Tilakamanjari

Author(s): Dhanpal, Sudarshankumar Sharma
Publisher: Parimal Publications

Page 47

DHANAPĀLA AS A PROSE WRITER
33
This much practically is the main plot of the whole romance which revolves round the adventurous exploits of Harivāhana and Samaraketu who during their sojourns are led away from their proper abodes, the army encampments, one by an elephant, the other by the responsibility he owned for the security of the life of his friend turned into a brother; their encounters with maidens, their love at first sight, their separation from their beloved seeking search for their lovers, the stories of the previous births of Tilakamañjarī and Malayasundarī who were Priyangusundari and Priyamvadā involved in love intrigues, who lost their lovers, Jvalanaprabha and Sumālt in separation like Mahāśvestā of Bāņa's Kādambarī and happened to take birth again to find Harivāhana and Samaraketu to woo them in their present birth, the ultimate reunion of the two couples forming the finale of the whole romance.
The motif of the elephant carrying Harivāhana deep into the lake Adrst apāra, the subsequent conversion of Gandharavaka into a parrot by the vile deed of Mahodara, the favourite attendant of Srī, the personal account of the parrot as narrated before Harivāhana, Harivāhana's first meeting with Tilakamañjarī and his subsequent meeting with Malayasundarī residing in the hermitages of Kulapati after she had been sent there by parents who remorseful over triplefold attempt of their daughter at self-immolation once by tightening a noose over her neck, a second time by taking the poisonous fluid of the Kimpāka fruit and third time by plunging into the Adrstapārarescued in time by Bandhusundarī and Samaraketu, Tarangalekhā and the wet billet of Samaraketu, Harivāhana's return to his camp and disgust on not finding out Samaraketu who had gone out to find out Harivāhana, his meeting with Tilakamañjarī and Malayasundarī, the latter sending him back to trace out Samaraketu, his encounter with Anangarati who being persuaded by a princess, his acquisition of the charm from Anangarati at the instance of Sākyabuddhi, the Buddhisaciva' of Vikramabāhu, the king of Gaganavallabha on the Vijayārdha mountain, who made Harivāhana the king of Vidyādharas, the appearance of Śrī along with Mahodara assuring his reunion with Samaraketu, Tilakamañjarī and Malayasundarī who were none but Priyangusundarī and Priyamvadā the consorts of Jvalanaprabha and Sumālī, knowing their true identities through a presentation of Candrātapa necklace to Tilakamañjarī and the ring Bālāruņa to Malayasundari by Harivāhana, inherited by his father Meghavāhana through austerities, through Gandharvaka; donning of the divine scarf 'Niśītha' as given by Citralekhā to Harivāhana and the subsequent regainment of the original form by Gandharvaka ere his handing over the ornaments to the two beloved's, the subsequent approval of Vicitravīrya and Ramā to celebrate the marriage ritual of Samaraketu and Malayasundarī through