Text of Mahavircarita of Bhavbhuti

Author(s): Vijay Pandya
Publisher: Z_Nirgrantha_1_022701.pdf and Nirgrantha_2_022702.pdf and Nirgrantha_3_022703.pdf

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Vijay Pandya
sfurja and its derivatives, prāgbhāra, parisara, ädhmäta, udarka, sarvätisaya and sarvamkasa, kulatantu, ulbaṇa, kimapi etc. may offer us some clues regarding the style. An analysis of the usage of the word kulatantu may be illustrative. Malyavan, an astute politician, explaining his political strategy to Surpanakha says in the IVth act that in the all pervading annihilation at least Vibhiṣaṇa, a kulatantu may live to perpetulate the race ekaḥ sa jivyatkulatantuḥ. Now, in the similar context, the same character Malyavan employs the word kulapratisthätantum in the act VI. Now, this repetition of the word kulatantu cannot be dismissed just on the ground that the writer of the latter portion has cleverly imitated Bhavabhuti. Moreover, this is further strengthened by the use of the same word in the Anargharaghava in the same context as pointed out by Deodhar ärye yatsatyam sanke Vibhisana eva yadyasmākam kulatanturavasiṣyeta.
Nirgrantha
It is Bhavabhuti's wont to describe the profundity of feeling simply by terming it as kimapi indescribable or beyond the words. This has been resorted to in the VIth and VIIth acts as often as three times, namely, kimapi gahano vastumahima (VI 52 d), Kopi acintyänubhavaḥ (VI 53d) and Kopi acintyaprabhāvo (VI 61 c).
In this way such an analysis and scrutiny of words and their usages can go a long way in enabling us to understand the peculiar style of an author. However, sadly enough, this aspect of the problem has not been examined and used in its fulness by the scholars.
This aspect, in point of fact, has received scant attention from the scholars. A sort of willy-nilly attitude seems to be pervading the discussion by Todermall. Todermall, having established the last two acts of the MVC not authentic, proceeds to discuss the style of Bhavabhuti and on many points, he gives illustrations from the portion that is a suspect in his eyes. While discussing a trait in the style of Bhavabhuti of giving a peculiar turn to the verses, according as a new idea strikes the mind of the speaker or a new circumstance happens, out of the four illustrations three are from the portion of dubious authenticity". Throughout this discussion, perplexing attitude is adopted by Todermall which, if it is to be explained, stems either from his ambivalence in respect of the authenticity of the portion under discussion or not attaching much importance to the style factor either way. Harshe, in his French work now translated into English, Observations on the Life and Works of Bhavabhuti, also did not touch the stylistic aspect of this problem though he did prepare an impressive list of words and ideas from VI and VII acts repeated in Bhavabhuti's other works. Deodhar, who very ably argued in favour of the last two acts being genuine, also did not deliberate over this problem
It is a universally agreed proposition that Bhavabhuti is considerably influenced by Kālidāsa. In the acts VI and VII of the MVC also, this influence can be traced. Description of the journey by the aerial car puspaka seems an emulation of the similar description in the XIII canto of the Raghuvamsa. Of course, here one may