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poetry is to produce in the minds of readers, unconsciously, the tendency to follow good and shun wickedness." Even though the main sentiment (T) of the poem is love (mt), our poet by his clever characterization, achieves this aim very successfully, for by the end of the poem a state of mind inclined to virtue predominates.
(5) Sentiments.-Mr. Tanasukharam notes:-"Man's nature is intellectual and emotional. Intellect finds its scope in philosophy, and emotion in poetry. Of these that of love () is the chief as it is universal. Knowledge and devotion ( and f) are the other phases of love, in as much as love is their bases but the object different. It is thus that conduces to fin some systems of God-worship." By this we do not claim that the शृंगार of this poem will directly lead one to ज्ञान and भक्ति, but indirectly it will pave the way towards them, by showing the reader the vile ways of the rogues. Some notable places in the poem where poetical sentiments are well described are as follows:In the narrative of Hâralatâ, the erotic, the pathetic, and the quietistic sentiments are prominently introduced. In the narrative of Manjari the erotic, the marvellous and the terrific are introduced. There are many passages in the poem which manifest one or the other poetical sentiment or emotion, but it is not possible to notice them here in detail for want of space. The passages noticed by me above are, I think, sufficient to convince the reader of the poetical genius of Damodar Gupta, and the high merits of the poem.
(6) Some Specimens.-Below I give a translation of some of the very beautiful verses, but as the poem throughout contains striking original ideas, and descriptions of human nature as manifested in its different phases, both set in highly poetical language, decorated with various figures of speech and allusions to many Shastias and Puranas, I am afraid my translation will fail to do justice to the original.
Verse 1.-"May the Mind-Born be victorious, who is like the bee kissing the mouth-lotus of Rati, and who resides in the side-glances of women in love."
Here by the expression "Mind-Born" the poet suggests that love springs up and exists only in the mind. The comparison
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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