________________
602
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAN promising it to pay a dish of milk-gruel as a reward. It is a simple and natural description,
At 94. 54-101 the effect of pathos is most intense. Rama sends Sitā with Kệtāntavadana on a pretence of pilgrimage. She is carried to a dense and frightful forest far away from Ayodhyā and there her escort almost choked with pity breaks to her the most cruel news that by the orders of Rāma he has brought her to leave her behind in the forest. She is instantly shocked because it is a bolt from the blue. She complaints bitterly but the very next moment she revives her patience and sends her message to Rāma to pacify him. She is most calm and collected even in her sorrow. Here is a magnanimous suffering. It burns within but does not fume without. She shines in the white heat of her suffering. Pathos here is controlled. Serenity and sobriety of her character come on the forefront. She does not complain, on the contrary she asks Rāma to forgive her blaming her own fate. Her infinite capacity to bear the sorrow rakes up the sympathy of the readers and thereby intensifies the effect of pathos. The poet has handled the situation with sincerity.
At 62. 1-23 Rāma expresses his deep remorse at the swooning of Lakşmaņa being struck by the Sakti of Rāvana in the battlefield. It is a pathetic spot. He has lost his enthusiasm. He is ready to bid good bye to the war. Now life is no more worth living for him. His heart sinks with the fear of losing his most precious gem which he can never regain.
Another spot of pathos can be traced at 74.12-26 where women raise a hue and cry on the death of Rāvana. It is a conventional stereotyped description. It remains superficial because it fails to touch the deeper chords of our heart.
The description of the women weeping bitterly at the death of Lakşmaņa follows on the same pattern. Words and phrases also have been repeated (110.30-36).
Sentiment of Heroism:— There are frequent displays of enthusiasm in war-messages, counter retorts, marchings of the armies and battle scenes where the sentiment of heroism is brought out. At some places Vīra and Raudra (sentiment of Wrath or Fury) are overlapping as a result of the simultaneous display of the feelings of enthusiasm and anger on the part of the characters.
In the description at 56.21-25 the Raksasa soldiers are depicted to be so actuated upon by super-ego that they would die in the battlefield for the sake of honour. The fire of their enthusiasm would not be quenched by the tears of their wives.
