Studies In Sanskrit Sahitya Shastra

SR No.: 007023
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: V M Kulkarni
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology
Publication Year: 1983
Total Pages: 216
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 22 MB

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Studies in
of the sexual love of one's own parents might do. A great poet gifted with extraordinary genius describes the sexual love in such a unique way that the reader is completely engrossed in relishing the pleasure of that wonderful description and it gives no time or leaves no scope to the reader to consider whether that description is proper or improper. As in the case of a born brave warrior, who though fighting for an unjust cause wins applause from the spectators by his heroic fighting; these very spectators however on due consideration of the causes leading to the fight and on realising that the fight is for an unjust cause do not applaud that brave warrior. It is exactly the case here too."
In his Kävyaprakāśa Mammaţa clearly lays down :
तत्र रतिहासशोकादभुतानि अदिव्योत्तमप्रकृतिवत् दिव्येष्वपि । किन्तु रतिः संभोगशङ्गाररूपा उत्तमदेवताविषया न वर्णनीया । तद्वर्णनं हि पित्रोः संभोगवर्णनमिवात्यन्तमनुforan 10
"--But it is not right to describe rati (love) of the type of sexual love in respect of gods and goddesses who are high characters. In fact, such a description would be extremely improper as that of the sexual love of one's own parents,"
Kşemendra who analyses the improprieties which hinder the aesthetic enjoyment and illustrates them by quoting verses from various poets displays in many cases a good deal of insight in his criticism. He takes Kālidāsa to task, against the authority of Anandavardhana, for the vulgarity of the 8th canto. He quotes the following verse from this canto and adds his own comments :
ऊरुमूलनखमार्गराजिभिस्तत्क्षणं हृतविलोचनो हरः । वाससः प्रशिथिलस्य संयमं कुर्वतीं प्रियतमामवारयत् ॥
-अत्र अम्बिकासंभोगवर्णने पामर-नारी-समुचित-निर्लज्जसज्ज(?)नख-राजि-विराजितोरुमूलहृतविलोचनत्वं त्रिलोचनस्य भगवतस्त्रिजगद्गुरोर्यदुक्तं तेनानौचित्यमेव परं प्रबन्धार्थः पुष्णाति ।
"His eyes being charmed at that moment by the series of nail-marks at the root of her thighs, Siva prevented his beloved as she was tying up her garment which had got loose (or was cast aside by the wind)."
. "Here when dealing with the delights of love between the wedded pair of siva and Pārvati, Kālidāsa describes that Lord Siva, who is universally venerated, is captivated by the sight of the series of nail-marks (implanted by him during love's dalliance on the previous night). Such a description might be proper in the case of ordinary (mortal) men and women but certainly not in the case of Siva and Parvati who are revered as parents of the whole world. It is therefore improper on the part of the poet to describe the amours of Siva and Pārvati the way he has done: because of such description the whole 'prabandha' (canto) has become highly improperobscene.
5. Kavyaprakāsı VII (p 443, Jhalakikar's edition) 6. Kumārasambhava VIII-87 7. Aucityavicāra-carca