Kavyanushasana Critical Study

SR No.: 001713
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: A N Upadhye
Publication Year: 1987
Total Pages: 558
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Literature, & Kavya
File Size: 10 MB

Page 108

for himself. Now the king had planted the Madhavi creeper in his garden and his queen Vasavadattā too had planted another creeper, the Navamālikā in the same garden. As time went by, a spirit of competition grew between the king and the queen, and the king challenged the queen that his creeper would flower earlier than her creeper. And, luck really favoured the king; for, his creeper put forth flowers first. The king, elated with joy at this favourable turn of good fortune, believes that this victory of his over the queen augurs very well for his desire to win Sāgarika's love, though the queen Vāsavdattā may not like it. The poet Sriharsa has composed a memorable verse suggesting the sentiment of Irsyāvipralambhaśțrgāra, separation in love, on account of jealousy - by means of a comparison (simile) between the garden creeper appearing like a love-lorn lady and causing heart-burn to the queen frustrated in her hold of love over the king. Incidentally the simile that makes the Madhavi creeper look like a love-lorn lady is rendered charming and perfect by means of several double entendre 'which make the simile possible. These two figures, viz., Upamā and Ślesa act as powerful accessories to the sentiment and come in at the right moment and in the most appropriate circumstance. It is interesting to note that this incident turns out to be an actual fact in the play, since Sagarika does win the King's love and cause heart-burning to the queen. Thus this verse is an important verse, dramatically speaking. Hemachandra has attempted a good critical appreciation of the verse from the Sākuntala, previously cited, as well as of this particular verse. In the gloss, it is pointed out that in the present verse, the figure simile which is based on a double entendré brings out prominently for our enjoyment the sentiment called Irsyāvipralambha, a variety of the Srgārarasa which consists in separation in love due to jealousy, though it is yet to take place, and thus, comes in when the Rasa is dominant, that is to say, they come in at the appropriate moment, so that they are both favourable to the development of Rasa. Hence the verse is an illustration of Kāle grahanam,
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