Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c10.s10.11

c10.s10.11

In all the three plays, Kālidāsa participates in contemporary debates on philosophy through *nāndī* and *bharatavākya* — the propitiatory and concluding stanzas, by presenting a glorious, queer and subtle image of Śiva and also stating his vision of life. The eulogy to Brahmā in canto III of *Kumārasambhava* and to Viṣṇu in the eleventh canto of *Raghuvaṁśa* brings out divergent views of Sāṁkhya, Vedānta and Śaivism with Kālidāsa's poetic fancies soaring above them and bringing out their inherent unities. All the heroines of his plays debate with men, present an alternate and feminist view. In *Mālavikāgnimitram*, supposed to be his first play, Kālidāsa initiates a debate with the traditionalists, who look down upon the contemporary creativity in comparison to the great poets of yore like Bhāsa. Kālidāsa offers a refutation to it, directly and in more subtle and suggestive way through his creativity by presenting parallel images, alternate views and critiques to Bhāsa's dramatic universe. He also agrees and disagrees with Vātsyāyana's postulations in *Kāmasūtra* and Bharata's concepts in *Nāṭyaśāstra*.²⁸