Jain Journal 1985 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 29

A Versified Jaina Epitome of Kadambari
SATYAVRAT
Because of its exquisitive theme, which in its sweep, spans three successive births, majestic, though somewhat cumbersome style, and serene language marked by telling precision, combined with a deep insight into human psychology, the Kādambaril of Bana has over years, so enthralled its wide readership that in comparison to it all else tended to sink into sterility (bāņocchiştam jagatsarvam). However, while nothing, not even Weber's pungent denunciation thereof can detract from its undoubted excellences and the high place assured thereby, the Kādambari with its ponderous pedantry and stupendous Sastric learning that breathe through it has continued down the ages to pose serious hurdles to even the most mature scholarship in assuredly resolving the intricacies of what after all is classical prose, par excellence. Not only its complexities, its bulk has been equally prohibitive. This is precisely what had prompted the successive generations of writers to slash it to a handy and readable form, shearing it in the process of what in ultimate analysis to mere poetic trappings, intended to project Bana's scholastic attainments. This anxiety to bring Bana's magnum opus within the reach of lay readership, has resulted in the emergence of over a dozen compendiums and/or adaptations of Kādambari, both in prose and verse, of uneven worth. Of these the Kādambari-darpaņa (KD) of Mandana the prolific author-prime minister of Mandu, deserves notice by reason of its manifold virtues. Apart from being the sole abridgement of Kadambarī ever undertaken by a Jaina writer, it is distinguished by its lucid medium and close pursuance of the original.
Written in diference to the wishes of the author's patron (I. 16-17) the Kadambari-darpaņa embarks upon the frustrating task of pruning Bana's work, down to a size that may reflect its summum bonum, without in any way infringing upon the grace and essentials of the story and requirements of an epitome. A gifted writer as he was, Mandanao has
d himself with admirable credit. It is a measure of his poetic equipment that he has summed up the whole of Kādambari within the body of mere 574 anuştubh verses imaginatively arranged in four rounded sections (adhyāyas).
1 M. R. Kale (ed), Kadambari with auto-commentary Balabodhini, Delhi, 1968. 2 The New Catalogus Catalogorum, Madras University, Vol. III, p. 388. • Mandanagranthasamgraha, Sri Hemcandra Granthavali, Nos. VII-XI, 1918. . For an account of Mandana's life and works see my forthcoming book Jaina
Samskrta Mahakavya.