Sambodhi 1978 Vol 07

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 81

Plot-construction of the Kadambari
in the narrative itself of knowing whether Baṇa wanted to develop it with all its later bewildering turn and confusion of curses and changing personalities or reborn heroes." A charge of hurried treatment of the remainder of the plot has been levelled against Bhusana. Whether "the different lines of the story are made to converge far more rapidly than Baṇa would have done." is a moot point and difficult to decide either way on account of its being highly hypothetical. But this much can be said with certainty that Bhusana has unfolded the plot as Bāņa would have done it. The Uttarabhaga is a natural outcome of the Parvabhäga. In view of what is preceded in the Parvabhaga the denoument is quite logical and inevitable, Bhüşana seems to be aware of this when he says.
बीजानि गर्मितफलानि विकाशभाजि वप्त्रेव यान्युचितकर्मबलात्कृतानि । उत्कृष्टभूमिविततानि च यान्ति पुष्टि तान्येव तस्य तनयेन तु संहृतानि ॥ "
79
So the son brought the story to a conclusion which his father had intended. The Uttarabhäga is a natural culmination of the Purvabhaga. Bana intended Sadraka who appears to be an outsider in the story to be the hero Candrapida. Bana has thrown a hint about it, Südraka, as noted earlier, is shown to be averse to the feminine lures not just for the sake of characterisation but he is Candrapida with love lurking in his bosom for Kadambari all the time. This is so artistically achieved that it is not even easily noticeable. Similarly the parrot also should be a character in the story and who else can that be except the companion of the hero ? Had not that been the denoument it would have been a serious flaw in the plot-construction for having introduced redundant characters and episodes not germane to the plot. Kadambari and Mahāśveta are there on the bank of the Acchhoda lake waiting for their lovers and so who else the Candalakanya introduced in the beginning can be except the doting and affectionable mother Laksmi of Pundarika who was in need of such motherly care. From the foregoing analysis it should be quite clear that Bhüşana has unrevelled the plot and brought a denoument of the story as intended by Bana. Successful execution of the plot depends also largely upon the arrangement of various incidents and descriptions, Various episodes and descriptions have been very judiciously arranged avoiding the tiring-repetitions and providing the contrast which enlivens story-telling. In the beginning of the story the anothor en passant mentions the city of Vidiśa and does not pause, here to describe it in details as he is very shortly to describe the city of Ujjayini elaborately. Similarly pompous and luxrious court-life is contrasted with serene life of the birds of the forest and the hermitage of Jābāli. The whole atmosphere of the Kadambart is shrouded with nebulous mystery which arouses and sustains curiosity of the reader impelling him to made through the much maligned long descriptions,