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 108

CHAPTER V
YASASTILAKA AS A SOCIO-POLITICAL RECORD
As we have already pointed out, Yasastilaka throws considerable light on contemporary life and society, especially court life and administration; and the available data may be classed under three heads: court life, problems of statecraft and social conditions.
COURT LIFE
A glance at the Synopsis and Chapter VII (the section on Court poetry) will show that Books II and III of Yasastilaka contain valuable information on medieval court life; and the conditions described therein are chiefly applicable to an Imperial court, which, as suggested in a previous chapter, could be no other than that of the Raṣṭraküṭa emperors about the middle of the tenth century. Somadeva describes the ceremonies connected with the birth, nuptials and the coronation of the prince, and draws a series of vivid pictures of the various activities of the court. On the intellectual side we have weighty discussions of an academic character: sometimes the king listens to an elaborate debate on the guiding principles of policy; sometimes he discusses important verses of the Arthaśāstra2; or participates in heated debates, winning the applause of the learned by his proficiency in the philosophical systems of Jina, Jaimini, Kapila, Kanāda, Carvāka and Buddha.3 Interludes in a lighter vein are not wanting. For example, on a certain occasion, while the king is discussing the poetical works of the Mahakavis, a poet named Pandita-vaitandika (Scholar Sophist) comes along and recites an untimely panegyric in his honour, e. g. (3. 271),
हरगिरयन्ति महीघ्राः क्षीरोदधयन्ति वार्धयः सर्वे । तव देव यशसि विसरति सौधन्ति जगन्ति च त्रीणि ॥ "Sire, by reason of the expansion of thy fame, mountains turn white like the Kailasa; the seas turn white as the Ocean of milk, all of them; and the three worlds resemble palaces in lustre !" Finding the king inattentive, he asks discourteously how it is that the sovereign does not recognise a world-renowned poet like him!* The king, however, wounds his vanity by asking him the purport of a difficult verse of Sanskrit poetics which proves to be beyond his comprehension."
1 See Chap. VII.
See Chap. XVIII.
2
3 ' कदाचित्
पण्डितप्रकाण्डमण्डली मण्डनाडम्बरगीर्गुम्फसंरम्भेषु जिनजैमिनिकपिलकणचरचार्वाक शाक्यप्रणीतप्रमाणसंवीणतया विदुष्विणीनां परिषदां वित्तभित्तिष्वात्मयशः प्रशस्ती रुद्धिलेख । ' Vol. I, p. 480.
4. सकलकविलोकचक्रप्रमर्दनः ख्यात एव भुवनेऽस्मिन् । कथमिह संप्रति भवता समागतो नावबुध्येऽहम् ॥ 3. 273.
5
For the verse in question see Chap. XVIII,
12