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Saxman Sam Sma Semana Sromuna Sram Srung Sranang Semain Spania Saunara Sraman: baina Dutakavya sraman Semana Samana Samana Samana Sramung
Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh*
Dūtakāvya or Sandeśakāvya is a popular genre of lyric poetry. Messenger poems, as they may be called, occupy an important position in Sanskrit literature. Dūtakāvyas are very significant on account of their high poetic conception and abundance of exquisite fine poetry. Mostly, these depict the pathetic state of the pangs of separation suffered by lovers. The topographical information furnished by them ads importance to them. Depicting inanimate but moving
jects or irrational creatures as carrying a message constitutes the distinct feature of Dutakāvyas in general. Meghadūta of Kālidāsa is its first representative in literary form. But it is not definite to which work or works; Kālidāsa was accountable for this peculiar and at the same time poetic conception. However, rather identical concepts are traceable in works positively dated prior to Kālidāsa. Rgveda (10.108) refers to Saramā, a dog, sent as a messenger to the Paņis. The two great epics Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata represent irrational beasts as performing the duties of messengers. The former mentions the sending of message by Rama to Sītā through Hanumāna while the latter that by Yudhisthira to Kauravas through Krsna and by Nala to Damayanti through the swan. The idea of Rama's message is considered as the source of inspiration for Kālidāsa. Besides, the scholars opined that even outside India prior to Kālidāsa era, there were works closely similar to the form and ideas of the Dūtakāvyas. The Kāmavilāpajātaka describes the sending of a crow as messenger by a man in danger to his wife. The Chinese man of letter, Hsū Kan (196-221 AD) who translated the Prajñā mūlaśästrațūkā of Nāgārjuna, refers to the request by a lady to carry a message to her lord. Probably, these works influenced the Great poet i.e. Kālidāsa. May be the idea
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Senior Lecturer, Parshwanatha Vidyapeetha, Varanasi.
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