Indological Studies

Author(s): H C Bhayani
Publisher: Parshva Prakashan

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Literary and Performing Arts
composed in metres like Utsāha, Helā, Vadanaka, Aạilā etc. are known as Utsāha-dhavala, Helā-dhavala etc. KD. following Chk. adds Rāsāyalaya-dhavala and Dohaka-dhavala to the list.
Of the six Dhavalas composed by Hemacandra as illustrations, only two, viz. V 35. 1 and V 36. 1 are Dhavalānyoktis--i.e. their mode of description is to praise a servant of unflinching devotion to his master and of indomitable spirit, under the guise of a strong white bull, who successfully pulls a huge load over a difficult track. The rest of the illustrations describe the great fame, glory and favour of a king. The Dhavala illustration at KD. II. 32.1 describes the fame of Yaśoghosa-sūri. This suggests that besides being in the form of a Dhavalānyokti, a Dhavala can be straightaway a panegyric for some eminent person.
To sum up the information we get from the Prakrit prosodists ; Dhavala was a short one-stanza poem. Its language was usu Apabhraíśa, but earlier Prakrit Dhavalas were also known. It was eight-lined, six-lined or four-lined. These typical (and probably earlier) Dhavalas had specific, exactly defined Mātrā structures prescribed for each of the three types. But there were other kinds of Dhavalas for which various popular Mātrā metres were used. This rules out the use of some specific metre or metres as a defining characteristic of Dhavala. The name and the definitions based thereon point to a thematic criterion : Dhavalas praise some great person under the guise of a white bull of good breed. This means that characteristically, Dhavalas are Anyoktis. But the prosodists have given such illustrations of Dhavalas also which praise a person without using the symbol of a white bull. The numerous and varied Dhavalas written by Sātavāhana were famous as models.
3. Dhavalas in the Prakrit-Apabhramśa poetic tradition.
In several Prakrit and Apabhramśa texts we come across a few actual examples of the Dhavala.
In the tale of Sthāņu and Māyāditya illustrating the evil consequences of practising deceit (māyā), inserted in Uddyotana's