Srngaramanjari Katha

Author(s): Bhojdev, Kalpalata K Munshi
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 54

A CRITICAL APPRECIATION OF THE SMK
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subject. Its aim is only to entertain and thereby convey a moral,
if any.
SMK, therefore, in its formal makeup can be described as a Katha in Sanskrit prose having some peculiarities of the Akhyāyikā form of composition. Literary Parallels
As a kathā SMK is an important addition to the Sanskrit prose literature. For the number of prose compositions in Sanskrit literature, both extant and known by references, is very small.
The plan of the SMK conforms to the traditional method of story-telling in which, within a frame-tale are emboxed a number of stories having their own morals to convey. Yet the present work has its own unique purpose to serve.
The works which most invite comparison with the SMK are Dāmodaragupta's Kuttanīmata and Kşemendra's samayamātrkā. All these three works have a similar basic form, though they differ in structure and treatment of the subjects. The three works start with the bawd or the procuress giving counsel to the fair courtesan. In the Kuttanimata Malati goes to Vikarālā and in the Samayamatrkā Kalāvatï approaches Jaracchikhā, The three bawds are described in identical terms as hideous in physical form, cruel in mind and unscrupulous in their dealings. The instructions follow the same pattern of thought, that to win over men the courtesan should know the art of conquering their hearts. 17 Illustrations naturally play an important part in these works, but while they lie, scattered few and far between in the other texts, SMK is nothing but a collection of illustrative stories. Another difference is that the other two works are in verse while the SMK is in prose. In the matter of treatment there is a vast difference between this work and the other two. For even with its above mentioned purpose and some of the technicalities that it involves, SMK remains an interesting piece of pure literature. The major interest lies in the narration of the 17. Cf. the introductory words of the three works---
Kuttanimata, Vs. 23:
यौवनसौन्दर्यमदं दुरेणापास्य वारवनिताभिः ।
यत्नेन वेदितव्याः कामुकहृदयार्जनोपायाः ।। Samayamätrkā, V. 1, 3:
अथ मन्मथमत्तानां करिणामिव कामिनाम । बन्धाय बन्धकी शिक्षामाचचक्षे जरच्छिखा ।। पूर्व भावपरीक्षव कार्या यत्नेन कामिनाम् ।
ज्ञातरागविभागानां कर्तव्यौ त्यागसंग्रहौ। SMK:
तत्र रागोऽपि तावत् प्रथममाकलनीयः। अनाकलितरागे हि प्रयुज्यमानं वैशिकTeru fatalnafri afer Tea uhri qara 44 Hafari (p. 23).