Essay name: Sankalpa Suryodaya of Venkatanatha (Critical Study)
Author:
R. Laxmi
Affiliation: Karnatak University / Department of Sanskrit
This is an English study of the Sankalpa Suryodaya—an allegorical Sanskrit drama by Venkatanatha, a distinguished philosopher-poet and dramatist of the Vishishtadvaita Vedanta tradition. This work of Venkata-natha (or, Vedanta Deshika). stands out for integrating allegory to convey moral and philosophical truths. The thesis examines its place in Sanskrit literature.
Chapter 3 - Significance
62 (of 85)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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105
Though regaining consciousness, Mahāmoha attacks Viveka, the former falls
down being struck down by the irresistible Viveka. As Mahāmoha has been slain by
Viveka, the Dharmas of Kṛtayuga have won; Śamā, Dama and others have
triumphed. Thus, like Śrī Rāma, who slew the Rākṣasa chiefs that had arisen to
cause suffering to good men, Viveka, too, shining like the Sun, has now displayed
his prowess in putting down Moha, an act which would please the ṛsis. 13
At last Tumburu declares that all gods are much delighted at the victory of
Viveka. In this manner, king Viveka has made the ocean Mahāmoha dry up having
quickly drunk it with his might and on his head bowed with modesty, now falls a
shower of celestial flowers as fragrant as the refutation of those that speak ill
of the eternal bliss of mystic meditation of the Supreme Being. 14 Here ends the
eighth Act.
ACT IX
"
The nineth Act has been entitiled as " समाधिसम्भव� ना� नवमोऽङ्क� [samādhisambhavo nāma navamo'ṅka� ] " for it
describes Puruṣa's getting engaged in Samādhi.
In the beginning under Cülikā 1, the dramatist informs that Viveka who has
destroyed Mahāmoha, who shines as the lamp of knowledge, enters the stage. This
verse runs as below:
"The spotless Viveka who swallowed up the ocean called Moha and is the
sprout of the creeper named Mokṣa, is coming at a distance - Viveka who shines
like a unique lamp in the mansion of wisdom, who has the force of a strom that
drives away the discourses of rival systems of thought, as if they were mere puffs of
13.
दिनक� इव दीव्यन्दृष्टशक्तिस्तथासौ मुनिपरिषदभीष्टे मोहभङ्गे विवेकः �
[dinakara iva dīvyandṛṣṭaśaktistathāsau munipariṣadabhīṣṭe mohabhaṅge viveka� |
] 14.
1.
समतनुत यथैक� साधुपीडोद्यतानां रजनिचरपतीना� राघव� दीर्घानिद्राम् [samatanuta yathaika� sādhupīḍodyatānā� rajanicarapatīnā� rāghavo dīrghānidrām ] II S.S. VIII- 102, p. 743
हतजीवजीवितेशा� विषादमूर्च्छादिलुप्तनिश्वासाम् �
तृष्णादय� सकुल्य� दुर्मतिमभितो निपत्य विलपन्ति � [hatajīvajīviteśā� viṣādamūrcchādiluptaniśvāsām |
tṛṣṇādaya� sakulyā durmatimabhito nipatya vilapanti || ] S.S VIII 105, p. 745
"अन्तर्जवनिकासंस्थै� सूचनार्थस्� चूलिका [antarjavanikāsaṃsthai� sūcanārthasya cūlikā ] "
"It is chūlikā, when something is suggested behind the curtain."
Viśvanātha, Sahitya Darpaṇa, (VI-58) p.419
