Mohanatarangini
Mohanatarangini (River of delight) is the first work of
This work, which is the biggest of Kanakadasa's compositions, contains 42 chapters with 2800 verses in the Sangatya metre.
It is believed that Kanakadasa wrote this work when he lost his beloved wife. He seems to recount his personal experiences in fond remembrance of his wife. There is a close relationship between music and Sangatya poems in his work. This is a
Plot
In the prosperous city of
One day, Manmatha, while fleeing from the demon Tarakasura, comes to Shiva who is deep in meditation. Manmatha breaks Shiva's meditation, and this infuriates Shiva who turns him into ashes. A forlorn Rathi (Manmatha's lover) wanders for many years and eventually comes to Shambasura's kingdom and joins the kitchen as a maid.
Meanwhile, Manmatha reincarnates as Rukmini's son Pradyumna. Shambasura, fearing that Pradyumna is destined to kill him, kidnaps the ten-day-old Pradyumna and casts him away into the sea, where he is swallowed by a fish. The fish is later caught by a fisherman who presents it to Shambasura. The fish is taken to the kitchen where Rathi cuts it open to find Pradyumna. Shambasura gives Rathi permission to take care of the boy without realising that the boy is actually Pradyumna. The child grows into a handsome young man and becomes an expert in all arts.
Later, in a fight with Shambasura, Pradyumna emerges victorious and returns to Dwaraka along with Rathi. Rathi then recounts to Pradyumna that he was actually Manmatha in his previous birth. Pradyumna then weds Rathi and a child is born to them, and they name him Aniruddha.
Shombithapura is ruled by Banasura (a demon), a great Shiva devotee and daughter is Ushe. Aniruddha falls in love with Ushe and wishes to marry her, but this results in a war between Krishna and Banasura. In the ensuing battle, Krishna cuts the thousand shoulders of Banasura at which point Shiva intervenes and proclaims to Banasura that He (Hara) and Krishna (Hari) are one and the same. Banasura gives up the fight and Aniruddha marries his daughter Ushe.
Highlights
The work uses a simple Kannada style and describes the romances of the three pairs that appear in the story. The romances of Krishna and his consort Rukmini is treated in first four Sandhis[
The book also contains some historical accounts which has helped scholars in reconstructing chronologies of Kannada literature and history. For instance, in an attempt to enumerate ancient
The descriptions of Dwaravati(Dwaraka) that the work provides are in ways very similar to those of Vijayanagara under Krishnadevaraya as seen in the accounts of Portuguese travelers. The descriptions of market places with colourful stalls and demarcated lanes teeming with craftsmen, clients, merchants; royal garden parties and glorious descriptions of the palace are all reminiscent of Vijayanagara under Krishnadevaraya. A drinking bout of men and women of the working classes is particularly vivid. In some places, it appears as though Kanakadasa has described scenes almost as they happened.[5]
Further, Kanakadasa, in spite of being Hari devotee has not used his work to condemn Shiva. He shows equal respect to both Shiva and Vishnu in this secular work.
See also
- Kanakadasa
- Haridasa
- Dvaita
- Kannada literature
Notes
- ^ Sastri (1955), p359
- ^ Kanakadāsa, and Ke. Bi Taḷagēri. 1989. Dāsaśrēṣṭha Kanakadāsara Rāmadhānya caritre: padya, gadyānuvāda, Kanakadāsara baduku baraha, Rāmadhānya caritreya cintana. Gadaga: Vidyānidhi Prakāśana (Kanakadasa's Ramadhanya Charitre - a translation and analysis) OCLC: 21598584
- ^ Classical treatise on poetics, The Hindu
- ^ "Oral and Semiliterary Epics". Retrieved 13 May 2007.
. In old Indian poetics some 1200 years ago the concept of "eighteen descriptions" was developed to denote "compulsory or optional" tools in the crafting of epics, descriptions of milieux and events like City, Sea, Mountain, Seasons, Moonrise, Sunrise, Wandering in a forest, Swimming, Drinking party, Sexual pleasure, Departing, Birth of a son, Strategic consultation, Mission of a messenger, Successful travel and Success of a hero.
- ^ "History of Kannada literature - II". www.kamat.com. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
References
- Kanakadāsa, and Ke. Bi Taḷagēri. 1989. Dāsaśrēṣṭha Kanakadāsara Rāmadhānya caritre: padya, gadyānuvāda, Kanakadāsara baduku baraha, Rāmadhānya caritreya cintana. Gadaga: Vidyānidhi Prakāśana (Kanakadasa's Ramadhanya Charitre - a translation and analysis) OCLC: 21598584
- Nāga Varmā, and F. Kittel. 1875. Nagavarma's Canarese prosody. Mangalore: Basel mission book & tract depository; [etc., etc.].OCLC: 5355694
- Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1955). A History of South India, From Prehistoric times to fall of Vijayanagar, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002), ISBN 0-19-560686-8.