________________
18
from Kṛṣṇa and reminded of their past pleasures, the author shows a good deal of restraint; the devotion towards Kṛṣṇa developed in this poem certainly indicates an advanced age and a mature mind; the number of long metres is very great and they are ably composed; and lastly the flow of expression shows the author's confident genius capable of using many an embellishment of sound and sense with much ease. In the light of the above considerations I would suggest that Usāṇiruddham is composed earlier in life and Kamsavaho at an advanced age (in case both of them are written by the same author). I am fully aware of the limitations of a subjective approach like this, so I cannot be dogmatic on this point. 4. SUMMARY OF THE CONTENTS
USANIRUDDHA
By way of opening Mangala the author solicits Ganesa for his favour, requests Sarasvati to flash in his mind and offers salutations to Iśvara-Parvati, Narasimha and the Teacher in poetic language (i.1-5). The contents are important and not the words: so the learned are not particular about the language, Sanskrit or Prakrit. The author feels that great men would not feel any jealousy towards him who is of moderate intelligence the lions respond to the thundering of clouds and not to the croaking of frogs. This poem is being composed to glorify Vasudeva (1.6-8). KrsnaVasudeva was born in the family of Yadus; and like darkness by the sun, Pralamba, Keśin and other Daityas were destroyed by him. Kamsa was a thorn to the earth: Kṛṣṇa rooted him out and healed the wound by the medicine of religious preachings. To forget the separation of Vaikuntha he built a golden palace in the ocean. His spouse was Rukmini who was the very bow of the god of love. Like a mango-sprout in the
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
