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Jivanandana of Anandaraya Makhin (Study)

by G. D. Jayalakshmi | 2019 | 58,344 words

This page relates ‘Analysis of Hasya-rasa� of the study on the Jivanandana (in English) which is a dramatic play written by Anadaraya Makhin in the 18th century. The Jivanandana praises the excellence of Advaita Vedanta, Ayurveda (medical science) and Dramatic literature as the triple agency for obtaining everlasting bliss.

This sentiment, handled by the dramatist in this play has helped the viewer and the reader to ease the mind. Otherwise the plot of the play is quite serious with Advaitic and Ayurvedic concepts.

(i) The conversation between and Chardi (Act II), each trying to tease the other by giving the description of their respective names as reflective of their characters and ’s plight between his two wives raises laughter in the audience (II.5/6; p.73):

�(󲹲ⲹ) 󲹰徱 khalu tva� prakṛtya | tata kuto na prakāśayasi |
󲹰徱��(󲹲ⲹ) bhasaṇasīlassa kukkurassyeva tava khava-ham |

(ii) In the third Act, which begins with Śܻ վṣk󲹰첹, Gada, a spy of the ۲ṣm side, stealthily enters the hero’s capital in the guise of a mendicant. The alert police arrests him with the help of a ṅk-servant. The conversation of these three characters provides an opportunity for .

(iii) In the Śܻ Viskambhaka of fifth Act, again, the author brings a situation for the viewers and readers to enjoy this sentiment.

(iv) The entire soliloquy of վūṣa첹, at the beginning of Act IV is a fine instance of ⲹrasa.

1. He has just now had a sumptuous meal. His stomach which was rotund since it had been filled to satisfaction, has now (after a muhurta), become flat like a mat made of grass. (p.179):

āho muhūrtāt ū� khādita� tuluṅgaphalapraṇānā� modakānā� śatamapi īṇa� jātam | yat tasmin samaye dhānyakumbhīpīnottuṅgo mama picaṇḍa� ٳ󾱳ٲ� | idānī� punastṛṇakṛtakaṭa iva tanūbhavati |

2. The varied smell that comes from the kitchen of the palace fills վūṣa첹’s nostrils; his mouth is watering and his stomach is burning with hunger like ṅk burnt by ᲹԳܳ (p.181):

... bahuvidhabhājanaviśeṣaiśca pariśobhanasya mahānasasya visṛmaro Ի� | ghumaghuyate me nāsābilam | silasilāyate tālurasanāmūle sunirgatvara� lālājalam | prajvalatīva hanumadvālāgralagnāgniśikhāgṛhītagṛhaparampara� laṅkāpuramiva bubhukṣātura� me udaram |

3. His entire conversation with the king and the minister focusses around food. Even when kings of various countries wait for the audience of king ī, and when ī enquires about their well-being (ś), վūṣa첹 wonders how ī is not able to understand his (Vidūṣka’s) ś (IV.7/8; p.193):

Գٰī—ete svāmina� kuśalapraśnena kṛtārthā� sma� iti vadanti |
ūṣa첹��(svagatam) bubhukṣitasya makuśalamiti na jānāti ⲹⲹ� |

4. Again, his description of his dinner at the hands of the queen and his declaration that those people who eat elaborately at every meal are the most fortunate ones raises laughter (IV.26):

ṛt峾 vitatya gāruḍamaṇiśyāma� kadalyā 岹� śⲹԲԲ� ghṛtapakkaphāṇitamayāpūpai� sahātrārpitam |
󲹲Բ eva hi sūpapāyasamadhukṣīrājyadadhyanvita� nānāśākayuta� phalaiśca madhuraireva� bhuṣjate ||

5. His misunderstanding of the poem recited by a ṭi and his declaration that he is a past master in understanding all these and it is not surprising, since he is able to understand his wife’s mutterings well (IV.43/44; p.242):

ūṣa첹�-峾ٲⲹ, kimupahasasi m | etacchṛṇotu bhavān | vānaryā iva mama gṛhiṇyā āpi ānakṣaraiva vāk | tasyā āpi marthabodho bhavati |

(v) In the sixth Act he brings in some comic relief by his blabberings and ignorance when the war between the sides is seriously carried on; but the king has fallen a prey to پܲܰṣ� (VI. 34-36; pp.329-35).

վūṣa첹 feels that he alone can help the king in his serious predicament of excess hunger; he is the best man to cure this disease and not the minister (p.331):

āhamapi etasmin kārye tava sahāyatve dakṣo bhavāmi | jālmena tu vijṣānena bhavān mitabhojane śikṣyate | tena vijṣapto'pi tva� tasya Բ� kuru |

Again, when ī is feeling very ill due to پܲܰṣ� վūṣa첹’s declaration that only ī is caught by the 貹ٳⲹ-辱ś峦 and not he, since he (վūṣa첹) is a ṣaḍv岹-󳾲ṇa and the minister’s retort that the use of the word ṣaḍv岹 by itself shows the deep Vedic knowledge of the վūṣa첹, creates laughter in the auidence (VI.55/56; p.370):

ūṣa첹ḥ�ṛḍ� khalu gṛhīto'si tvametayā āpathyatāpiśācikayā | āha� puna� ṣaḍvedo brāhmaṇo bhavāmīti sādhvasenānayā visarjito'smi |
Գٰī�(󲹲ⲹ) ṣaḍbedā ityanayā saṃkhyayaiva sūcita� saṃkhyeyavedavijṣānam |

(vi) ṣṭ and his ṅk are employed in searching for a spy and they accidentally come across Matsara.

Matsara stands still and the servant is unable to identify him properly since it is night time. The ṅk declares the static Matsara to be only a pillar, since there is no movement and no limbs like hand and feet; this raises laughter in the audience (V.5):

paśyāmi na karacaraṇa� na cātra paśyāmi calanamapi kiṣcit |
vaiśiṣṭyamūrdhvatāyā� paśyāmi sthaṇurayamato bhavati ||

This speech produces a funny situation and results in ⲹ. When Matsara is identified by ṣṭ, the description of Matsara’s guise as a raises laughter. Yakṣ�’s team is full of various serious diseases, and in a fighting mood. The clever author finds suitable situations to present this ⲹrasa even with these characters.

All these instances cited above, especially վūṣa첹’s soliloquy in Act IV, illustrate the natural sense of humour of the poet.

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