Appointment with Kalidasa

Author(s): G K Bhatt
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 22

Period of Life and Literary Activity
16 Cf Mandasor Inscription :
मालवानां गणस्थित्या याते शतचतुष्टये ।
विनवत्यधिकेऽब्दानामृतौ सेव्यधनस्वने ॥ Vatsabhatti's. 17 See Baladeva Upadhyaya, Sanskrit Sahitya-ka Itihasa (Hindi), pp. 157-158. 18 Alluded to by Nandargikar, Raghuvansa (ed.), Introduction, p. 47; Karmarkar, Kalidasa
pp. 6-7. 19 Prof. Karamarkar is of the opinion that Aivaghosa uses in his epic Saundarananda (I. 26, I. 36) two allusions to Sakuntala :
कण्वः शाकुन्तलस्येव भरतस्य तरस्विनः । वाल्मीकिरिव धीमांश्च धीमतोमथिलेययोः ॥ 1. 26 जिज्ञासमाना नागेषु कौशलं श्वापदेषु च ।
अनुचक्रुर्वनस्थस्य दोध्यन्तेर्देवकर्मणः ॥ I. 36 This shows that Asvaghosa knew Sakuntala; and since the allusion comes by way of a standard of comparison (upamāna) he must have regarded it as an ideal work worth referring
to. See, Kalidisa, pp. 9-11.. 20 Mirashi. Kalidasa, op. cit., p. 40. 21 Cf, Mālavikāgnimitra, V. 20 cd :
आशास्यमीतिविगमप्रभृति प्रजानां
संपत्स्यते न खलु गोप्तरि नाग्निमित्रे॥ 22 Ray, Sakuntala, ed. Introduction, p. 9. 23 For example : the forms of Ām Perfect with the inflexion separated from the verb-element,
'तं पातयां प्रथममास,' 'प्रभ्रंशयां यो नहुषं चकार'; the grammatical construction with a noun and adjective with yat-ending termination which do not agree in gender. 'शक्यमालिङ्गितुं पवनः ।'; Kalidasa is fond of the word 'pelava'; but Vamana (8th cent. A.D.) points out that it has an obscene sense. For the examples and other linguistic discussion see Ray.
Sakuntala, ed., Introduction. 24 See. C. Sivaramanarti. Sanskrit Literature and Art -Mirrors of Indian Culture, Memoirs
of the Archaeological Survey of India. No. 73; first ed. 1954; Reprint, Lakshmi Book Store, Janapath, New Delhi; 1972. The following examples and quotations are taken from
this work. 25 Cr. Uttara-Megha, I?d: एकः सूते सकलमबलामण्डनं कल्पवृक्षः ।
See also v. 2. for the use of flowers as decorations. 26 Cf. Sākuntala, 1V. 5; particularly, the second half :
अन्येभ्यो वनदेवताकरतलरापर्वभागोत्थितैः ।
दत्तान्याभरणानि नः किसलयोदमेदप्रतिद्वन्द्विभिः ॥ 27 Cr. Raghuvansa, VIII. 7:
सदयं बुभुजे महाभुजः सहसोद्वेगमियं व्रजेदिति ।
अचिरोपनतां स मेदिनी नवपाणिग्रहणां वधूमिव ।। 28 Uttara-Megha. v.?.