Mudrarakshasa (literary study)
by Antara Chakravarty | 2015 | 58,556 words
This page relates 鈥楾he character of Rakshasa鈥� of the English study on the Mudrarakshasa: an ancient Sanskrit dramatic play (Nataka) authored by Vishakhadatta which deals with the life of king Chandragupta. This study investigates the Mudra Rakshasa from a literary perspective, such as metrics, themes, rhetorics and other poetical elements. Chandragupta ruled the Mauryan Empire during the 4th century BCE, hence this text can also be studied as a historical textbook of ancient India.
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6.4. The character of 搁腻办峁蝉补
[Full title: Characterisation in 惭耻诲谤腻谤腻办峁蝉补 (4): The character of 搁腻办峁蝉补]
Next to 颁腻峁嘺办测补 and Candragupta, it is 搁腻办峁蝉补 who claims the attention of the reader in the 惭耻诲谤腻谤腻办峁蝉补. 搁腻办峁蝉补 bears a good contrast to 颁腻峁嘺办测补 in this drama. Therefore if it is supposed that 颁腻峁嘺办测补 is the 苍腻测补办补 here, 搁腻办峁蝉补 becomes the Prati苍腻测补办补. 顿丑补苍补帽箩补测补 in his 顿补艣补谤奴辫补办补 has defined prati苍腻测补办补 as a person who is greedy, brave but haughty, hard-hearted, sinful, addicted to worldly affairs and the enemy of the 苍腻测补办补.[1] But one and the only characteristic i.e. 搁腻办峁蝉补 is an enemy of 颁腻峁嘺办测补, the characteristic of a prati苍腻测补办补. No such other demerits of a Prati苍腻测补办补 can be found in the character of 搁腻办峁蝉补. Even as 颁腻峁嘺办测补 admits it, 搁腻办峁蝉补 is endowed with 辫谤补箩帽腻, vikrama and bhakti all together.[2] If 颁腻峁嘺办测补鈥檚 aim is not selfish and hence perhaps noble, 搁腻办峁蝉补鈥檚 aim is nobler still.
搁腻办峁蝉补 is fighting the cause of his masters even after they have been exterminated by 颁腻峁嘺办测补. That his devotion to his master is the highest is evident as he continues to serve him even after his departure to the other world.[3] All this (搁腻办峁蝉补鈥檚) political intrigues are for Nandas only, not even for Malayaketu.
As he himself admits in the second act thus鈥�
鈥淚t is not because I have forgotten my loyalty, not because my heart is engrossed in the enjoyment of the objects of senses, not because I am afraid of the loss of my life, nor because I am desirous of selfglorification, that I have closely and carefully devoted my attention to politics, but because his majesty (i.e. Nanda) though gone to heaven may be propitiated by the destruction of his enemies.鈥�[4]
Such kind of devotion is also praised by 颁腻峁嘺办测补 in act I.
颁蹿.鈥�
aho! r膩k峁sasya nandava峁兣沞 nirati艣ayo bhaktigu峁嘺岣�/[5]
搁腻办峁蝉补 has given away even all the worldly pleasures and physical embellishments after his mater鈥檚 extermination.
颁蹿.鈥�
cir膩tprabh峁泃y膩rya岣� parityaktocita艣ar墨rasa峁僺k膩ra iti/[6]
Thus 搁腻办峁蝉补 promised to Malayaketu that the former will not wear the slightest decoration on his limbs, so long as, the later has not been placed in the 厂耻驳腻峁単补 palace after being destroyed the whole circle of the enemies.[7] For the attainment of this goal, no doubt 搁腻办峁蝉补 tried to do away with his enemy Candragupta, by any means.
On the other hand 搁腻办峁蝉补鈥檚 high sense of duty and steadfast loyalty draws the unwilling admiration even of his political adversary. It is precisely 搁腻办峁蝉补鈥檚 noble qualities which prompt 颁腻峁嘺办测补 to go to the length of elaborate schemes to win him over; and it is precisely these noble qualities which lead ultimately to his downfall. He is course, also given to intrigue like 颁腻峁嘺办测补 but he does not live and breathe in intrigue as 颁腻峁嘺办测补 does. There is, however, no feeling in 颁腻峁嘺办测补鈥檚 strategy; there is too much of it in 搁腻办峁蝉补. 搁腻办峁蝉补 trusts too easily in the relentless battle of intrigue. 搁腻办峁蝉补 believes on J墨vasiddhi and considers him a loving friend. Being highly pleased with Siddh膩rathaka for rescuing his friend 艢ak峁璦d膩sa, 搁腻办峁蝉补 bestows on Siddh膩rathaka the ornaments of his own person.[8] These particular ornaments were given to him by Malayketu. 搁腻办峁蝉补 put on those ornaments only out of regard for Malayaketu and also for the Ka帽cuk墨n who had brought them, though the former has given away all embellishment.[9] 颁腻峁嘺办测补 plays a trick and send to 搁腻办峁蝉补 the ornaments of the late father of Malayketu by some means. It is in this considerate and emotional nature of his where lies the root of 颁腻峁嘺办测补鈥檚 success in entrapping 搁腻办峁蝉补. 搁腻办峁蝉补 begins to show tiredness and finally loss of nerve when charged with treachery by Malayketu. And at last when he was known that even J墨vasiddhi also has cheated him, he neurons out of remorse 鈥淎las! The enemies have captured my very heart.鈥�[10]
Fallen on evil days, this former minister of the Nandas has become sentimental and superstitious, if he was not so ever in his early days. Opposite to 颁腻峁嘺办测补, who believes in his own strength, 搁腻办峁蝉补 believes in fate. Throughout the drama 搁腻办峁蝉补 finds fault with his destination.[11]
According to him fate is the cause of the downfall of the Nanda dynasty and not the Br膩hama峁嘺 i.e. 颁腻峁嘺办测补鈥�
搁腻办峁蝉补 even believes in prejudices, like seeing of a snake or a 碍峁辫补峁嘺办补 are bad signs.[13] He also consults astrologers.
As a politician he falls short of the height reached by 颁腻峁嘺办测补 and commits blunders in various ways. He blunders, almost calls his secret agents by their names. He is unable to keep his secrets from his servants. 搁腻办峁蝉补 has no perfect mastery over his mind. Being more distracted and worried he also finds his memory failing him at times. He even finds it difficult to recognize quickly his spies, and for what purpose they are appointed.
颁蹿.鈥�
kasmin prayojane mam膩ya峁� prahita iti prayojan膩n膩峁� b膩huly膩nna khalvavadh膩ray膩mi/[14]
搁腻办峁蝉补 fails to impress Malayketu or his own servants with his personality.
The servants of 颁腻峁嘺办测补 stand in awe of him, while 厂颈诲诲丑腻谤迟丑补办补, openly defies him. 搁腻办峁蝉补 is more emotional and considerate. He is full of tears to see the sad plight of his spy Vir膩dhagupta.[15] But in the conversation between Vir膩dhagupta and 搁腻办峁蝉补, the latter鈥檚 political intrigues can be seen when in spite of the failure of all his previous plans at once making himself ready to take advantage of the reported split between 颁腻峁嘺办测补 and Candragupta, and giving immediate instructions to his spay Stavakala艣a in this connection.
搁腻办峁蝉补 is a strong opponent of 颁腻峁嘺办测补, as 颁腻峁嘺办测补 admits himself.[16] He bears a good knowledge of astrology.[17] 搁腻办峁蝉补 also is a scholar of 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补 and 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补.[18] Besides these kinds of knowledge 搁腻办峁蝉补 was a famous and great warrior at the time when he was the commander in chief of the Nanda army. King Nanda had faith on his powers.[19] He alone can have the power to destroy the commanders of Candragupt鈥檚 army.[20] 颁腻峁嘺办测补 knows that 搁腻办峁蝉补 is a store house of merits. For this reason alone the former wants to appoint the latter as the minister of Candragupta.[21] 搁腻办峁蝉补 had a glorious past but a dark present as stated by 痴颈艣腻办丑补诲补迟迟补.[22]
Fidelity, unflinching devotion, however, are the strongest points of the minister of the Nandas. He is all full of joy on seeing 艢aka峁璦d膩sa reported to have been impaled on the stake, safe again. But afterwards he is highly grieved to think that 艢aka峁璦d膩sa has proved faithless.[23] But 搁腻办峁蝉补 never blames 艢aka峁璦d膩sa severely for that account and is greatly relieved to know that 艢aka峁璦d膩sa was after all not a unfaithfull friend.[24]
After being dismissed by Malayketu, 搁腻办峁蝉补 comes back to 笔腻峁璦濒颈辫耻迟谤补 mainly to save the life of his 诲惫颈迟墨测补峁� 丑峁沝补测补峁� (second heart), Candanad膩sa.[25] 搁腻办峁蝉补 himself said when he heard that Candanad膩sas is captured by 颁腻峁嘺办测补鈥�
鈥淵ou had rather said that 搁腻办峁蝉补 himself, with wife and son, was put into irons.鈥�[26]
This trait is the most appealing to the audience. For Candanad膩sa he has staked his very life and has ultimately given up his own long cherished desire to average the destruction of his former masters and accepted the ministerstry of his enemy.
At the time of surrender to 颁腻峁嘺办测补, 搁腻办峁蝉补 clearly states鈥�
鈥�痴颈峁ａ箛耻驳耻辫迟补, I bow to the affection for a friend which makes one undertake anything whatsoever.鈥�[27]
So very kind is 搁腻办峁蝉补, that out of consideration that he, once stayed with Malayketu, the former orders the later to be freed when brought by Bh膩gur膩ya峁嘺 etc. to be duly punished. He has no illusions about his capacity as compared with that of 颁腻峁嘺办测补. When he was offered, the badge of the Prime Minister鈥檚 office, the 艣腻蝉迟谤补 by 颁腻峁嘺办测补, he frankly admits his unfitness to take the same, especially as it was wielded by 颁腻峁嘺办测补 till then.[28] It is evident, that, nothing weighed more with 搁腻办峁蝉补, than love of his friend, causing him to accept anything for that matter. After all there is a point in saving the life of the dearest friend who did not care for his own, when he gave shelter to 搁腻办峁蝉补鈥檚 wife and son, in their hour of need. Thus is the brave, devoted and intelligent minister of the Nandas seen to be accepting Candragupta鈥檚 service.
It is to be admitted that only a superior politician with 颁腻峁嘺办测补鈥檚 mettle could frustrate 搁腻办峁蝉补. When 颁腻峁嘺办测补 is informed by the 颁补峁囜笉腻濒补蝉 that 搁腻办峁蝉补 is captured, out of joy, 颁腻峁嘺办测补 shouted saying thus鈥撯�淲ho bound with the skirt of his garment the fire red with the mass of its mighty flames? Who reduced the ever moving (wind) to a state of stillness with his snares? Who crossed by means of his arms the dreadful ocean, abounding in crocodiles and alligators?[29] Thus comparing 搁腻办峁蝉补 with the fire, wind and ocean, 颁腻峁嘺办测补 admits the vastness of 搁腻办峁蝉补鈥檚 merits and states about the difficulty in making 搁腻办峁蝉补 under the influence or under control. But yet 颁腻峁嘺办测补 does not think 搁腻办峁蝉补 as a minister or a person of equal status with him. Both 颁腻峁嘺办测补 and 搁腻办峁蝉补 have equal means to reach the goal. Still there are some differences between the personalities of these two, for which 颁腻峁嘺办测补 becomes victorious and 搁腻办峁蝉补 becomes the loser.
颁腻峁嘺办测补 even states about the difference between them鈥�
鈥淚t is not Nanda who was conceited and whose affairs of state were managed by bad ministers, it is Candragupta (with whom you have to deal). You are not 颁腻峁嘺办测补; enmity to the principal person is the only point of resemblance in your imitation of myself.[30]
Right from the very beginning up to the very end of the play, magnanimity and nobility of 搁腻办峁蝉补 attracts the mind of the readers. In spite of his ultimate failure and in spite of his defects and drawbacks as a politician sympathy goes for him than for his rival 颁腻峁嘺办测补. 搁腻办峁蝉补 in fact is embodiments of some of the loftiest human virtues compelled with some minor characteristics which can make a reader feel that he is a man of our own flesh and blood.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
lubdho 诲丑墨谤辞诲诲丑补迟补岣� 蝉迟补产诲丑补岣� 辫腻辫补办峁泃 惫测补蝉补苍墨 谤颈辫耻岣�// 顿补艣补谤奴辫补办补, II. 9
[2]:
惭耻诲谤腻谤腻办峁蝉补, I. 15
[3]:
[4]:
neda峁� vism峁泃abhaktin膩 na vi峁yavy膩sa峁単am奴岣嵞乼man膩 pr膩峁嘺pracyutibh墨ru峁嚹� na ca 尘补测腻 苍腻迟尘补辫谤补迟颈峁ａ弓丑腻谤迟丑颈苍腻 补迟测补谤迟丑补峁� 辫补谤补诲腻蝉测补尘别迟测补 苍颈辫耻峁嘺峁� 苍墨迟补耻 mano 诲墨测补迟别 诲别惫补岣� svargagato鈥檖i 艣膩travavadhen膩r膩dhita岣� sy膩diti// Ibid., II. 5
[5]:
Ibid., p. 34
[6]:
Ibid., p. 117
[7]:
na t膩vannirv墨ryai岣� paraparibhav膩kr膩ntik峁沺a峁嘺i-rvah膩mya峁単airebhi岣� pratanumapi sa峁僺k膩raracan膩峁�/ na y膩vanni岣ヅ沞峁k峁pitaripucakrasya 苍颈丑颈迟补峁� sug膩峁単e hem膩峁卥a峁� n峁泇ara tava si峁僪膩sanamida峁�//Ibid. II. 10
[8]:
Ibid., p. 168
[9]:
Ibid., p. 120-121
[11]:
See Ibid., II. 8, II. 16,VI. 6 etc.
[12]:
Ibid., VI. 7
[13]:
办补迟丑补峁� prathamameva sarpadar艣ana峁�/ Ibid., p. 122 also see, 办补迟丑补峁� prathamameva k峁panaka/ Ibid, p. 309
[14]:
Ibid., p. 268
[15]:
aye devap膩dapadmopaj墨vinovastheyam/ Ibid., p. 128
[16]:
gurubhi岣� kalpan膩kle艣aird墨rghaj膩garahetubhi岣�/ ciram膩y膩sit膩 蝉别苍腻 v峁涐梗alasya mati艣ca me//Ibid.,VII.8
[18]:
karyopak峁pam膩dau tanumapi racaya峁僺tasya vist膩ramiccha nb墨j膩n膩峁� garbhit膩n膩峁� phalamatigahana峁� g奴岣峢amudbhedaya峁兣沜a/ kurbanbuddhy膩 惫颈尘补谤艣补峁� pras峁泃amapi puna岣� sa峁僪arank膩ryaj膩ta峁� 办补谤迟腻 va n膩峁璦k膩n膩mimamanubhavati kle艣amasmadvidho v膩 //Ibid., IV. 3 also, s膩dhye ni艣citamanvayena 驳丑补峁璱迟补峁� 产颈产丑谤补迟蝉补辫补办峁 蝉迟丑颈迟颈峁� 惫测腻惫峁泃迟补峁� ca vipak峁to bhavati yattats膩dhana峁� siddhye/ yats膩dhya峁� svayameva tulyamubhayo岣� pak峁 惫颈谤耻诲诲丑补峁� ca ya ttasy膩峁単墨kar峁噀na v膩dina iva sy膩tsv膩mino 苍颈驳谤补丑补岣� // Ibid., V. 10
[19]:
Vide, Ibid. II. 13,14
[21]:
buddhy膩 nig峁沨ya v峁涐梗alasya k峁泃e kriy膩y膩鈥搈膩ra峁噛aka峁� gajamiva pragu峁嚹� karomi// Ibid., I. 26
[22]:
Ibid.,VI. 10
[23]:
sa峁僾adantyak峁ra峁噄 /艣aka峁璦d膩sastu mitramiti ca visa峁僾adantyak峁r膩峁噄//Ibid., p. 373
[25]:
Ibid., p. 53
[26]:
nanu 惫补办迟补惫测补峁� sa峁儁amita岣� saputrakalatro bandhan膩g膩re 苍颈办峁辫迟补岣� / Ibid., p.
[27]:
sarvak膩ryapratiattihetave suh峁泃sneh膩ya/ Ibid., p. 476
[29]:
VII. 6
[30]:
耻迟蝉颈办迟补岣� kusacivad峁涐梗峁璦r膩jyatantro nando鈥檚au na bhavati candragupta e峁岣�/ c膩峁嘺kyastvamapi ca naiva, 办别惫补濒补峁� te 蝉腻诲丑补谤尘测补峁� madamuk峁泃e岣� pradh膩navairam// Ibid., III. 12