Sambodhi 1978 Vol 07

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

Page 82

Vijay Pandya
Bhusaņa has taken every case not to have any discrepancy even of a minor nature in the plot and to present the work as an organic whole. The Pūrvabhāga and the Uttarabhāga are nowhere at variance. At times Bhüşaņa very subtly and artistically unfolded the plot in complete consolance with the earlier portion written by Bāņa. At the first meeting beetween Chandrāpida and Kadambari Bana has mentioned a trifle episode of Parihāsa a parrot and Kālindi a starling.16 Now in the Uttarabhāga Kādambari while lamenting over the death of Chandrāpīda mentions among many other things these .porrot starling16 which even if forgotten would not amount to any zerious omission. When Kapiñjala who has now been transformed from Indrāyudha relates his own tale he mentions the God Moon as saying that Mahāśveta has been born of Gauri of the moon-ray-famil Apsaras.
वत्सा तु महाश्वेता मन्मयखसंभवादप्सरसः कुलाल्लब्धजन्मनि गौर्यामुत्पन्ना । This has an allusion to the birth-story of the fourteen families of Apsaras narrated in the Pūrvabhāg'. In the Uttarabhāga Candrāpida after listening to the tale of Kādambari in his separation reminisces the entire episode. He recounts the following incidents in order (i) his following Kinnara-pair (ii) his signting the lake Acchoda (iii) his hearing the song (iv) his meeting Mahāśvetā (v) Taralikā's advent (vi) his accompanying Mahāśvetā to the mountain Hemaküta (vii) his meeting Kādambari 'and falling in love with her.18 In every detail, this recounting is in perfect harmony with the earlier story where the incidents took place with the same order and details. 19
Let us now examine the time-element in the plot-construction. The authors have at times very skillfully suspended time in the story. As Mahāś. veta does not age time also stands still. It's all very delightful. In one part of the world the two characters Puņdarika and Mahāśvetā are being tossed by the storm of love. In another part of the world there are a king by the name Tārāpida and his queen Vilasavati. The royal couple has to be progeny-less for a long time in order to allow Puņdarīka and Mahāśveta to grow up and fall in love with each other. Ultimately Puņdarīka dies after having cursed and got cursed by the moon. Now it is time for Vilāsavati and. Manoramā the wife of Sukanāsa a minister of Tārāpida to conceive and give birth to Candrāpida and Vaišampāyana respectively. Both grow up. Meanwhile in the Gandharva region on the bank of the Acchoda lake Mahāsveta is performing rigorous austerities and along with her, her friend Kādambari also waits for the advent of Chandrāpīda. The hero comes and feels attracted to the heroine and both in love with each other. First it was the turn of Vaisampāyana to die and to be turned into a parrot and then Chandrāpida too dies on account of the grief of his friend's sad and