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The backdrop of the Srikanthacarita and the Mankhakosa

by Dhrubajit Sarma | 2015 | 94,519 words

This page relates “Rasa (1): Vira or the sentiment of heroism� as it appears in the case study regarding the Srikanthacarita and the Mankhakosa. The Shrikanthacarita was composed by Mankhaka, sometimes during A.D. 1136-1142. The Mankhakosa or the Anekarthakosa is a kosa text of homonymous words, composed by the same author.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Part 2a - Rasa (1): ī or the sentiment of heroism

ī[1] or the sentiment of heroism belongs to the noblest men. It is generated from ܳٲ or energy, which is its ٳ⾱屹 or the permanent mood. It is said to be of the colour yellow and Indra, the king of the gods is its presiding divinity. Here, the ālambanavibhāvas are the persons to be vanquished and the uddīpanavіbhāvas are their heroic utterances, advances and appropriate situations. Again, taking up of the arms and the like by the rivals are the Գܲ屹 and the ⲹ󾱳屹 are the firmness, resolution, pride, reminiscences, reasoning and horripilation.[2] It may be mentioned here that ܳٲ[3] is that mood, by which one is encouraged to perform a particular act.

The principal rasa of the Śī첹ṇṭ󲹳ٲ is ī. The very theme of the poem i.e. the annihilation of the Tripuras itself guarantees that. Again, in the poem, the hero i.e. Ś Himself announces about the main sentiment, as to be ī, by saying that He would display His valour.[4] Moreover, various other indications are there in the poem, which claims that ī is its predominant rasa. As for example, the first stanza of the Śī첹ṇṭ󲹳ٲ, glorifies the fire of the Ś’s third-eye, that burnt to ashes 峾𱹲, the god of love. Similarly, there are plenty of references of the past deeds of bravery of the hero; such as the killing of Ҳܰ, Ի󲹰ܰ etc. and deeds of other gods[5] as well. By these references to the heroic activities of the hero and other gods, the rasa has been developed gradually. There is the description of the preparation and marching of the soldiers with Lord Ś, to fight with the demons, in the cantos from XIX up to XXI. The udyama or ܳٲ of the Ҳṇa, which is the permanent mood of the sentiment ī, is to be noticed while marching.[6] There is also delineation of preparation of the enemies[7] of the gods, in canto XXII. Besides, there is depiction of fierce fight between the army of both the rival troops in cantos XXIII and XXIV.

The poet combines Śṛṅ and Raudra with that of ī, thereby tries to heighten the charm of the rasa ī. As for example, Ѳṅk󲹰첹 employs the sentiment of love, in the parting scene of the soldiers from their beloveds.[8] Another instance of mixing these two sentiments is found, when the gallant soldiers of the demons, express their determination to fight till their win or death, with the hope to get the celestial damsels either by victory or by death.[9] Sometimes, the sentiment of love plays an important role by creating a favourable background for the sentiment of heroism. As for instance, there are some supplementary descriptions in cantos VI-XV. These descriptions are that of the spring season, plucking of flowers, water sports, swinging sports and so on, which no doubt nourish the attractiveness of īrasa. However, in some places, it tends to overpower the principal sentiment. The example of this tendency, where the subordinate surpasses[10] the main, is to be found in XXIII. 25, 44; XXIV.1, 2 etc. Except these over enthusiastic delineation, which is a blemish on his part, Ѳṅk󲹰첹 is successful in combining various sentiments in a pleasing manner. Regarding the descriptions of the Ҳṇa in canto XVIII and that of the demons in canto XXII also, the poet blends Raudra with ī nicely.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

i)uttamaprakṛtirvīra ܳٲ󲹲ٳ⾱屹ka�/
mahendradaivato hemavarṇo’ya� samudāhṛta�//
     Sāhityadarpaṇa., III. 232
ii) vīra� pratāpavinayādhy avasāyasattva mohāviṣādanayavismayavikramādyai�/
ܳٲbhū� sa ca dayāraṇadānayogāt tredhā kilātra matigarvadhṛtipraharṣāḥ//
     Daśarūpaka., IV. 72

[2]:

ālambanavibhāvāstu vijetavyādayo matā�/
ٲ徱ṣṭٲǻī貹Բū辱ṇa�/
anubhāvāstu tatra syu� sahāyānveṣaṇādaya�/
sañcāriṇastu dhṛtimatigarvasmṛtitarkaromāñcā�/
sa ca dānadharmayuddhairdayayā ca samanvitaścaturdhā syāt//
Sāhityadarpaṇa., III. 233-234

[3]:

kāryārambheṣu saṃrambha� stheyānܳٲ ucyate/
Ibid., III. 178

[4]:

mama vīraraso dūrmāskandya syandanagraha�/
dviṣāṃ lalāṭato mārṣṭu bhramadbhrūbhaṅgakālikā�//
Śī첹ṇṭ󲹳ٲ., XIX. 43

[5]:

upaplavarajastatra sthitimeti kiyaccira�/
īśate brahmaṇo yatra kuśāgrajalavipruṣa�//
Ibid., XIX. 15; also, XVI. 28, 33-37; XVII. 36, 38, 42, 44; XIX. 15, 16, 17, 25

[6]:

athābhyamitrīṇamavekṣya śarvarīkuṭumbalekhābharaṇa� gaṇāvalī/
itastata� saṃnahanodyamakramādanargalavyāpṛtatāmagāhata//
Ibid., XXI. 1

[7]:

nartayannari kareṇa kaścana vraścanāya paripanthinā� babhau/
ātmano yamapathapravṛttaye sajjayannavarathakriyāmiva//
     Ibid., XXII. 10; also, XXII. 12-15, 17, 19-21, 26, 27, 38-42, 44-47, 49-53, 58 etc.

[8]:

Ibid., XXI. 20-29

[9]:

hanmaścetsamaremaravrajamatho hanyāmahe tena vā dyāmāsādya pada� raterubhayathāpyetadvadhūrāpnuma�/
dhyāya� dhyāyamiti prakāmavikasacchṛṅgāravīrormaya� kecittatra surārayo bahurayotsāhodaya� niryayu�// Ibid., XXII. 53

[10]:

samaraparihṛtāso� kasyacinnākanāryā samajani ratikeliścumbanollāsamātra�/
tadadharaparipītasphītapīyūṣapūrai� punarapi hi sa sadyo jīvitavya� prapede// Ibid., XXIII. 44

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