Sambodhi 2018 Vol 41

Author(s): J B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 30

Vol. XLI, 2018
Kathākautukam : Sanskrit rendering of Persian Yusuf-Zulaykha of Jami
21
births by the power of penance - GT HATE talfo faenre faferatiu: 1187–8811 In the framework of Abrahmic religions it is impossible to think of a single previous birth. Language and Stylistics
The single edition the KK (that of Sharma and Parab) is so crude and badly edited that not much can be said about the stylistics of Śrīvara. The editor informs that this edition was based on single available manuscript and that too was extremely defective (Sharma and Parab: Introduction, p.3).
KK is not an insipid verbatim translation of YZ, but an abridged poetic rendering in Sanskrit poetic style. Śrīvara's excellent poetic craft is everywhere visible in the text. He has accepted all the traditional figures of speech of the ornate style of Sanskrit poetry which makes a sanskritist feel at home. For instance, translating the following line of the YZ, Śrīvara utilises the competence of Sanskrit language in a way that makes his verse more valuable than the original itself bilī dārī ze gouhar ganj bar ganj – ze ganj e dil zabān rā kun guhar-sanj -
तुलयन्वाक्यरत्नानि हृत्कोशान्मम भारतीम् । भवद्भक्तितुला देहे सुकर्णाान्विता भवेत् ॥ (शिवदत्त एवं परब १९०१: १/९)
One can easily find various types of traditional figures of speech in the text such as- Ullekha (1/26-28), Anupr'sa (2/9), Utpreksā (2/13), Ślesa (2/ 22), Rūpaka (8/52), Yamaka (8/80) successfully applied, which prove Śrīvara an excellent poet of Sanskrit.
One of the techniques used to endear his work to the Sanskrit audience is the use of phrases of the predecessors. No poet can give up his predecessors' impressions. In the KK too, we can see impressions of Kālidāsa and Bāņa etc
अवाची दिशमाश्रित्य दिनेशोऽपि हतप्रभः ।
GIGIT per fafstat al doilarat Tera: II KK-1/26 11 The verse reminds us of Kalidasa's description of Raghu in 49th verse of 4th canto of the epic Raghuvamsa
दिशि मन्दायते तेजो दक्षिणस्यां रवेरपि। तस्यामेव रघोः पाण्ड्याः प्रतापं न वेषेहिरे ॥
Another example is as follows -