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Classification of Poetry
809 Namisādhu suggests that someone may argue that well, all this (= crossing of kula-parvatas or sapta-dvīpā-avani etc.) is said to have taken place with reference to Bharata, Hanumat etc., and so, as in case of these, so also in case of any other also this can be narrated and what harm is there ? - To this, Rudrata XVI. 38 says :
"ye’pi langhitavanto bharataprāyā kulācalā’mbunidhin, teşām surā"di-mukhyaiḥ
sangādāsan vimānāni.” That Bharata and the rest (i.e. Hanumān etc.) crossed the kula-mountains and oceans by themselves was a feat carried out by them as they had vimānas or heavenly cars or air-crafts or divine vehicles due to their company of the principal deities going with them. Namisādhu explains that by 'ādi' in 'surā”dimukhyaiḥ', is meant : “siddha-vidyādhara-kinnara-gandharvā"di-samgrahah."Rudrața thus seems to be a critic given to a rationalistic approach like Bhāmaha, a rare intellectual not to toterate all non-sense painted by poets. Here we have an opportunity to probe in the mind of Rudrata who seems to be bold enough even to refuse the legend of a Hanuman crossing an ocean by a physical jump and seems to suggest a rational explanation of even a Hanuman accomplishing his superhuman feat with the help of some sort of an air-craft or a vehicle. That could travel through air made available to him through some scientist, here called a divine agency.
Namisādhu further raises a possible objection such as : (pp. 436, ibid, Rudrata, XVI. 39) “nanu ca sattya-cittā”di-hīnarvan manusyānām katham sura”dibhih saha sango’pi ity āha - i.e. “The objector may argue that a normal human being is not gifted with a conscience full of sattva i.e. pure quality and in its absence how can he have contact with any divine agency ?" To this the answer is (Rudrata - XVI. 39)
śaktiś ca na jātv eşām a-surā”di-vadhe’dhikā, surā”dibhyah, āsīt te hi sahāyā
nīyante sma amaraiḥ samiti." The answer is, true, these individuals (who have superhuman feats to their credit) did not have power great enough to kill the demons, but they were helped by divine agencies and were led in the battles virtually by the immortals."
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