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Supreme Theme : Srngåra or Love
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urge. Kālidāsa shows the intensity and the intoxication of love. But let it be remembered that nowhere does he preach or support an excessive indulgence of love. A child is the fruit of the love of the parents; the child divides the love of the father and mother, and yet enhances it, intensifies it.74 A child is the fulfilment of family life. Kalidasa seems to suggest that the physical attachment of man and woman must necessarily pave the way for the love for a child. And a poised, balanced enjoyment of life is the foundation of his life's philosophy. Naturally, youth, its demands and pleasur's have a legitimate place in human life. Lord SriKrsna, describing His divine manifestations in the Gita, states that He is Kāma among the creatures that is un pposed to religious piety', as 'Kandarpa (God of love), the l'ocreator'.75 Kälidāsa's philosophy of love is raised on this faith and foundation of the Gitā.
Kālidāsa painted a pupil like Kautsa, completely devoted to his preceptor and desiring nothing for himself; and sarngarava who had the courage and fuarlessness to tell a sovereign emperor to his face what he thought of him and his actions; the poet drew the picture of domestic life with its accent on the love of husband and wife and their love for their child in deep colours; and with the same intensity he presented the picture of ascetics, devoted to their penance and defying heavenly pleasures and enjoyments. He offered a sincere prayer himself for his own salvation, but when the moment of life's fulfilment had arrived for him. A full enjoyment, in accordance with the principles of religion, of all the stages of life and a joyful, happy outlook on life, that is the form and the keynote of Kālidāsa's literature,
In this attitude there is no denial of life in spite of its shortcomings and sorrows; there is neither rejection por condemnation of the impulses of life like love. What Kālidāra stands for is a poised and full enjoyment of life and what it offers to man. The philosophers who reject the experiences of material life may be able to build a system of higher spiritual values. But it is only an artist who accepts with open arms and a smile what little joys life can offer who can create art; and he alone can let higher values blossom through it.
The literature and art of Kālidāsa hold out this promise for us.
NOTES
1 cr. anahitaifafati tagesfaga
शिक्षासमयेऽपि मुदे रतलीला-कालिदासोक्ती ।। Govardhanācārya, Aryāsaprasatz, introductory v. 36. and,
एकोऽपि जीयते हन्त कालिदासो न केनचित् ।
शङगारे ललितोगारे कालिदासत्रयी किमु ॥ Rājśckhara, quoted in Suktimuktavali.
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