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Appendix III 1Source of Sarvasena's Harivijaya
Sarvasena's Harivijaya is almost certainly based on Vişnupurāņa or Bhāgavata-Purāna. These two purānas treat of the episode of Pārijātaharaṇa. The account as given in these two purāṇas is practially the same :
Mounting Garuda and taking Satyabhāmā with him, Hari goes to Heaven with the express purpose of returning to Aditi her ear-rings which he has retrieved from the demon Naraka. On beholding Aditi, Hari pays his respects her and presents her own ear-rings to her. She is pleased. Indra then respectfully salutes Hari, and shows him and Satyabhāmā the whole of his Nandana garden, where Satyabhāmā feels fascinated by the divine and delicate Pārijāta tree and demands that Hari to prove his love for her should take it to her own (palace-) garden on earth. Now, Sacī, Indra's wife is particularly fond of this tree and Indra is most unwilling to part with it. Satyabhāmā, who bears a grudge against Sacī who, inflated with pride of her husband, has not welcomed her to her dwelling with respectful presents, urges Hari to carry off by force the divine tree. Sacī too appeals to her husband - Indra - and arouses him to even fight over it. In the violent battle which ensues Indra loses and proposes to Hari – “Let this Pārijāta tree be transferred to Dvārakā and let it remain upon earth as long as you (Hari) abide in the world of mortals.” Hari agrees and returns to earth. Alighting from Garuda he proceeds with Satyabhāmā to her (palace-) garden and there plants that divine tree.
Sarvasena, however, does not slavishly repeat this account. He introduces a new motif for Hari's carrying off the divine Pārijāta tree - the motif of appeasing the anger of his beloved spouse Satyabhāmā who has strongly resented Hari's bestowing of the divine Pārijāta blossom to Rukmini, her rival in love. He centres the entire story round the rivalry of the two wives of Hari. This human element that he has introduced in his version has not only earned him the praise of Anandavardhana and Abhinavagupta, but also of every succeeding generation of audiences and readers. This change in the emphasis is poetically effective, humanly appealing and emotionally rich.
1) Vide Introduction : Sarvasena's Harivijaya (pp. 17-20.)
