Book Title: Madanrekha Akhyayika
Author(s): Jinbhadrasuri, Bechardas Doshi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

View full book text
Previous | Next

Page 67
________________ 58 popular perhaps as a reflection on the then prevelent situation of moral degradation among the Buddhist monachical orders. The poet has represented Parivrăjikā as an embodiment of the Carvaka Vidyā, the manifold manifestation of the evils of decay, and the repositary of all the vices of all the senses.58 The philosophy of free love has been propounded in a nutshell by Parivräjika in her consolatory benediction to the king on acceptance of the task entrusted to her by him. Her able advocacy of the desirability of enjoying all possible worldly pleasures here and now easily reminds us of the parallel advocacy by Vihārabhadra in refutation of Kautilya in the Daśakumāracaritam of Dandin, 64 and presents her as a worthy messenger fully harmonious to equally character. less king whom she represents as a messenger. Incidentally, her advocacy of free love does reveal her abilities as a scholasic debator, At the same time she has something of a conscience left in her which makes her appreciate to herself the strength of character in Madanarekha as revealed in the latter's thorough refutation of the former's arguments on free love. 65 Even then, as a sincere messenger she again reinforces her arguments by roping in the instances of sensuality on the part of such highplaced mythological divinities like Śiva, Prajāpati and Indra, justifies the voluptuosity on the part of the rulers as their birth-right, dutifully delivers the king's message in skillfully disguised words and resorting to subtle psychological approach alternately entreats her in the words suggesting a threat, commonsense course, rare opportunity worthy to be exploited forthwith, and a praise of her personal beauty.66 (d) Candrayaśas and Nami : The characters of Candrayaśas and Nami have been slightly developed in contrast due to their confrontion consequent to the capture of the latter's royal elephant by the former. Candrayaśas is here presented in better colours as a dignified ruler, a dutiful son, and an elder brother ready to sacrifice his pride in deference to the wishes of her mother and affection for a younger brother. In contrast, however, Nami is shown to be a man given to sense plea.. sures with his crowd of one thousand and eight wives, his irrationally haughty and boastfully proud nature, his distrust of the words of a pious 53. Op. cit., p. 51(17ff.) 54. DKC, VIII, pp. 255-265. 55. MRA, P. 56(17ff.) 56. Op. cit., p. 59(3ff.). Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304