A History of Sanskrit Literature c21.s8.4

Language: English

c21.s8.4.1

The poet opens his work with some stanzas in which he suggests that his Kathā is seeking favour by its novel subject and phraseology, its brilliant vivid descriptions, its resplendent similes and Dīpakas, figures where one word serves as predicate to series of clauses. We learn then of Çūdraka of Vidiçā on the Vetravatī river; to him a Caṇḍāla maiden of wondrous beauty brings a parrot, and after persuasion it tells the following narrative. In its youth it lost its mother and was tenderly reared, like Bāṇa, by its father, who was killed by a Çabara; the young parrot was taken by Hārīta to the hermitage of his father, Jābāli, who looks kindly at the bird and says that it is reaping the fruit of past misconduct. On entreaty Jābāli tells the tale which the parrot repeats. We hear of Tārāpīḍa of Ujjain and his minister Çukanāsa; the moon seems in a vision to enter the queen who bears a glorious son, Candrāpīḍa, while Çukanāsa is blessed with Vaiçampāyana, born of a lotus placed in his wife's bosom. The two grow up in loving amity; at sixteen, when both have been fully trained, they are brought home from the place in which they have spent their time, and Candrāpīḍa receives the gift of a wondrous horse, Indrāyudha, and from the queen a maiden Pattralekhā, a captive daughter of the king of Kulūta. With his steed to aid him and the sage counsel of Çukanāsa to guide him, he enters on a campaign of world conquest lasting three years.

c21.s8.4.2

But one day, seeing a pair of Kinnaras¹, quaint semihuman animals, he pursues them so far that he is lost and arrives at a lovely lake graced by the presence of a lovelorn maiden, Mahāçvetā. On his persuasion she tells her tale in the first person. She is daughter of a Gandharva and an Apsaras; she had seen a beautiful ascetic boy, Puṇḍarīka, and his friend, Kapiñjala, learned that the former was the mind-born son of Lakṣmī, goddess of beauty, and the ascetic Çvetaketu, had loved him, but too late to prevent his death from unfulfilled longing. At this point she faints but, revived by Candrāpīḍa, proceeds to the end. She had decided to die, but, as she was about to ascend the pyre a majestic figure descended from the sky, took up Puṇḍarīka’s body and promised her reunion if she lived; hence her decision to live at lake Acchoda awaiting her beloved. We are then told how Candrāpīḍa learns of her friend Kādambarī of like descent, who will not wed because her friend remains a maiden; Mahāçvetā takes the prince with her to visit her friend, of whom Candrāpīḍa becomes deeply enamoured, while she shares his love. But, before the two have plighted troth, Candrāpīḍa is compelled by a summons from his father to return, and, leaving Pattralekhā with Kādambarī for a few days, he hurries on, bidding Vaiçampāyana bring back his forces. He is received with joy at Ujjain, but is tormented by love, and gladly hears of his dear one from Pattralekhā;

c21.s8.4.3

at this point Bāṇa’s work ends and his son’s continuation begins. Further news comes from Keyūraka, increasing Candrāpīḍa’s desire to return to Kādambarī, but he must await Vaiçampāyana and the host. The latter comes, but the officers tell the sad tale of the fact that Vaiçampāyana had insisted on staying at the lake as one distraught; the king suggests that Candrāpīḍa has done him some wrong, but Çukanāsa hotly defends the prince and blames his son, while Candrāpīḍa is convinced that Vaiçampāyana is blameless. Permitted to seek him, he proceeds to the lake, and finds Mahāçvetā in even more profound grief than before. She narrates her tale: Vaiçampāyana had fallen in love with her, she, true to Puṇḍarīka, had repulsed him, and, wearied with his parrot repetitions of love, had cursed him to become a parrot, whereupon he had forthwith died. This is too much for Candrāpīḍa who dies straightway. Mahāçvetā mourns him, when Kādambarī with Pattralekhā enters, resolves on death, prepares the pyre, when a light breaks forth from the bed and a voice from heaven tells Mahāçvetā that Puṇḍarīka’s body is incorruptible in heaven, while Kādambarī is to guard Candrāpīḍa’s body until the curse which slew him is over. Pattralekhā, who had fainted, awakes, springs on Indrāyudha who is among the mourners, dashes into the lake whence emerges Kapiñjala. He now takes up the tale;