Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 1

Author(s): Nathmal Tatia
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 196

PRAKRIT ILLUSTRATIONS IN WORKS ON POETICS 185 sort of garment provided by the red nail-scars upon his body given by his new love in amorous sports :
प्रोल्लोल्ल करअर अक्वएहिं तुह लोअणेसु मह दिण्णं ।
रत्तंसुमो पसाओ कोवेण पुणो इमे रण प्रवक्कमिश्रा ॥1 A lady though slender bodied yet allows herself to be emaciated further to find accommodation in the crowded corridor of her lover's heart :
महिला सहस्स भरिए तुह हिपए सुहन सा अमाअन्ती।
अणुदिण मणण्णकम्मा अंगं तणुग्रं वि तणुएइ ।' There are others which excel in a child-like simplicity as the following:
ए एहि दाव सुन्दरि कण्णं दाऊण सुणसु वणिज्ज ।
तुज्झ मुहेण किसोपरि चन्दो उवमिज्जइ जणेण ॥" It seems to be an improvement upon the following similar one :
एमेन जणो तिस्सा देउ कवोलोवमाई ससिबिम्बं ।
परमत्थ विपारे उरण चन्दो चन्दो विन वरात्रो॥ There are some beautiful verses in praise of poetry and the following tops the list :
ण अ ताण घडइ प्रोही रण अ ते दीसन्ति कहवि पुणरूत्ता।
जे बिम्भमा पिनाणं अत्था वा सुकइ वाणीणं ।।। The bulk of these quotations is not, however, free from that one great demerit common in all poetry having close kinship with the
masses, viz. vulgarity. Not to talk of ordinary women Parvati and Lakshmi themselves are described in the inverse posture of copulation. These verses have survived in spite of their vulgarity on account of the ingenuity of the poets' creative imagination that brings in a pleasant surprise. The following one is worth quoting :
विवरीअरए लच्छी बम्हं दटळू णाहि कमलटठं । ___ हरिणो दाहिण णणं रसाउला झत्ति ढक्के इ ॥ Here covering of Hari's right eye implies sunset for Hari's right eye is the sun, which implies closing of Hari's naval lotus and hence disappearance of Brahma seated on it.
A complete lack of moral and spiritual ideas is conspicuous in these quotations. Poetry on the evidence of these lines seems to be the
1. KP.70. 4. Dhy.3.1.
2. KP. 71. 5. Dhv.4-7.
3. KP.554. 6. KP. 137.