Prakrit Riddle Poetry

Author(s): Nalini Balbir
Publisher: Nalini Balbir
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/269548/1

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PRAKRIT RIDDLE POETRY By NALINI BALBIR In spite of their unanimously recognized popularity in classical Indian life, riddles are indeed- "a forgotten chapter in the history of Sanskrit literature." Sternbach's survey is a useful (though not fully adequate) attempt to collect the material, but it does not generally go beyond "Sanskrit literature" in the narrowest sense and, for instance, hardly includes any data coming from Jaina texts. More recently a rather challenging statement has been made by Prof. S. Lienhard. In his History of Classical Poetry he writes: The immense popularity of riddles in Jaina circles is probably connected with the predilection of Jaina scholars for teaching the faith by catechism." First, this "popularity" will have to be proved and documented by clear evidence. Secondly, it would not be fair to reduce the use of the riddle-form to an educational means restricted to the teaching of the doctrine (as the only references quoted by Lienhard suggest). True, the Jainas have written since long many works including the words prasna and prasnottara consisting in questions and answers on religious topics. But they have also preserved, especially in their prabandha-literature ( 12:h-15th centuries) many instances of samasya-puranas, to mention only a famous variety of riddle in which the court poets were extremely proficient. Moreover, what applies to other branches of Indian knowledge also applies to the field of riddles: in order to collect hard facts of some antiquity, we should direct our attention to Prakrit literature, and especially narrative literature. Reading it involves many hard 1 Subtitle of L. Sternbach's book, Indian Riddles. Hoshiarpur, 1975 (Vishveshvaranand Indological Series 67). * S. Lienhard, A History of Classical Poetry. Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit Wiesbaden, 1984, 154. 3 The oldest instance is the ninth Anga of the Jaina Svetambara Canon entitled Pankavugarantim (Prasnavyakarana). For later cases see Schubring, Lehre SS 189 and 196b (quoted by Lienhard). One of the most famous cases is Vimalasuri's Prasnottararatnamala on which see, for example, M. Winternitz, History of Indian Literature, Calcutta, 1933, Vol. II, pp. 559-560; H. D. Velankar, Jinaratnakoka, Poona, 1944, p. 273 ff.; ubi alia. See for instance in Rajasekharasuri's Prabandhakosa (Bombay, 1935, Singhi Jain Series 6) the accounts of the poets Bappabhattisuri and Amaracandrasuri; B. J. Sandesara, The literary circle of Mahamatya Vastupala. Bombay, 1953 (Singhi Jain Series 33).

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662 ABORI I Amotamahotsava Volume nuts to crack, but always proves rewarding. As a matter of fact, several passages included in various kathas show that, like other Indians, Jainas too had a real liking for so-to-say profane riddles in verse and regarded them as a pastime suitable for clever young people of taste. One may distinguish between two entirely different categories. The first one includes riddles consisting in plays on words. Some are graphical plays (e. g. bindumatis). Others (more numerous ) are cases of what the relevant technical Sanskrit literature calls prasnottaras, a type comparable to the western "charades" with many different varieties. It deserves a fullfledged investigation which will be made elsewhere. In the present paper, I shall confine myself to the second category which I term "riddle poetry", that is to stanzas (aryas ) which can be viewed as reasonably nice specimens of muktaka poetry, close to the boundaries where dhvani arises, but which are formulated as questions. They are all set in a more or less erotic context (srrigararasa ), and involve the main characters of Indian lyric poetry : the lover, the beloved,' and, if necessary, the beloved's female friend and the go-between (nayaka, nayika, sakhi, duti ). Since the Jaina authors do not use the same technical designations for all riddles of this category, an attempt to describe more precisely the specific features of the different types they represent seems justified and will be made here. For this investigation the most useful text has proved to be Uddyotanasuri's Kuvalayamala. This charming and very rich Prakrit novel is replete with various sastric teachings. The fact that it is precisely dated (779 A. D.) is important since it provides a safe ground for any interpretation of the material it includes. The topic of literary pastimes (vinoya-karanaim, 174.21 ) is taught by the young Kuvalayacandra to his new spouse Kuvalayamala in the intimacy of their first night. As a matter of fact tete-a-tetes between 6 In a paper to be published in Bulletin d'Etudes Indiennes (Paris, A. F. E. S.) 9. - 1991 (Enlarged and revised version of "Riddles in Jaina literature ", paper read at the VIIIth World Sanskrit Conference, Vienna, August 1990). 6 The limits between lyric poetry (e. g. Hala's Sattasai) and riddles are not so hard and-fast: see P. Dundas, The Sattasai and its commentators. Torino, 1985, pp. 34-35 (Pubblicazioni di Indologica Taurinensia. Collana di Letture diretta da Oscar Botto XVII). Following S. Lienhard, "Typen der nayika im indischen kavya ", Wiener Zeitschrift fur die Kunde des Morgenlandes 52, 1955, n. 1 p. 386, I translate nayaka and nayika as " lover" and " beloved " rather than as "hero " and "heroine ". 18 See, recently, Nalini Balbir, "Scenes d'alchimie dans la litterature jaina". Journal of the European Ayurvedio Society (Hamburg) 1. 1990, 149-164, especially $$ 1-7 and 1. 2.

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BALBIR : Prakrit Riddle Poetry young lovers are the normal place for riddles and such amusements. They symbolize intimacy, enjoyment and love in reunion. The expose given by Kuvalayacandra proceeds in a rather systematic manner. Each vinoda has a technical name. Each one is illustrated in turn by at least one instance and, in some cases, a definition is also given. Three of them are relevant here, namely the so-called bhanievviya (SS 1), hiyaya-gaha (SS 2) and samvihanaya (SS3). 1. bhagievviy Uddyotanasuri does not define the term, but only gives one example. jai dhammiena bhaniyam dare thaana" desu bhikkham" ti, ta kisa haliya-dhuya turiyam racchae10 nikkhanta ?(KM 176, 14). "If the mendicant standing at the door said: Please give me alms', why did the farmer's daughter quickly go out on the street?" 663 The two main characters, the mendicant and the farmer's daughter. are familiar to the readers of Hala's Sattasai. The explanation given by Uddyotanasuri in the following prose line is that while the monk has gone out for alms, the lady has a rendez-vous (with another monk) at the convent and therefore jumps at this chance to meet her lover freely, 11 The type of stanza exemplified here is not unique in Jaina Prakrit literature. Thus in Sanka's Cauppannamahapurisacariya (9th cent. ), which preserves an interesting collection of riddles, we read a stanza built on exactly the same pattern jai ... bhaniya-... ta kisa... jai sa sahihi[m]bhaniya "daio te dosa-maggana-sayanho", ta kisa muddhada-muhi ahiyayaram gavvam uvvahal? (CMPC 120, vs. 12). "If her friends said to her: "Your beloved is very keen12 on finding faults," why, then, does the lady with a charming face feel even more pride?" 9 See Nalini Balbir (forthcoming) for more details. 10 To be read. The reply is "Because she is the beloved" (jena vallaha tti), or "because he is dear (to many ladies), but loves her more. " 11 This is how I interpret the elliptic sentence of KM 176. 15: bhikkhaviniggae dhammie madhe sanketo tti. 13 Pk. sa-yanha: Sk. sa trsna. 13 The second interpretation would suppose vallaha = vallahu = vallaho,

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664 ABORI I Amrtamakoisova Volume It can be compared with a very close one found in Jayavallabha's Vajjalagga, a poetic anthology in Prakrit, composed (or compiled ) between 250 and 1337 A.D. 14 jai sa sahihi bhaniya " tujjha pai sunna-deula-samano," ta kisa muddhada-muhi ahiyayaran gavvam uvvahai? (VL 624) "If her friends said to her " Your husband is like an empty temple", why, then, does the lady with a charming face feel even more pride ?" According to the commentator the lady thinks : "My husband has been asked by my friends for love and has given the following answer: I am a napumsaka'. How happy I am to be one whose husband does not love other ladies !". 15 ... Patwardhan goes a step further in the interpretation of the comparison sunna-deula-samano understood as symbolizing the man's marital fidelity and his refusal of other ladies' proposals. 16 However, the image of the empty temple (as the ideal place of shelter open to all ) might as well be understood in a completely different manner : the young man enjoys several ladies, but does not find any to be as perfect as his own beloved. This would perhaps be more in accordance with the general atmosphere of Indian poetry than the puritan interpretation of the Jaina commentator.1? In both stanzas, anyway, the reason of the lady's pride is the same. The man's behaviour is a sign of his exclusive love or at least his preference for her. Four other similar stanzas (below (i) to (iv)) are included in Jayavallabha's Vajjalagga, and two of them are also quoted in Jinesvarasuri's Gaharayanakosa, another poetic anthology in Prakrit compiled in sam. 1251 (= 1194 A. D.). Though the Vajjalagga is well edited, translated and anno. tated, it might not be out of place to collect here all the relevant verses in order to underline their structural unity. All of them are characterized by the past participle bhaniya, and exactly built on the pattern described above with the recurring word muddhada 14 See VL ; introduction p. xviii and following. 15 abhir mama bharta rantum yacitan. tatas tah subhagan aham napunisako'smity uttarayamasa. tato dhanyaham yasya bhartanya na kumayata iti garvam uvaha, VL p. 171. 16 "Like an empty temple i. e. like a temple devoid of the idol or image of God. This expression is meant to convey by suggestion the sense" devoid of the male organ, lacking in virility, impotent", VL p. 556. No other corroborative evidence of this under standing is given by the translator. 17 View suggested and favoured by Prof. C. B. Tripathi (Berlin ).

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BALBIR : Prakrti Riddle Poetry 665 TE muhi as the designation of the girl.18 The other protagonists are persons whose close connection with her gives them the right to speak freely and half jokingly of her intimacy. The embarrassment their words provoke induce her to a (probably nervous ) giggle and a reaction of shyness. 19 These characters are her female-friends, her husband, her mother-in-law, or, in one case, her young brother-in-law (devara), who, in India, is conventionally allowed a special freedom as far as erotic matters are concerned. Since the various behaviours and reactions of the young and inexperimented girl depend on definite situations which are not explicited in the stanzas themselves, we largely have to rely upon the commentator's explanations of the Vajjalagga, even if they sometimes appear rather off the mark. Here are the verses (i) jai sa sahihi bhaniyatuj jha muham punna-canda-sariccham,' ta ki sa muddhada-muhi karena ganda-tthalam pusai 20 ? (VL 613 = GRK 268 ) - If her friends said to her : Your face looks like the full moon', why does the lady with a charming face wipe her cheek with her hand ?" What is explicit is the comparison of the lady's face with the full moon. What is implied and understood by her is that, like the full moon which is blemished by the sign of the deer, her face must be blemished by a black spot of collyrium. (ii) jai sa paina bhaniyatilayam viraemi attano tujjha', ta kisa muddhada-muhi hasiuna parammuhi thai ? (VL 615) "If the husband said to her I shall myself arrange the tilaka mark for you ', why, then, does the lady with a charming face laugh and stand with her face turned away?" The explanation of the commentator is somewhat far-fetched. Under the pretext of arranging her wife's tilaka, he says, the husband wants to kiss her. She tries to avoid him because she is in her courses. (iii) jai sasuyaei bhaniya 'piya-vasahim putti di vayam dehi, '32 ta ki sa muddhada-muhi hasiuna paloyae hiyayam ? (VL 623 = GRL 267) 21 See VL notes p. 552 on the formation of this word. 19 On the mugdha nayika see, for instance, S. Lienhard, " Typen der nayika im indi schen kavya ", WZKM 52, 1955, 389. phusai, v. 1. ; reading of GRK. To be read - - 34 GRK reads: ... pai-vasaharammi divayam desu. GRK reads podha-mahila instead of the usual muddhada-muhi. 84 Annals, BORI (A. M.)

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666 ABORI I Amstamahotsava Volume "If the mother-in-law said : Dear girl, put up a lamp in the chamber of your dear consort', why, then, does the (girl) with a charming face look at her heart and laugh ?" (VL) Or : " If the mother-in-law said : Give some light in your husband's bedroom (= the nuptial bedroom )', why, then, does the experienced lady (prodha = Sk. praudha), look at her heart and laugh ?" (GRK) According to the commentator the lady thinks : "My mother-in-law wants me to give some light in my heart. My lover's bedroom is in my heart. Wondering how she can do that, she looks at her heart."54 But the reading of the GRK (prodha-mahila instead of muddhadamuhi) might suggest another type of interpretation where the lady would think of some special means to attract her lover (?). The most popular stanza is undoubtedly VL 622. It is the only one of this type to be quoted (with eventually slightly different wordings ) in alamkarasastras, namely Bhoja's Srngaraprakasa and Sarasvati kan thabharana ( 11th cent.), as well as Sobhakaramitra's Alamkararatnakara ( 12th13th cent.).:6 (iv) jai devarena bhaniya "khaggam ghettuna raule26 vacca, ta ki sa muddhada-muhi hasiuna paloae sejjam? (VL 622) "If her young brother-in-law said to her: Take the sword in your hand and go to the king's palace', why, then, does the lady with a charming face look at the bed and laugh ?" C . The Vajjalagga's commentator and Bhoja ( on Sarasvati kanthabharana 2. 370 ) offer a similar explanation of the situation, "The young lady looks towards the bed in order to mean : He (viz. my brother-in law ) has seen red-dye on my feet and other signs indicating 24 iyam svasur mama hrdaye dipakam dapayati. priyasya visas tavan mama hrday.. tasmims ca dipakah katham diyata iti hrdayavalokanam, VL p. 171. The different texts are conveniently found in V. M. Kulkarni, Prakrit Verses in Sanskrit Works on Poetics : No. 121 p. 65, No. 56 p. 351, No. 145 p. 573. raulam in Bhoja's works; raaulam in the Alamkara-Ratnakara. cd: ta kisa muddha-inuhia saanammi nivesaai ditthim in the AlamkaraRatnakara and ta kim sevaa-vahue hasiuna valoiam saanam in Bhoja's Works,

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BALBIR : Prakrti Riddle Poetry 667 that I have taken the man's part (during sexual union ). Hence he appoints me for a task ( which would normally) not be mine ). 38 In other words, the lady laughs in a puzzled manner because what her brother-in-law says suggests that he has guessed something which should have remained private. He tells her to take the sword and act as a man because he has seen that she has already been able to do so during lovemaking.29 At the same time, the conventional complicity between the young brother-in-law and the lady may suggest that his words are in fact a concealed overture which she might not refuse. Hence her discrete glance towards the bed. Finally, a last stanza, again taken from the Cauppannamahapurisacariya, represents a case of deviation from the regular pattern. jai sikkhavio si so jai narayani e30 jujjai na gantur, ta kisa bhanai" ajjo ma kuppasu do vi sarisaim" ? (CMPC 120, vs. 11 ). A tentative translation of this problematic verse could be: " If the pupil has been taught : It is not decent for monks to go out in the night', why, then, does he say: 'Venerable master, do not be angry. We are both equal'"? The reply : " Because he has supernatural knowledge" (divva-nani khu so ) is not very helpful. Does the pupil suggest he knows about the secret (love- ) affair of his teacher and admits he too is in the same situation ? The usual syntactical pattern is anyway clear. The past participle bhaniya is here replaced by another verb belonging to the same semantic field and the main protagonist is no more the nayika. . So much for the corpus of such stanzas which finally amount to seven (KM:1; CMPC:1; VL:5). Let us now consider their status and technical designations. Uddyotanasuri in the Kuvalayamala is, to my knowledge, the only author who offers a really precise term which could not adequately refer to 28 atra niriksitam anenatra purusayita-laksma (sic) pada-laksddikam, tena niyuikte man na karmanity abhiprayena vadhvah sayanuvalokanam ity abhi. praya-gudham: Bhoja, Sarasvatikanthabharana ed. Kavyamals 94. Bombay, 1934, p. 302. What is meant by niyunkte mam na karmani is not crystal clear. 29 purusayita (Bhoja); viparita-rata (VL's commentary p. 170). 30 To be read -. 31 The last instance mentioned is not considered as regular and is therefore excluded here.

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668 ABORI : Amrtamahotsava Volume stanzas of other structures. The term bhanievviya used by him is obviously to be connected with the root bhan-," to say, to speak", invariably characte. rizing all the relevant verses. This hapax legomenon can be analysed as a krtya adjective with a loose meaning82 (Sanskrit suffix -tavya + -ka). The feminine form is probably due to the fact that the substantive gaha is to be supplied. Bhanievviya (gaha-s) are stanzas where the word bhaniya is of central importance. In our other Prakrit sources ( Cauppannamahapurisacariya; Vajjalagga, section 64 and Gaharayanakosa, section 23) and in the three alamkaraSastras, the bhaniya- stanzas are not recognized as forming a group of their own. They respectively come under the heading hiyali hiyaliya and abhiprayagudha ("concealed intention"). These two terms basically amount to the same. Hiyali is a purely Prakrit derivative corresponding to Sk, hsdayavati (used for instance in the Dhvanyaloka III. 43), as the secondary suffix -ali shows.39 It is a rather general designation for riddles where one has to discover the real intention in the heart (hsdaya) of a nayika whose external behaviour may seem strange to an outsider. In the VL the distribution is 5 bhaniya-stanzas out of 14 hiyalis, in the GRK 2 out of 14. Thus the material collected here would suggest that there once .existed a coherent micro-genre of riddles defined by a specific pattern, and to some extent by a specific vocabulary. The term bhanievviya used in the Kuvalayamala might have been coined by some in order to denote it and distinguish it from other kindred varieties through formal criteria, but was not accepted overall or went out of use so that the genre as such disappeared and was included in larger classes, thus losing its individuality as a category. The straightforwardness of the pattern jai..ta ki sa may explain that no such stanza found its way in refined anthologies such as Hala's Sattasai which show more subtlety. The bhaniya-stanzas may not be "high" poetry. Yet, they are a remnant of an ephemeral poetry which cultured circles (gosthis ) enjoyed and which some writers active between the 8th and the 13th centuries somehow thought worthy of being preserved.34 84 On the possible shades of meanings of Sanskrit krtyas see, for instance, L. Renou, Grammaire sanscrite $ 160-161. As is well known, they form abstract nouns in the neuter. 33 VL notes pp. 549-551. All phonetic connection with Sk. prahelika is out of question. Detailed investigation of the term by H. C. Bhayani, "On the satprajnaka-gatha and hidayavati (mentioned under Dhvanyaloka III.43)" : Vidya, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, vol. XV, No. 2, August 1972, 1-8. 34 On the activity of the literary gosthis, sce, for instance, H. C. Bluyani, p. 3. D

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BALBIR : Prakrit Riddle Poetry 669 2. hiyaya-gaha One should not underestimate the part played by formal criteria in the differentiation of types. Both hiyali and hiyaya-gaha are etymologically related and include the word "heart" (Sk. hrdaya; see above). In the KM the following instance of hiyaya-gaha is given. gose cciya haliya-vahu padhamam ciya niggaya ghara-ddaram, dathum kalamba-kusumam duhiya rottum samadhatta (KM 176. 16*). " Early morning the farmer's young wife first went out to the door of the house. When she saw the kadamba-flower, the poor lady (duhiya = dun. khita) started weeping". The text explains : "What is really meant is that the rendez-vous is cancelled. The kadamba-flower had been placed there on purpose by the lover " 45 Again, it can be shown that the technical term and the illustrative stanza preserved in Uddyotanasuri's work are not ad hoc creations. Parallels for both can be found in Dharmadasa's Vidagdhamukhamand ana, the standard Sanskrit treatise on riddle-literature.36 A part of its 4th chapter is devoted to the discussion of a type called hrdya (VMM IV. 9ff.). The two Prakrit stanzas adduced for illustration exhibit a pattern similar to the verse quoted above.37 They are all characterized by the recurring use of a verb meaning " to see". A particular sight provokes a certain external behaviour, the reason of which is not understandable to the outsider and has to be guessed by him. Moreover, the stanzas are built around a subtle network of significant looks (X looking at Y who is looking at X or Z). Thus ; dara-di dha-cua-maulam pecchia sahiyahi[m] virahini -sahiam, namio kankelli-tar u, cao caranahado katto 289 (VMM IV. 12). 35 Sankeya-bhango daiena sahinnanam kalambam thaviyam ti hiyayam, KM 176. 17. 36 The edition I could use is Sri-Dharmadasasuri-pranita in Vidagdhamukhamanda nakavyam, svopajaa-vyakhya-samala nkstam idam Panasikaropahva-Laksmanat. maja-Vasudevasarmana sa nsodhitam. Bombay, 1905. The text and translation as given in Sukumar Sen, "Praksta and vernacular verses in Dharmadasa's Vidagdhamukhamandana ", Siddha-Bharati, Rosary of Indology, Siddheshwar Varma Presentation Volume, Pt. 1. Hoshiarpur, 1950, 259 (Vishve shvaranand Indological Series 1 ) are fully satisfactory. 38 Sixth gana of the arya of the form : u-. Reading of the Berlin manuscript " Ms. or. fol. 1034". S. Sen's text (p. 259) would be correct if it had taru (instead of taru ).

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670 ABORI: Amrtamahotsava Volume "Seeing that her friend separated from her lover cast a discrete glance10 at the mango-tree in bloom, the confidantes bent down the asoka-tree and kicked the mango-tree, why then?" The commentator offers an answer because, as he says, " in this case, the essential meaning is not written in the verse. It is in the heart". The sight of the mango-tree in blossom increases the lonely lady's pain. Her friends know it and this is the reason why they kick the mango-tree out of anger. The well-known literary convention is that when kicked the asoka-tree bears flowers and indicates the lovers' happiness. If the asoka-tree is bent, it means the lady's lover will come back. The commentator calls this an instance of ragadvesa-hrdyam. Seeing the beggar staring at (her) with eyes wide open, immediately, the young wife exhibited two jati-flowers and placed them on (her) head, why then?" pecchantam animis'accham pecchia vahuaes jhatti bhikkhaaram, damsia kayai[m] si se katto do jai-kusumaini ? (VMM IV. 13). The commentator explains the lady's intention. By showing the jatiflowers, she indicates that her birth is as pure as they are. There is also a reason for the number two. She means that her family is pure on both paternal and maternal sides. This gesture is thus a sign of her negative reply to the beggar's overtures. The formal structure of these stanzas is perhaps not so well characterized as it was in the bhanievviyas. Yet the common features are enough to allow the recognition of a small class.11 3. sazivihanaya The analysis of this type will show how the boundary between riddle and true poetry of the muktaka-type may disappear. The stanza is no longer formulated as a question. 40 On dara (glossed as isat in the "auto-commentary" of the VMM), see PSM s. V. ardha, adha. 41 atra bhavah sloka-madhye likhito nasti. kimtu hrdi vartate, p. 41. 48 To be read 43 To be read. 44 45 ai bhanasu tam alajjams paraloya-viruddhayam imam kaum, ghore tamammi narae gantavvam sambali-vanammi (KM 176. 26*). Other possible representatives of this class would be VMM IV. 11 (in Sanskrit); VL 611 GRK 265; VL 617 GRK 270; GRK 273. V. 1. alajja, vecative.

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BALBIR 1 Prakrit Riddle Poetry 671 In the following prose, Uddyotanasuri gives the contextual elements which are necessary for the understanding of the different meanings and points out to them in a rather abrupt manner. Yet, to some extent, his ways remind us of Hala's commentators : "Some ( nayaka ) has sent a lady-messenger with a request (for rendezvous ). The angry beloved gives the answer : Indeed because of sexual intercourse with the wife of another man, he will be thrown into a hell having the form of a wood of salmali-trees.' But on the other hand she has given him a rendez-vous. * The other person' (para-loo ), viz. the lady-messenger, Therefore you must go there, to the sa mali-woods. And at what time ? At the time of deep darkness. O, man, you must come). I shall go there.' So much for the samvihana "46 The emphasis of Uddyotanasuri's commentary seems to be on the nayika's rather complex state of feelings. At a superficial level, the feeling of anger prevails. The lady has understood for herself that her messenger has been treacherous. As usual in this case, she expresses this knowledge indirectly.47 Therefore the stanza first appears as a kind of moral subhasita emphasizing the law of karman: a bad action implies a bad rebirth. "Dear girl, tell that shameless one : " Something which is against the other world has been done. The place where to go is the hell (narae : Sk! narake ) full of salmali-woods ( immersed ) in deep darkness." The skilful poet has underlined the general character of the verse by using an impersonal verbal form (gantavvam ), with no agent explicitly mentioned. The beloved's anger and reproach directed towards her lover are thus suggested and can be understood only by him. As for the messenger she will understand that the lady refuses the nayaka's proposal to meet and will think she can go on having him for herself alone. On the other hand, the nayika materializes her deep feeling of love through the appointment given to her lover in spite of his disloyalty. He will 46 kena vi dui pesiya pattheum. naiya kuviya padivayanam dei. kira paradaragamanena narae (kuda-simbali-vane chubbhai tti io tae puna tassa samkeyam dinnam paraloo esa dui. imina kuijena gantavvam tae ettha sambali-vane. kae puna velae ? ghore tamammi. are purisa e tae tti. aham tatta vaccinami tti, ettio samvihano tti, KM 176. 27-29. See, for instance, An Anthology of Sanskrit Court Poetry. Vidyakara's "Subhasitaratnakosa" translated by Daniel H. H. Ingalls. Cambridge, Mass., 1965: Harvard Oriental Series 44 : section 25 "The lady's expression of anger at her messenger.'

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ABORI: Amy tamahotsava Volume understand it if he is able to decipher the message hidden in the ambiguity of the word parae, now to be interpreted as nara e (vocative + interjection). Thus : 672 "You have done something which is against the other world. O man, at the time of deep darkness, you must go to the salmali-woods." Simultaneously, the lady does not forget to tell her lover that she has understood the treacherous relationship he had with the messenger. then refers to the duti as "the other person", the outsider in the couple. Moreover, the potentialities of Prakrit make possible to now understand kaum as an infinitive of purpose. Thus : "In order to do something which is against the messenger('s interests), o man, you must go, at the time of deep darkness to the salmali-woods. " In this way, the whole stanza conveys the ambivalence of the beloved's heart. The mention of salmali-woods (rather than any other type of woods) is probably highly significant and fully in harmony with the whole atmosphere of heroine's heart made of mixed bitterness and love. This tree is thorny and may be poisonous. Moreover, it is found in a certain hell where evildoers may be reborn." The term sanivihana(ya) used by Uddyotanasuri to denote this type of stanza is unfortunately not defined by him. Its general meaning would be "arrangement, combination" (Sk. samvidhanaka), here a combination of different meanings to be selected by different persons. But I have not been able to trace any other relevant parallel occurrence of the word which could be of some interest here. 49 Conclusion Western eyes are usually baffled by the Indian fondness for classification and terminology which they are often not far from seeing as an almost Cf. Renate Syed. Die Flora Altindiens in Literatur und Kunst Inaugural-Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Philosophie an der Ludwig MaximiliansUniversitat zu Munchen, 1990, 540 ff. 49 Sk. samvidhanaka is otherwise used in dramatic literature (Uttararamacarita, Mrechakatika). See also samvidhanaka-dvayam referring to two stanzas from the Avasyakaniryukti in Jiaaprabhasari's Vividhatirthakalpa (14th cent. ), ed. Muni Jinavijaya. Bombay, 1943; 73. 4.

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BALBIR i Prakrit Riddle Poetry 673 strange obsession. Normally the Jainas are not supposed to lag behind in this respect. The investigation of individual cases, however, might show that Indians took formal structures as basic criteria for determining species of similar contents and distinguish them from each other, as we also do. It might prove particularly rewarding for the " archeology" of muktaka-poetry, a vast and still promising area of Indian literature. Abbreviations CMPC = Silanka, Cauppannamahapurisacarias, edited by Pt. Amritlal Mohanlal Bhojak, Amedabad, Varanasi, 1961 (Prakrit Text Society Series 3): reference to the page and verse number. GRK = Jinesvarasuri's Gaharayanakosa, edited by Pandit Amritlal M. Bhojak and Nagin J. Shah, Ahmedabad, 1975 (L. D. Series 52 ); reference to the verse number. KM = Uddyotanasuri's Kuvalayamala (A Unique Campu in Prakrit ) and Ratnaprabhasuri's Kuvalayamalakatha (A Stylistic Digest of the above in Sanskrit), Critically edited with various readings by A. N. Upadhye, Part I. Kuvalayamala. Bombay, 1959 (Singhi Jain Series 45); reference to the page and line of this edition. VL = Jayavallabha's Vajjalaggar with the Sanskrit commentary of Ratna deva and introduction. English translation, notes and glossary by Prof. M. V. Patwardhan. Ahmedabad, 1969 (Prakrit Text Society Series 14); reference to the verse number. VMM = Dharmadasa's Vidagdhamukhamandana ( see n. 36); reference to the chapter and verse number. 8$ Annals BORI ( A. M. !