Aapta Mimansa

Author(s): Saratchandra Ghoshal
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 28

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ĀPTA-MIMĀMSĀ
you?' The Lord might have replied: 'My son! as others praise me understaning my greatness through advent of devas etc., why do you not adopt the same policy?' In reply Samantabhadra urges in this verse that 'Such things can be shown even by magicians deceiving our senses. So these cannot be the reasons for which you are the greatest of the great for us.1
The practices of magicians showing heavenly beings are mentioned in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist works of ancient India. In Act IV of Ratnāvali, a Drama by Sriharşa, a magician flourishing a fan of peacock feather, tells the king, “I shall show the gods like Hari, Hara, Brahmā etc. and the wives of siddhas, chārañas and suras dancing in the sky."2
Then he shows his feats. All present look up with wonder. The king, leaving his throne, exclaims, “Wonder, wonder. See, queen! this is Brahma on the lotus. This is Sankara adorned on the forehead by the crescent of the moon. This is Visnu, the killer of the Demons, bearing a bow, a sword, a mace and a discus in his hands. This is Indra, on the elephant, Airāvata. The other Gods are (also) here. The celestial nymphs are dancing in the sky with anklets ringing on their moving feet."3
In the Prakrit drama, Karpūra-mañjari of Rāja-sekhara, Bhairavānanda tells the king, “I shall show the moon 1. “श्रीसमन्तभद्राचार्यः सर्वज्ञ प्रत्यक्षीकृत्यैवमाचष्टे, हे भट्टारक, संस्तवो नाम
माहात्मस्याधिक्यकथनम्। त्वदीयं च माहात्म्यमतीन्द्रियं मम प्रत्यक्षगोचरम। अतः कथं मया स्तूयसे? अत आह भगवान्, ननु भो वत्स, यथाऽन्ये देवागमादिहेतोर्मम माहात्म्यवबुध्य स्तवं कुर्वन्ति तथा त्वं किमिति न कुरुषे? अत आह अस्माद्धेतोर्न महान् भवान् मां
प्रति, व्यभिचारित्वादस्य हेतोः, इति व्यभिचारं दर्शयति।" Vasunandi. 2. "ऐन्द्रजालिकः। (पिच्छिका भ्रमयन)
हरिहरब्रह्मणमुहं देवं दंसेमि देवराअं च।
गगणे वि सिद्धचारणसुरवहुसत्थं च णच्चंतं ॥" Ratnāvali, Act IV. 3. “सर्वे सविस्मयं पश्यन्ति। राजा (ऊर्ध्वं दृष्ट्वा आसनादवतरन्) : आश्चर्यम्, आश्चर्यम् ।
देवि, पश्य, एष ब्रह्मा सरोजे रजनिकरकलाशेखरः शंकरोऽयं दोभिदैत्यान्तकोऽसौ सधनुरसिगदाचक्रचिह्न॑श्चतुर्भिः । एषोऽप्यरावतस्थस्त्रिदशपतिरमी देवि देवास्तथान्ये . नृत्यन्ति व्योम्नि चैताश्चलचरणरणन्नूपुरा दिव्यनार्यः ॥” Ratnāvali, Act IV.