhya vyapa- ritabhih kridasarasibhih samvalita (8,22ff.). ut The words of Vasantasena addressed to Taraka urging him not to take Prince Samaraketu away, are highly suggestive, as in : esa ca payorasiratra ksana vijrmbhamanasamadhikambhah sobha iva drsyate | yata vitataduvvatatadita bhista ramgata tibhie tsamgita gantumanicchativa daula - yate tavaiyam yanapatri | ----- - (282,10ff.), W where she slyly conveys to the sailor the interest shown by Malayasundarf in Samaraketu. The words "jite 'pi vidvisi" in the verse: srutva tyadbhutamasmada jilalitam vaitalikebhyah prage pritatkacinaradhipattava sakhim prapyadaraprarthitama | vodhasmiti manorathah sthagayamta vacyam tada yo'bhava- nnadhanyasya jite'pi vidvisi sa me devena sapa - (339, 5ft.), ditah | depicting the intention of Samaraketu in launching the night- -attack is so skillfully and ambiguously suggestive that while the audience would understand it in the sense of "as the enemy turned out victorious", Malayasundari is sure to interprete

990 it as "though the enemy was vanquished"; and we know that as far as valour was concerned Samaraketu definitely overpowered Vajrayudha, who ultimately turned out victorious due to the mystic power of the Balaruna ring! (a) Emotion :Dhanapala, being a poet, is quite adept at depicting various types of emotions when context permits and occasion delineating demands. Apart from/various standard aesthetic sentiments (Rasa) illustrated in the last chapter, he also wields a facile pen in picturing, in passing, a variety of passing feelings and moods. The feeling of deep devotion and gratitude mixed with respect for the universally recognized glory is expressed with reference to the Goddess Sri by King Meghavahana in the following words : bhagavati, tvaccaranaravindasevanubhavo'yam yadasmadrsamapi manusyamatrana- masesa tribhuvanamananiya vasavasamanajaso vaimanikah samnidhimabhilasanti, yogi- jnanagocaram catmano rupamadhyavisayi kurvvanti, prakatitasambhramasca drstidana- sambhasanadina bahumanena mahimanamaropayanti | (45,17ff.). A sense of dignified self-respect is expressed in the following mildly satirical words of King Meghavahana who thankfully declines to requisition the help of the Vetala's scissors to cut off his head : papacarendra, divyamikamayudhamidam narhati kara sparsamasmadvidhanama, | vidha- naina mahata gharyametanna yathakathamcita | atastisthatu tavaiva haste | tvatprayojanamasa - veva sarvada savighavarti nirvvatayisyati nisarganih krpah krpanah | (52,13ff.).

991 The extremely tender and loving care of a husband for his wife seen after separation of a few months is beautifully expressed in the following words of feigned amorous admonition : - " kimiti nirdayai, nirsagrgapailavam madhyabhagamanudivasamupavasah karnayantya krtam prakrtikarkakasasyasya kuvayugalasya sahayyakam | aho te balisatvama | aho'na locakatvama, | aho yadrcchakarita ' ityabhighaya savilepana salamkaram sa tilaka savatamsam sasekharam svakarena tam cakara | (73,10ff.). A servant's feeling of looking particular and highly rule-abiding in the eyes of his master is expressed in the following matter-of-fact, though respectful, utterances of Vijayavega addressed to King Meghavahana : deva, balarunabhidhanam divyamamguliyakaratnam pura yatprenitam devena danda- dhipasya tata tena matparsve prahitamiha | mayapyadha niravadyamanibhusana- ganaih sametamakhilaratnakosa vyavasya mahodadheh sasadhikam samarpitamityavadhara- yatu divyadrstya devah | 1 -9 (81,17ff.). The feeling of magnanimous humility towards a defeated, though respectable, ■ enemy is expressed in the following forcefully consolatory words addressed by Vajrayudha to Samaraketu who is ashamed of his unexpected defeat : ma ' ca manyetha yathahametena nirjitya vihitanugrahah kathamidam karomi | ko'ham tava para jiye | ghrtadhijyadhanvanamanyo'pi kimasti jagati yastvam samara ka karoti vimukham | yattu mukhyarnrpatibhih samam samakalameva nitva vasyatamihanito'si, sa tu prabhavo nyasya kasya cita, | (98,7ff.).

992 A sense of pity mixed with suppressed satire is expressed in the following apparently consolatory utterances of mischievous Kamalagupta : ajatapreyasi panigraho mahadduhkhamanubhavisyati mahatmeti kaccinna tam kuma- ropavanitivrtantayuvanamanusocasi | (111,20ff.). The charmingly constrained intrepidity of a normally bashful maiden is beautifully expressed in the following utterances of Priyadarsana : 'kumara, tvaya grhitapanih kathamaham visamsthali bhutamatmanam samvrnomi katham ca gehadito grhantaram gacchami | sampratamidameva me tvadiyam sadanamabhyah samvrtah ' + ityuktva trapavanatavadana tadiyavaktralapasrvannajatahasayeva vamacarana- gusthalekhaya mandamandamalikhatkuttimama | (128,llff.). A lover's anxiety and despair consequent to the uncertainty of his being chosen by the beloved, though uncommitted, bewitching maiden is evinced in the following reflective though-stream of enamoured Harivahana : kasya kandarpabandhavasya tatdanabadhdaka mpatkhinnasara lamgula tadiyakarapallave lagisyati slaghyasatapatra samkhatapalaksano daksinapanih | --- adhanyah khecara - gano yah prakamamanurakto'pi duravarti drstipatamrtarasasya rupamatradarsanatara lito vrthaiva manmathavyatha mahamivohati | aho me mudhata, yadasavayateksana bhumigocara- nrpadhipatmajapranayini bhavisyatiti vayapi taya harnamudrami | yi (175,16ff.). The sense of breath-taking haste and urgency of a helpless person urging a stranger to rush for rescuing a

993 dying person is expressed in the following utterances of Bandhusundari : bhratara, alamalam prasnena | mamaiva prsthato ghava ghava | sighram kuru | kuru pragunam karem krpanikama | chindhi chindhi purato'sya sarasitirasakhinah skandha- sakhanibadhdamasya maharajaduhituh kandharapasam | ma vidhehi tavadanyam vya- popama | avedayisyami sarvvametadyadi me manorathah sampatsyante | -- (325,7ff.). A Epic and Romance series of fleeting emotions that almost simultaneously rushed through the mind of Malayasundari as she suddenly found a love-letter of her beloved and pasipan gave up the resolve of dying at the very moment when she was about to throw herself into the waters of the lake komand is skillfully depicted in the following words : nanda tato'ham duhkhabhagini tasya lekhasya darsanena punae pajatajivitabhilasa jivati priyom mai ' iti samu smarati purvvamanubhutanam matsamagamasukhanama, ' iti sabhrupata, 'pranastajivitanam durghatam punah prananam, ' iti pakra nirasa, 'hrastanatithinyasalakita lekhotpattih ' iti savismaya, ' matkhali - karanaya maya na ksyapi keli klisyeyam ' iti ekakakakakakusadhara savitarka, svayamajatanubhavasya durabhilekha vacanapadhdatirasom ' iti savastambha, 'durlabhah punaridrse punyasarasi sariratyagah ' iti maranondhuli, 'mahati priyasya matpranapariraksanaviyom bandhusundari prati prarthana ' iti savilamba, ityaneka- vikalpakavalitamanovrtiratmanah karttavyamalacayanti tisthami (339,12ff.). yavata --- ! Thus, we find here that imagery is a vital element in _Dhanapala's technique. It enables him to illustrate or transform his human subject matter, bridging categories, linking

994 people and things, making comparisions that are thematically central to the movement of the novel, through such patterns of imagery are fragile/things.381 (e) Use of Messages :and message Although poetic employment of love-letter/was familiar to Sanskrit poets right from the times of Kalidasa, Dhanapala is the first poet to make a dramatically effective use not only of the love-letters but also of other types of messages in his Sanskrit prose-romance. Letters in the Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala play such a vitally diverse poetic functions as those of reminding a person of his past love inadvertently, saving a character from committing suicide, enhancing the suspense of the narrative, breaking heart of a person and driving and him desperate to the point of ending his life,/supplying a missing link in the narrative. These functions of the concerned messages have already been discussed in the eighth chapter while enumerating the motifs. (f) Use of Verses :Inserting occasional verses in the course of prose narration was an established practice since the times of early poets of prose-romances and inscriptions. Subandhu adopted this convention in his Vasavadatta. Bana does not seem to have made a comparable use of this convention in any of his two prose romances, though he did insert them ■ most sparingly

995 in his Kadambari, and equally sparingly in, but most significantly and mostly in the beginning of each of his chapters of, the Harsacaritam. Dhanapala has revived Subandhu's convention in maintaining in general the ratio of the number of verses in relation to the prose of his n narrative. Apart from fifty-three introductory verses, he has interspersed his prose narrative with as many as forty-seven verses in not less than sixteen metres, some of them in the Prakrit ones, as can be seen from Appendix D. Dhanapala is the first author of Sanskrit prose-zaman TEX -romance to utilize Prakrit metres like Matra and Paddhadika for composing Sanskrit verses, which comprise the prayers addressed to Jain Tirthankaras; this was pointed out by Dr, H.C.Bhajani long back. This is in keeping with the Jainistic aspect of the subject of the prayer. It is noteworthy, in passing, 382 Dahan abanga in find that Bhoja has quoted only three verses, and Hemacandra one less, from Dhanapala's Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala, which his 17 fact testify to their high regard for poetic genius.ng Dhanapala utilizes the medium of verse with a definiviz., te purpose in view, to express concentrated emotions:♦ Sometimes his verses sum up a running description or a moing situation, as in the verses beginning with ' sphura deta etc.,(p.16,6ff.), or in 'adIIUT f foot etc., (23,1ff.), or in faufa faza farart vibhavari - etc., (28,19) ; 382.cf.MIA Miscellany, Bharatiya Vidya,Ekaxan April, 1945.

996 sometimes it presents an enigma, as in atg -etc., (109,15ff.); some time it records a sense of wonder through it, as in ' manye daksinamarutena * etc., (212,18ff.); sometimes they symbolize a feeling of deep devotion in the form of a prayer, as in raftfut suskasikharini kalpasakhiva (218,9ff.), or in ' akalpantamarthikalpadruma ' etc., (222, etc., 17ff.); sometimes they serve as morning verses or purposeful utterances of a bard, as in 'fheizyeuafanet-- etc., (237,19ff.), or in tava rajahamsa _ etc., (232,1lff.); sometimes it summarises a concentrated feeling of frustrated • etc., ambition, as in ' srutvatyadbhutamasmada jilalitam (339,5ff.); sometimes they sum up the depiction of intense pangs of separation of a beloved, as in 'afa arftat- tanvati varida- tyaya iva 3 --' etc,, 6 (399,15ff.); sometimes it conveys kaga a heart-breaking message compressed with conflicting emotions, as in 'aslisya kanthamamuna etc., (396,21ff.); sometimes it depicts a picture of utter dejection, as in 'nasta aura mbujanam ' etc., (401,8ff.); and sometimes. 1 it just sums up the consolatory remarks, as in UUTTSFa trela azɔ: -' etc., (402,17ff.). rohati taruh It must, here, be noted in passing that Dhanapala is not quite correct metrically when he introduces a group of six verses as "Vrtta-kulaka", though the verses are not interconnected syntactically as a single sentence.

997 (g) Peculiarities of Dhanapala's Style : Intoxicating mellifluence and disarmingly fascinating elegance are the chief essentials of Poetry in the 383 opinion of Dhanapala. While Dandin love perspicuity, grace, sweetness and natural fluency, and Bana emphasized novelty and originality, Dhanapala tried to have the best of both while carefully eschewing the latter's overfondness for pun and recondite allusions, at the same time retaining his grandeur, majesty, ornamentation and elaboration. Graceful diction, situational harmony, striking imagery, propriety of effect, essential ornateness, accordant personification of Nature, and overfondness for alliteration are prominent features of Dhanapala's style. His strikingly conspicuous and picturesquely elaborate fancy of the water-wheel (araghatta), as in: rasatalavivara virathacakrabhrantiriva citkaram mukharitamaha kupa raghatta and in : 384. jagadupavanam sektumamarapatina prakalpitasya sarvatah sughatitakasthasya gaganaraghattasya ghatimalaye va jaladasamtatya as also in : vistaraghattakramasamucchavasa tsalilamajjatsopanasu bhavanavapisu 386 385 383. Tilakamanjari, Intro. vss.11-12./ 384. ibid.,p.ll(14ff.). 385. ibid.,p.121(4-6). / 386. ibid., p.67(16ff.).

998 387 has won him the nickname 'Araghatta' much in the same manner as Kalidasa's 'Dipasikha' and Magha's 'ah 'Ghanta'. Dhanapala is fond of elaboration and detail, as can be seen in the following specimens : samjna distaparijanasampaditaisca pulakapa pamalakapoleh kopanitama sanama puspaih ----- (31,7); bahuprakara mamkurita gg- (39,10ff.); adistanyatamaparicara- (63,1ff.); samprantaparicarika nihitamatisamnihitama- (293,6); savidhavartinam dvitiyasayanamadhisayanasya matpitu (327,5ff).