Yasastilaka and Indian Culture

SR No.: 001609
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Krishnakant Handiqui
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 566
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Story, Literature, & Culture
File Size: 16 MB

Page 101

82
YASASTILAKA AND INDIAN CULTURE
religious merit by the pious of the three worlds, as expanses of the foam of the atmospheric ocean, as gleams of the loud laugh of Śiva incarnate as the sky, as crystal pleasure hills of the planetary world, and as elephant cubs of the Sky Forest belonging to the (white) Airāvata family."
Acoumulations of Rūpakas are occasionally met with, for example, in the description of Māradatta as the lover of women of different nationalities." The lengthy series of epithets, mostly Rūpakas, applied to Yasodbara in the letter despatched to a rival, illustrates a current practice in royal - correspondence and inscriptional records of grants and endowments. Some
of the epithets are as follows: “The Sunrise of prowess: Brahman hi in wisdom; an ocean of discernment; & swan participating in the joyful sports of the goddess of learning; the beloved consort of poetic speech; a Vidyadhara in the game of ball-throwing; an Indra in playing with rutting elephants; an Aruņa in chariot-driving; a Garuda in fighting on foot; a Gandharva king in singing; a Bịhaspati in the science of instru. mental music; & Bharata in the art of dancing;........ Paraśurāma in self-sacrifice; an axe in the jungle of hostilities; a lion to the 'fawn' of Kalinga*; a blaze to the bamboo clump' of Aśmaka; a fire to the 'moth' of the Saka country; & flame consuming the king of Krathakaisika ; the crest-jewel of the Kşatriyas of Ahicchatra; Deathknell to the insubordination of the king of Pancāla; a thunder-bolt to the royal dynasty of Kerala; lightning-fire to the Yavana Tree;' the subject of pleasant disputes among the beautiful women of Cedi; the luxury mirror of the women of Magadha; a tender leaf on the plump bosome of the ladies of Kāñci; & love-god to the youthful Ratis of Māhişmati; the beauty-paint of the ruddy lips of the fair women of Kaušāmbi; the ear-ornament of the women of Daśārņa; the passionate lover of the courtesans of Pătaliputra; a bee enjoying the graceful gestures of the beautiful women of Valabhi, the perfumed ornamental dot on the foreheads of the women of Ayodhyā." A reference to the original will show that most of these epithets are used with an eye to verbal effect, to which Kāvga poets paid considerable attention.
1 'guerharafthmar, defefafa tantere etc. 2 'आन्ध्रीणामलकवल्लरीविजुम्मणजलधरः, चोलीषु भूलतानर्तनमलयानिलः, केरलीनां नयनदीर्घिकालिकलहंसः, सिंहलीषु
मुखकमलमकरन्दपानमधुकरः, कर्णाटीना कुचकलशविलासपलवः, सौराष्ट्रीषु वलिवाहिनीविनोदकुअरः, कम्बोजीना
नाभिवलभिगर्भसंभोगभुजङ्गः, पलवीषु नितम्बस्थलीखेलनकुरङ्गः, कलिनीनां चलनकिसलयोत्सवपुष्पाकरः।'. 3 See chap. V. 4 'Fawn', Bamboo clamp' and Moth' are contemptuous references to the kings of the
respective countries. 3 i.e. the Yavana king.