Kuvalayamala Part 2

SR No.: 002778
Original Sutra Author: Udyotansuri
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Publication Year: 1970
Total Pages: 368
Language: Sanskrit, English
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Literature
File Size: 12 MB

Page 166

A CULTURAL NOTE
127
tiger with bull horns; fight between wild buffaloes; fighting antelopes; a serpent being swallowed by a large monster; large fish swallowing smaller fish; crocodiles swallowing their own species; wounded beasts attacking the other wounded ones; peacock swallowing a serpent; a number of animals making a composite form, one upon another: spider caught in the web of another spider, the latter catching an insect pursued by a lizard and the latter caught by a black bird (sāmā) which flying in the sky with its feed was caught by a bird of prey, and the latter falling to the ground was caught by a wild cat which in turn was attacked by a wild boar, the latter was being attacked by leopard, and the leopard was attacked by a tiger, the latter instantaneously by a lion and the lion by a wild Sarabha (stronger than a lion and said to have eight feet). The animals, reptiles, insects and birds described as locked in mutual engagements create a very strange atmosphere of their buoyant life and activities; and Uddyotanasūri deserves credit for creating such a motif in a painted scroll in the 8th century A.D. Then follows a description of the various hells depicted in the painting on cloth (p. 189.18-9). There is given also a description of the Svargaloka or the heavenly abode of Devī, Devakumāra and Indra seated in the Asthāna or Saudharmasabhā (p. 189.32-3, p. 190.1-19).
Pages 190 ff.: Here we have a description of the second Citrapata. It was a painting depicting the city of Campā with its people, houses, citizens, beautified with bejewelled ornaments, market places, its rich merchant and his wife and detailed account of one's bhavāntara or past life.
Page 191.28-32; Here is a reference to various Siddhis practised in medieval times, for example, Dhātuvāda, Añjana-siddhi, Bila-praveśa, Mantrasiddhi, Devatā Ārādhana. The Añjanasiddhi conferred the occult power of seeing treasures (mahānidhāna). We get some details about Dhātuvāda (p. 195), i.e., the art of making artificial gold, being practised in a secluded part of the Vindhya foiest. It is said that the red colour of flames of the fire indicated the making of copper, yellow of gold, white of silver, black of iron and colourless of bronze. Others thought that its true technique was an unknown secret. If the fire is of lower heat, lead was produced, but if the heat became excessive, then granular gold (phuttanam kaņayam) was manufactured. If the fire was of moderate heat, the metallic contents of the crucible (mūsā) just drained in liquid form. If the flame was greasy, the contents would turn black. After putting the requisite content in the crucible, some kind of herbal powder (cuņņa-joga) was added. It is said that the assembled Dhātuvādins or alchemists (kemiyāgāra) were failing in their attempt. Prince Kuvalayacandra tried his own knowledge and succeeded in the making of gold. It appears that one of the epithets of the Dhātuvādins was Narendra, meaning a master of charms or antidotes. The word is also used in this sense in classical Sanskrit literature. Dhātuvāda is also called Narendra-kalā (narimda-kalā, 197.16).
Page 199: Here is described Yuvarāja-abhiseka-mahotsava when the city of Ayodhyā put on gala appearance by means of beautifying streets, sprinkling of scented waters on its roads, hanging of flower-garlands, putting up golden gates, adorning the palace, decorating the floor in front of the entrances, making paintings on the walls of the public audience (cittijjamti rāya-sabhāo), making