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N§laka³t¦ad§k½ita N§laka³t¦ad§k½ita’s time, place and family background:

In its literary history that spans several millennia, Sanskrit has been enriched by the works of innumerable authors. It would not be a great loss to the reader if he or she happened to miss reading some of them. But then, there are others whom a genuine lover of Sanskrit literature cannot afford to ignore. That the works of N§laka³thad§k½ita belong to this latter genre is proof enough of his uniqueness in Sanskrit literature. In his close observation of human nature and especially in his application of humor and sarcasm to the service of poetry, he stands side by side with the Kashmirian poets, K½emendra and Bhalla¿a. The Sanskrit idiom, over which he has an excellent grasp, makes his humor appear natural and unlabored.

Fortunately, N§laka³thad§k½ita, unlike most Sanskrit poets who scarcely provide us with personal details, has been liberal enough in including autobiographical details in most of his works. In the preface to his work,

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N§lakan¿¦avijayacampÀ, he gives the date in which it was composed as the Kali year 4738 (which corresponds to A.D. 1637). Apart from this, the writings of his elder contemporaries such as Appayyad§k½ita, Ratnakhe¿a¾r§niv¡sad§k½ita, Ve±ka¿amakhi and Yaj²an¡r¡ya³ad§k½ita, contemporaries such as Ve±ka¿¡dhvari and R¡jacÀ¢¡ma³id§k½ita and younger contemporaries such as R¡mabhadrad§k½ita, Mah¡devakavi and Cakrakavi also help in determining his date. Based on a tradition that Appayyad§k½ita lived for 72 years and died in A.D. 1626 when N§laka³¿had§k½ita was barely 12 years old, one could infer that the poet was born in A.D. 1613. It was, without doubt, in present-day Tamil Nadu that N§laka³¿had§k¾ita was born. He spent a greater part of his life at the city of Madurai to whose presiding deity, M§n¡k½i, he was deeply devoted and in the court of whose king, Tirumalan¡yaka, he served as a minister.

His own works, especially Nalacaritra and Ga±g¡vatara³a give ample information about the illustrious family in which he was born. His forefathers, mentions the prelude to

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Nalacaritra, were realized souls who taught all branches of learning, chanted the Vedic lore, drank the holy soma juice, defended the doctrine of Advaita and were famed throughout the world. Among them was one Acc¡d§k½ita who hailed from the clan of Bharadv¡ja. Of his eight sons, the fifth, Śr§ra±gar¡j¡dhvar§ composed several works, chief among which are Advaitavidy¡mukura and Vivara³adarpa³a. His son, the famous Appayyad§kh¾ita, who is known to have written 104 works on various subjects also took the lead in establishing the Śaiva doctrine. The Nayaka ruler, Cinabomma, honored him with a shower of gold coins. N§laka³¿had§k½ita humbly salutes Appayyad§k½ita more than once in his works. Appayyad§k½ita’s brother, Acc¡d§k½ita was also a great scholar and the verse of one Gurur¡ma, quoted in Nalacaritra, describes him as a man of letters, well-versed in grammar, the philosophical schools of S¡¯khy¡, M§m¡ms¡ and Vai¾£½ika, logic and poetics. His grandson, N¡r¡ya³¡dhvar§ commented on works such as S¡hityaratn¡kara and Mah¡v§racarita and was believed to be an incarnation of goddess P¡rvat§. N§laka³¿had§k½ita was his second

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son by BhÀm§dev§. He was tutored by his father in the traditional sciences as well as in literature. In the first canto of Ga±g¡vatara³a, he fancies his father’s poetry as the holy water that washes the left foot of Śiva, the foot that belongs to P¡rvat§ who occupies Śiva’s left half. He also studied Advaita under his family preceptor, G§rv¡³endra Sarasvat§.

N§laka³¿had§k½ita’s works:

N§laka³¿had§k½ita’s muse is by no stretch of imagination limited, spanning almost the entire gamut of Sanskrit literary forms. He has chiefly to his credit two Mah¡k¡vyas (epic-poems composed of verses divided into chapters called Sargas), Śival§l¡r³ava and Ga±g¡vatara³a, a CampÀ (a literary form that combines versified poetry and prose), N§laka³¿havijaya, a Na¿aka (one of the ten major types of drama), Nalacaritra and a host of short works, namely, Kalivi¢a¯bana, Sabh¡ra²jana¾ataka, Vair¡gya¾ataka, Any¡pade¾a¾ataka, Ānandas¡garastava, Śivotkar½ama²jar§ and Ś¡ntivil¡sa. The short

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works are satires, didactic poems or hymns in praise of various deities. Apart from these, a few manuscripts and printed works bear evidence to the fact that N§laka³¿had§k½ita also authored the following works – Mukundavil¡sa, Śivatattvarahasya, Kaiya¿avy¡khy¡na, Gurutattvam¡lik¡, Saubh¡gyacandr¡tapa,R¡m¡ya³as¡rasa±graha (also known as Raghuv§rastava), Aghaviveka and Ca³¢§rahasya. That he was an erudite scholar in various branches of learning, Ala±k¡ra¾¡stra (aesthetics), Vy¡kara³a (grammar),M§m¡ms¡ (one of the six branches of Indian philosophy that is concerned with the interpretation of Vedic injunctions, especially those that are ritualistic), Ved¡nta (one of the six branches of Indian philosophy that is concerned with the knowledge of Self), Tarka (logic), Śaiv¡gama (texts on Shaivate philosophy) and N§ti¾¡stra (polity), to name just a few, is borne out by these works. Let us now discuss these works in some detail.

Major works of N§laka³¿had§k½ita

Śival§l¡r³ava –

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The Śival§l¡r³ava belongs to the literary genre known as the M¡h¡k¡vya. Spread over 22 cantos, it describes the 64 exploits of Shiva. It is based on the Sanskrit work, H¡l¡syapur¡³a (which is a part of Skandapur¡³a) and two Tamil works, Periyapur¡³am and Tiruvi©aiy¡¢al. The title literally translates as “The ocean of Shiva’s exploits”.

That the Śival§l¡r³ava is a prototypical mah¡k¡vya can be gathered from the following points –

The work is divided in to 22 Sargas and describes the saga of virtuous kings from the Pandyan country.

The principal sentiment is one of serenity though other sentiments too find appropriate expression.

The plot is chosen from the H¡l¡syapur¡³a.

The poem begins with a prayer addressed to the river Ga±g¡

The first Sarga, apart from a praise of the art of poesy and poets in general, also contains verses that make fun of the wicked. In one of these verses

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(1.63), N§laka³¿had§k½ita speaks thus about the sadistic pleasure which the wicked derive out of deriding others – “A hundred-fold richer than the joy of those that have realized the Self is the joy which poets beget when they infuse their words with suggestion and a thousand-fold, nay, billion-fold richer is the joy which the wicked derive through finding faults in what others utter”.

Every Sarga has verses composed in one meter throughout with a change in metrical structure at the end. The 20th and 21st Sargas in particular have verses in several meters, evidencing N§laka³¿had§k½ita’s expertise in prosody.

The expanse of Śiva’s 64 exploits give the poet ample scope to employ his descriptive powers. Let us go through some of these in detail.

The 2nd Sarga starts with a novel and beautiful description of the P¡³¢yan province. Some examples could be cited here in translation –

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In this kingdom, the gods, invoked by sacrificing priests, would take one look at its prosperity and plead with them thus – “We are willing to take on your role if only you would agree to part with your kingdom”. (2.5)

His father was but a lump of clay and his grandfather, a mere potter. But the pitcher-born Agastya managed to write the aphorisms of Dravidian grammar only because he managed to make some corner of this kingdom his home”. (2.7).

This is followed by a description of the river T¡mrapar³§ in 8 verses, one of which is translated below

The sage Agastya never abandons the mountain Malaya, so he can keep drinking T¡mrapar³§’s naturally sweet water, antidote to the side-effects he suffered by gulping down salty sea-water. (2.22)

Next follows a description of the forest of Kadamba trees in the vicinity of V»½¡dri –

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The hundreds of deer that roam around this forest seem to have dropped down from the lunar orb when, on every full-moon night, tall trees rubbed against it with the tips of their branches. (2.30)

When hermit-boys climb up the tall trees of this forest to pluck flowers, the ever-anxious celestials intercept them on their way and cajole them to know the reason why hermits below are performing penances. (2.35).

The 5th Sarga contains descriptions of the spring season and the birth of his daughter –

The cuckoos were unhappy with the mango trees in full fruit. Neither could they savor the bounty in entirety nor could they find a place to perch (6.18)

When the king’s wife brought her close so he could hold her, the little girl sprang up to hug him. As he held her nectarous form in his arms, salvation too was worth a blade of grass. (6.79)

In their immense joy, the couple scarcely remembered Śiva, barely

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managed to discharge pending duties, cared little to revere sages and didn’t even greet each other. (6.81)

The 7th Sarga ends with a description of autumn –

The earth’s surface was rendered cool, forests flourished and lakes filled up with water. Even the passing away of clouds made no big difference to anyone save the C¡taka birds who were now doomed to death. (7.74)

Swans returned back to their lakes but robbed as they were of signs that marked their territories, could locate their respective lotuses only by the difference in their nectar, color and smell. (7.85)

The two verses translated above allude to the poetic convention that the C¡takas subsist on raindrops and swans migrate to the M¡nasa Lake during the rainy season and return back to their respective lakes during autumn.

The subsequent Sarga contains descriptions of a counsel between

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Ta¿¡tak¡, Malayadhvaja’s daughter and her minister, Sumati followed by a description of the evening –

‘You would, in every autumn, encourage the king, my father, to go on a military expedition. Then why don’t you do the same with me this time? Is it because you fear I am just a young girl?” (8.9)

Though the sun kept sinking in the water of the western ocean, he still held up the rays that followed him. Without putting up with such suffering how could he possibly digest the title ‘Friend of the world’ conferred on him? (8.21)

The idiomatic usage of the verb ‘j§ryati’ (to be digested) in the above verse is worth noting.

Then follows the description of a military march and preparations for battle –

When, with the onset of autumn, clouds departed, one could see a rainbow stretching all along the horizon

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and her army’s mahouts felt it was so near they could lay their hands on it (8.40)

How ladies of hamlets greeted Ta¿¡tak¡ on her way is described in 7 verses starting from the 43rd–

“K¡li! Look at her. She is Malayadhvaja’s daughter. Kubjika! Doesn’t her face resemble her father’s? She is older to my daughter by five or six months. But, oh! She is just a child”. (8.44)

The 9th Sarga begins with a description of day-break in verses sung by women to awaken Ta¿¡tak¡. After this comes a description of Ta¿¡tak¡’s victory march.

With the coming together of swans standing for chamberlains, bees for dwarfs and winds for messengers, the rays of sun, like a king’s officials, open the hitherto closed doors of Vi½³u’s harem - the lotus, where abides lak½m§. (9.5)

The sound of her war-drums had travelled but a few miles when the

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news of her prowess had travelled a distance ten times farther. Her fame had by now travelled a distance ten times farther than the latter and her enemies had escaped to some remote corner of the world, a distance ten times farther than what her fame had managed to reach. (9.15)

Then comes a beautiful description of the river Ga±g¡ in several verses -

Look at her, O mother! She purifies the universe like your fame. Her flow, like that of your kindness, is unfaltering. Like your speech, she is sweet as nectar and full of depth. Look at Bhag§ratha’s daughter, slipping from the matted locks of Śiva. (9.32)

In the guise of her army it was the river Ga±g¡ herself who climbed up the Himalayas. It seemed as if she was returning back to tell Śiva, her lord, something that was left over in her hurry to leave. (9.54)

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Following this are a few verses describing how hunters living on the slopes of Himalayas honored her.

“In this very place, a certain human injured the foremost leader of our clan with his bow – so narrate some of our elders. Dear Mother! Yonder is a grove of golden plantains and a very old monkey, they say, has been living there for ages” (9.63)

The above verse is based on two episodes appearing in the Mah¡bh¡rata, the first where Arjuna fights with Śiva in the guise of a hunter and the second where Bh§ma meets his brother, Hanum¡n, residing in a plantain-grove on the slopes of Himalayas.

Then comes a description of the Northern Ocean in the Uttarakuru province. A dialogue between Ta¿¡tak¡ and the Ocean then follows

“These are the best among elephants roaming the peaks of Main¡ka. And this is the bounty of gems from the continent Gabhastim¡n. These, oh

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Mother, are conches gifted to you by the Western Sea. P¡²cajanya, you should know, is the most inferior among them”. (9.90)

The Sarga that follows begins with the description of a battle between Ta¿¡tak¡ and the guardian-deities of the directions starting with Indra –

Like a sandy bridge built in water, the celestial horde that had only managed to grow plump with the offerings of Brahmin priests just disappeared in front of her. (10.12)

Some humorous verses on her encounter with the fire-god and wind-god are given below

“When you are married off, please do call me to bear witness” – thus did the fire-god tell her and she bid him farewell with a smile. (10.38)

Pointing out the various winds individually, the minister spoke thus to the king’s daughter – “This chap here is known to us. He is the breeze from the Malaya Mountain”. (10.55)

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Then comes a description of her fight with Śiva’s hordes, headed by Nandi.

The Sarga that follows describes how Ta¿¡tak¡ and Śiva, the bride and groom, decked up for their marriage –

When the groom was made up, Indra held a large mirror in front of him as if to prove false the scriptures which declare that He has no mirror-image. (11.31)

Beholding Ta¿¡tak¡, the presiding deity of Śiva’s love, approach her in a gait that was measured and slow, Lak½m§, universe’s first sample of feminine beauty, felt ashamed while the Apsarases, celestial maidens, felt ashamed to even feel ashamed. (11.76)

The 12th Sarga describes the marriage between Śiva and Ta¿¡tak¡ -

Who knew the lineage, father or grandfather of either the giver, Vi½³u

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or the acceptor, Śiva? Therefore, when Ta¿¡tak¡ was given away in marriage, the accompanying holy chant was strangely brief and just this – “I am giving her to you” and nothing else. (12.8)

When the groom caught hold of Ta¿¡tak¡’s lotus-foot in order to place it on the stone-slab, Vi½³u blessed him thus – “May this first effort at holding her foot bring about more such opportunities in the days to come”. (12.13)

The 13rd Sarga starts with a description of Sundare¾vara’s rule. Then comes the story of Ugra, Sundare¾vara’s successor, under whose rule there was a famine in the Pa³¢ya kingdom. A war ensued between the king and Indra, the rain-god, in which the latter was defeated –

As Indra, the tip of his crown broken and his hair disheveled, took to his heels following the defeat, the gods joined him from every nook and corner

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like pieces of cotton reeling in a whirlwind.

The 14th Sarga describes king Urga as having made a trip to Mount Meru on the orders of Śiva. A catchy description of the mountain follows –

He is the abode of all gems and is himself golden in form. Therefore the sun and the moon, like two patrolling guards, forsake him neither by day nor by night. (14.11)

The 15th Sarga begins with a description of the rainy season –

Even as peacocks cooed sweetly, frogs continued to croak. Do poetasters remain silent just because great poets are busy composing poetry? (15.14)

The 16th Sarga has a short description of the noon –

There was not a soul on the street. None could hear Brahmins chat. Bees rested within lotus. When it was noon,

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the world seemed like molten gold. (16.35)

The next Sarga, in which is narrated the story of how the Pa³¢yan king’s younger brother, a cheat, joined hands with the neighboring ruler to defeat his brother in war, contains a description of summer –

It was the sun who scorched the world but the season was blamed for it. When a wicked minister torments the subjects it is the king who is put in trouble. (17.57)

The 18th Sarga that follows describes a battle between the P¡³¢yan king, Śivap¡da¾ekhara and his enemy, the king of Colas –

When soldiers, horses and elephants, killed in battle, cleaved through the sun’s orb on their way to heaven, they encountered a few accountants from the divine realm waiting at the other end to keep count (18.19)

The above verse plays on the poetic convention that those killed in battle

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reach heaven by cleaving through the sun.

The 19th Sarga starts with a description of Sugu³ap¡³¢ya’s hunting expedition followed by a description of the final dissolution of the universe, Pralaya, and the events preceding it –

The snowy peaks of Himalayas first melted away and then dried up exposing the bare lands underneath. Covered everywhere with dry grass, the mountain stood like a piece of reed. (19.41)

The Sarga that follows contains a description of bad poets who dominate the literary field much to the dismay of genuine poets –

Let those that understand the secrets of poetry censure us as they wish. We do not fear them for Śiva is kind to us. But what we cannot bear are these deaf and dumb fools who plague the path of poesy like rabid dogs. (20.21)

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The 21st Sarga has a description of the Cola country followed by a devotee’s plea to Śiva in verses that overflow with emotion –

Having disregarded the commonsense wisdom that one must always seek help from a single source, I, O Śiva, took recourse to the pair of your feet. And now, each of your feet, thinking that the other will take responsibility of protecting me from this calamity, doesn’t seem to care anymore. (21.31)

The last Sarga contains an enumeration of Śiva’s 64 pastimes as part of a praise sung by gods. The poet, under this pretext, has managed to summarize the entire content of his epic-work.

N§laka³thad§k½ita as a master story-teller

One of the 64 episodes is narrated below. The near-verbatim translation of the stories proves how capable the poet was in adding subtle details to the narrative so as to make it all the more interesting.

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How the young boy was crowned a king

King V§rap¡³dya had several sons from dance girls and not one from his queen. But as days passed, Lord Śiva, pleased with his devotion, granted him a son from his wife. It was not long before the king was killed by a tiger when he went out hunting. The king’s sons from the dance girls grabbed this opportunity and made away with his wealth leaving behind his five-year old son, now a pauper. Though elders in his family wanted to coronate the boy as the king’s successor, they wondered – “Without a crown how can we coronate him and unless we coronate him, where can we procure the gems to make him a crown? With each depending on the other, anointing him as our next king seems a far-fetched idea. But with Śiva’s blessings on our side, how can we lose hope? On a second thought, who knows what fate has waiting for us?” When they were wondering thus, Lord Śiva appeared before them in the garb of a merchant. Surrounded by several of his servants and literally glittering with prosperity, he told them that he was a gem-merchant and asked his men

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to lay bare his wares. And then he laid bare his vast knowledge of gemology.

“There is not a soul on this earth who has not seen gems and not one who has not worn them on his person but like the knowledge of the Supreme Self, the essence of what gems are is known only to the chosen few. Who knows how they were born from Bala’s body when he was made Indra’s sacrificial beast and Brahma granted the former a boon? Who has heard of the gems that were produced from the ¾iva’s person or the foam flowing from the mouth of the primeval boar? Or for that matter, from the dirt of Indra’s thousand eyes and the bones of Dadh§ci?”

“Who knows their different sources, on the earth, in the heavens above and the worlds below? Who has an inking about their color, shape, feel, weight, measurement, cost, flaws or merits? Who has ever heard of how they are classified or which among them are genuine? Who can identify those among them that are artificial in color alone and those that are artificial in every sense? And who knows when, how and who should wear them? Who has the faintest idea of how to

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sell and buy or to gift and accept them when gifted? Who has learnt how to guard them safely or test them thoroughly? Who understands their secrets, divine or philosophical? Who is a master of their classification based on the four castes? Who knows how they are divided in to masculine and feminine, how they are differentiated in to animate and inanimate or how mortals and immortals should employ them? Who can answer how difficult or easy it is to procure them, which among them are accidental in origin or which have medicinal value? Who can even spell the names of their hundred varieties? And who, may I ask, has the capacity to know all about gems other than Śiva, gem among gods, whose bow is Meru, the mountain with gem-studded peaks? It behooves this grandson of Devap¡³¢ya, the king’s son, to accept these gems. After you have designed a crown with these gems and coroneted the prince with it, pay me whatever suits you”.

Saying so, he gave them his gems and disappeared, servants and all, before their very eyes. Convinced by this act that he was the Lord himself, they praised the young

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prince’s fortune, fashioned a crown in keeping with custom, and anointed the boy as their next king. The new king who had already bathed in a shower of ¾iva’s grace, bathed again in the ritual waters of the coronation ceremony. (14.55 – 14.81)

Ga±g¡vatara³am –

This work, in 8 Sargas, describes the story of how the celestial river, Ga±g¡, descended to the world of mortals. The potted contents of this poem, which like Śival§l¡r³ava, also fulfils the criteria for a Mah¡k¡vya, are given below. Also given are the translations of some fine verses

Sarga 1

The first Sarga is introductory in nature and contains verses that praise poets of yore, delineate the importance of poetic genius in the creation of literature, describe the role of connoisseurs and critics, criticize the wicked and the ignorant, make fun of bad poets and give a sketch of the poet’s illustrious family and the reason why he chose to write a poem on Ga±g¡. The story proper begins from the 60th verse with a description of king

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Bhag§ratha’s rule. Some verses from this Sarga are translated below –

All praises to Vy¡sa whose utterances the creator, Brahma, sets out to count but feels he is handicapped without the fifth face which Śiva lopped off. (1.2)

Though she is soft, the poet’s muse will still not yield to the critic’s squeeze. (1.13)

We do not want them to help us with meaning. Nor do we seek their help in stringing words together. What we poets ask of our connoisseurs is just this much – “Don’t raise objections before listening to what we have to say”. (1.20)

It doesn’t pain me if fools don’t appreciate what is appreciable. It pains me when they appreciate what is not. (1.27)

The students of Ve±ka¿e¾varamakh§, my master, carry bundles of palm-leaves in both their hands as if they were oars to help them cross the flood of his eloquence. (1.53)

Bhag§ratha’s army, ministers and dependents were all from the past but what

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was new were his fame, treasury and kingdom. (1.73)

Sarga 2

The second Sarga starts with Bhag§ratha learning from the elders in his family about the fate which befell his ancestors, the sons of Sagara, who went searching for their father’s sacrificial horse and ended up being burnt to ashes by sage Kapila for wrongly calling him a thief. The royal sage, Vasi½¿ha, then informs Bhag§ratha that the only way to redeem his ancestors of their pitiable condition was to bring the celestial river, Ga±g¡, to earth and then offer oblations to them with her waters. Neither A¯¾um¡n, Sagara’s son from a second wife, nor Dil§pa, A¯¾um¡n’s son, could succeed in accomplishing this mission. And it was now left for Bhag§ratha to complete the task. Bhag§ratha entrusts the responsibilities of his kingdom to his ministers and proceeds to perform penance in honor of Brahma under whose care the river now was. With the commencement of his penance also commences summer.

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“When Ga±g¡ was about to say something, Brahma thought she was acting smart and cursed her to become a river” (2.11)

“But Ga±g¡ considered this curse as a boon in disguise and with her huge waves, formidable like the oceans at the time of Pralaya, she attacked everything on her way”. (2.12)

During the first three or four days of his life as an ascetic, the king would erroneously refer to his hermitage as city, his seat of holy Darbha grass as throne and his hut as bungalow and then realizing his mistake, feel embarrassed. (2.23)

As the summer advanced, so too did the king’s penance. And unable to bear the heat of his austerities, gods in the heaven above suffered more than men on earth. (2.56)

Sarga 3

In the 3rd sarga, Ga±g¡ informs Bhag§ratha about the force with which her waters would descend and the impact it would have on the universe. She also requests him to find out a way by which her descent could be made possible and saying so, disappears. When the

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heart-broken king is unsure about whose help he has to now solicit, Brahma appears before him and asks him to propitiate Śiva. The king then selects a spot on Mount Kail¡sa and begins to meditate once more, now with the object of securing ¾iva’s grace. This canto has descriptions of ¾iva’s greatness, the Himalayas and Mount Kail¡sa.

“When my flooding waters will fall with full force upon the peaks of the Himalayas, throwing up a dense shower of droplets, how can Brahma manage to stay in his abode?” (3.5)

“Even if I, disrespecting the creator’s creation, agree to descend without as much as caring for anybody, please tell me where you would stand and offer oblations to your forefathers”. (3.7)

“If you feel that the words of your elders must not be transcended then try to find a means by which you can fetch me to earth. Just think of me and I shall appear before you”. So saying, Ga±g¡ disappeared. (3.26)

“If Śiva himself, by the dint of your good karma, would rush forward to help you,

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Ga±g¡, or for that matter, even the three worlds, would be reduced to non-issues”. (3.42)

“When fires break out in the forests of bamboos on the Himalayan slopes, they are immediately dozed off by thick masses of snow which melt due to the very same fires”. (3.58)

Sarga 4

In the 4th Sarga are described Bhag§ratha’s penance, the advent of winter, the arrival of Śiva along with his retinue, Bhag§ratha’s request to Śiva and Śiva readiness to receive the flow of ga±g¡.

Bhag§ratha’s arm, marked by scars from his bowstring, was raised in penance and it looked like a pillar of victory erected by the king after defeating great sages by his austerities. (4.2)

Seeing the severity of his penance, the gods, proud of the petty offices they owned, gradually overcame their apprehensions. (4.6)

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The above verse suggests that the gods were initially apprehensive that the king wanted to usurp their positions but seeing the magnitude of his austerities realized that he was aiming for something higher.

The daughter of Himalayas, warming her palms in the heat of Śiva’s fiery third eye, spent the winter somehow. (4.17)

They say that summer in the Himalayas is akin to winter elsewhere. If that’s how it is you could imagine what this mountain range would have been like in winter. (4.26)

Seeing her sons snatch away their father’s coats - elephant’s and tiger’s hides, P¡rvat§ hurriedly covered him with the tip of her upper garment. (4.30)

Not knowing what fruit he should bestow on his devotee that would match the severity of his penance, Śiva started from his abode, overcome with shame like a debtor. (4.39)

Skanda approached his father to catch the crescent moon which, loosened at the time of climbing Nandi, was now clinging to the tip of his matted locks. (4.58)

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The Lord was trying to restrain the deer in his hand from grazing on the holy DÀrv¡ grass which his son, Ga³£¾a, was wearing on his neck. (4.69)

Tightening the tiger-skin and asking his sons to move aside, the Lord put his weight on solid ground, ready to receive the celestial torrent. (4.92)

Sarga 5

The 5th Sarga describes Ga±g¡’s descent from the abode of Brahma in to the matted locks of Śiva. The havoc created by the river is described in several verses that are a proof of the poet’s skill in creating humor. There is also a dramatic element in these verses that lends them an extra charm. Some of these verses are translated below:

Deciding to inform Brahma about her travel, she approached him and spoke these words that revealed a total absence of humility and an exuberance of pride. (5.3)

I have heard that a certain hunter, with an uneven number of eyes, roams on the peaks of Kail¡sa. It seems he is keen to stop my

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flow whose force you have already tested. (5.4)

If I am not stopped, god knows what will happen to my old father, the king of mountains and my soft-hearted elder sister, P¡rvat§. And then neither ¾iva nor the silver mountain will exist. (5.5)

Move aside, O gods, or better still, go back to your respective homes. If you are interested to know what will happen, give up fear and just gather at some corner of this universe. (5.12)

When the river started to flood, even Brahma, the creator of this universe, couldn’t think of a way out. One may exhibit whatever cleverness one has when others are in trouble but when it comes to one’s own troubles, everyone is equally crippled. (5.21)

When the Lord shook his locks that were made wet by the waters of the divine river, a few damsels from heaven, a few Yak½as, a few Vidy¡dharas and a few sages got scattered and lost consciousness. (5.64)

Sarga 6

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The 6th Sarga describes Bhag§ratha’s efforts at procuring Ga±g¡ from Śiva through penance and praise. Trickling from ¾iva’s dreadlocks, the river, now subdued, follows Bhag§ratha. On her way, Ga±g¡ engulfs the hermitage of Jahnu, is drunk up by him and then released through his ear. She then reaches the holy city of K¡¾§ -

When the king took leave of Śiva and set out in his chariot, the river followed him as if she were his white fame. (6.25)

She had earlier been imprisoned by Śiva for rushing at him with great force and now this sage, Jahnu, drank her up at the drop of a hat. The Lord may be strong but his devotees are stronger. (6.37)

Sarga 7

The 7th Sarga describes the city of K¡¾§ when the river entered it. The sudden commotion which the river’s entry caused in the city, the conversations which women had amongst themselves on seeing the king and the river that followed him, the praises which sages showered on Ga±g¡ and the prayers

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offered by Bhag§ratha to Lord Vi¾van¡tha are superbly detailed by the poet.

When their old supervisors dispersed in fear on seeing the approaching river, the students welcomed the short respite which they got from studying. (7.3)

“This river is like our wretched glance. It follows Bhag§ratha wherever he goes” – So said the women of K¡¾§. (7.12)

Sarga 8

The 8th Sarga describes the victorious return of Bhag§ratha to his capital after offering oblations to his forefathers in the hermitage of Kapila. This canto has descriptions of the ocean and the city of serpents in the nether world.

V¡suki ruled over that kingdom in the nether world and he paid not a penny to his servants, the serpents, because they subsisted on wind alone for their food and made any hole they could find their home. (8.36)

Some of these serpents are from the clan of Vi½³u’s bed, some from Śiva’s earring and

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few others from the reins of the sun’s horses. And therefore none of them have any fear of Garu¢a. (8.40)

The above verse alludes to the mythological facts that Vi½³u reclines on a serpent, Śiva’s ornaments are snakes and so are the reins of the sun’s horses.

Nalacaritra -

This is a N¡¿aka, one of the ten major types of drama described by the legendary sage Bharata in his N¡¿ya½¡stra. Unfortunately however, the drama is incomplete, ending abruptly in the 6th act. The work is based on the famous story of Nala and his beloved, Damayant§, that occurs for the very first time in the epic Mah¡bh¡rata. The contents of this drama are summarized below along with the English translations of some memorable verses –

Act 1

The drama begins with a customary invocation, the N¡nd§. There are three verses given here, the first on Śiva’s

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Ardhan¡r§¾vara form, the second on goddess P¡rvat§ and the third on R¡ma’s side-glances. This is followed by a long prelude where, through the dialogues between the stage-manager and his assistant, the audience is introduced to the subject of the drama as well as its composer and the illustrious family in which he was born. At the end of the prelude, we are told that Nala, the king, has seen Damayant§ in a dream. Then enters Nala exhibiting his lovelorn condition –

O K¡ma, like an object reflected in the mirror, you have shown me something that is impossible to attain. And my mind, which till now was peaceful, is not where it must be. Is this the way you show your strength? Is this a joke you are playing on me? Or is this your only skill? (1.13)

He then reveals to the jester C¡r¡ya³a, his friend, the reason why he is sad. He also tells him how, when he caught a divine swan which he came across while hunting and then freed it, the grateful bird promised to unite him with the woman of his heart.

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The jester then asks the king to paint the lady of his dream so that the astrologer Saty¡c¡rya, skilled in the art of interpreting bodily marks, could look at it and comment on her whereabouts, family, marital status and the like. The king is sure that she is unmarried because he didn’t see a marital cord adorning her neck.

The above verse tangentially refers to the three lines on Damayant§’s neck, a mark of feminine beauty. When C¡r¡ya³a leaves to get the articles for painting, the chamberlain arrives and informs the king that his subjects are waiting at the palace’s doorstep to get a glimpse of him. The tired king orders him to dismiss the crowd but let Saty¡c¡rya alone in. Meanwhile, the jester enters with the queen’s servant, Kal¡vat§, who is carrying the articles necessary to paint. The jester inadvertently blurts out the king’s desire for the mystery woman and the queen’s servant, angry at the king’s love for another lady, departs saying that she would narrate all that had occurred to her mistress.

When the king finishes painting the lady exactly as she was seen in his dream, the

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astrologer arrives. The jester chides the astrologer when the latter asks the king the reason why he was summoned – “Aren’t you an astrologer? Why do you hold a mirror in your hand and ask us how your face looks? It is you who must be telling what is going on in the king’s head”. The astrologer predicts that the lady is either from Vidarbha or Vir¡¿a, is the daughter of a king, would surely marry, would have a partner who is a monarch and would face lot of obstacles both before and after her marriage. He also predicts that a non-human messenger who has the power of speech would, that very day, narrate everything about her to the king.

After the astrologer leaves, the king entertains himself with a walk in the royal garden. There he meets the divine swan which he had seen earlier and learns from it about Damayant§, the daughter of king Bh§ma from Vidarbha. He also gets a message from the goddess Sarasvat§, who is described here as Bh§ma’s sister, about how the creator Brahma, her husband, having created this girl, a gem of the three worlds, wanted Nala to marry her. After the swan

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leaves, heralds announce that it is afternoon and the king exits to have a bath.

Act 2

The second act begins with an interlude where V¡caspati, the preceptor of gods, is worried about his master, Indra, deciding to marry Damayant§. Furthermore, the sage N¡rada, who has a penchant for inciting quarrels has visited Indra.

Then enters V¡cahaspati’s student, Vi¾v¡vasu and the two decide on a plan to make Damayant§ marry Indra by requesting Nala to become Indra’s love-messenger to Damayant§. This would lead to a two-fold benefit. King Nala would not get angry at Indra for sending somebody else as a messenger to Damayant§ and Damayant§ would consider marrying Indra because if someone as accomplished as Nala could agree to become a messenger of Indra, it would imply that Indra is more suitable than Nala.

After the interlude ends, Indra, who has already been instructed by V¡caspati on what to do, enters the stage accompanied by

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Vi¾v¡vasu, who is in an adjacent aerial car and M¡tali, his charioteer. The trio then traverse through various places on the way before entering Ku³¢inapur§, the capital of Vidarbha. Here they see a woman in the garden plucking soft shoots, apparently for Damayant§ who is now suffering the pangs of love.

After dismissing M¡tali, Indra orders Vi¾v¡vasu to find out from her about what Damayanti’s desire is. Hiding himself under a charm, he not only overhears their conversation but also continues to speak to Vi¾v¡vasu without the woman getting to know about it. Mistaking Vi¾v¡vasu for Bhadramukha, Nala’s messenger, the woman introduces herself as Damayant§’s friend and describes to him her mistress’s lovelorn condition. From their dialogue it is clear that Damayant§ has set her heart on Nala alone. The woman departs to inform Damayant§ that Nala would be arriving any moment while Indra and Vi¾v¡vasu wait for Nala in an adjacent garden of Campaka trees.

Act 3

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The third act starts with a short interlude between S¡vitr§, a goddess and friend of and Ana±galat¡, an attendant of Damayant§. Having known that she is in a deplorable state, the goddess orders Ana±galat¡ to fetch goddess Sarasvat§ to the temple of Gaur§, Bh§ma’s tutelary deity and herself sets out to bring Damayant§ there.

Then enters Damayant§ along with three of her friends, S¡ra±gik¡, the woman who had conversed with Vi¾v¡vasu in the previous act, V¡santik¡ and Candrakal¡. They are confused about the identity of the person with whom S¡ra±gik¡ had spoken. The king and the jester also enter the garden where the three are sitting and hide behind a tree to overhear their conversation. The king who is initially in doubt about the identity of the lovesick woman in front of him learns that she is none other than his sweetheart.

In the meantime, Sarasvat§, who is pained beyond measure on account of Damayant§ is searching for her along with S¡vitr§. The goddess is also worried that Nala has not yet turned up, unaware of the fact that he is hiding behind a tree. Knowing that Sarasvat§

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is searching for her, Damayant§ and her friends go out looking for the goddess and all of them meet midway. As the womenfolk prepare to leave for the temple of Gaur§, the king and his jester follow them. On hearing a commotion behind the screens and anticipating that his soldiers must have come looking for him, Nala asks the jester to go and stop them. Listening to Sarasvat§ ask S¡vitr§ if Nala had arrived, the king reveals himself and offers his respect to the goddess

Sarasvat§ asks Damayant§ to offer a betel-leaf to their guest, Nala. But when the bashful girl is still confused about what to do, the jester arrives and informs Nala that Indra has just arrived. Nala prepares himself to meet the lord of gods while the womenfolk, who are aware of Indra’s intentions, decide to hide Damayant§ from his view.

Act 4

In the fourth act, Nala describes to the jester C¡r¡ya³a how Indra, after approaching him along with Vi½v¡vasu, pleaded with him to become his love-messenger and how he promised Indra thus –

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I shall be your messenger and speak to her in such a way as behooves the cause of love. I shall also bring her to you, by force, if needed. But what I cannot say is whether or not she will accept you. (13)

Indra also grants him the power of disappearing at will - the knowledge of Tiraskari³§ - so he can enter the harem unseen. When the king does enter the harem, he is recognized by S¡vitr§ through her divine powers. S¡vitr§ in turn has been sent by goddess Sarasvat§ who has already been made aware of the conversation between Indra and Nala through her spies. S¡vitr§ reads out a message where it is made clear that Damayant§ would adore him and none else as the lord of her life if he accepted her and would die if he didn’t. Nala is now in a fix because he doesn’t know how to report this back to Indra. He fears Indra would not believe him. However, it is finally decided that the jester will report to Indra on the behalf of Nala that the latter did all that he had promised to do as a messenger but had no say on whether Damayan¿§ would accept him.

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It is moonrise by then and the jester arrives with a message from Indra which he whispers in to Nala’s ear. Soon a messenger arrives from Indra and leaves after placing a letter in front of the king. The letter has says this – “You have humiliated us and therefore, we shall do to you what we deem fit”. The jester also informs the king about Bh§ma’s decision to give his daughter in marriage to Nala alone.

Acts 5 and 6

The fifth act is a short one. Nala and damayant§ are married by now and are in each other’s joyful company. Damayant§ is reclining on Nala’s lap and dreams that she is in a forest and that her beloved has abandoned her. She wakes up terrified and is consoled by Nala.

In the sixth act which is incomplete Nala’s minister, K¡mantaka learns from the spy, Bhadramukha, about the friendship between Pu½karaka, Nala’s wicked relative and Indra. The king meanwhile sends a message to K¡mantaka about the sudden degradation of piety in his kingdom. The drama ends incompletely with K¡mantaka dispatching the

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chief security of the city, S¡ra±gaka, to gather information on any supernatural being, whatsoever, that might be responsible for such a state of affairs in the kingdom.

N§laka³¿havijayac¡mpÀ –

A Summary of the story

Written in the CampÀ style with a mixture of prose and poetry, this work is based on the mythological story of how the sage Durv¡sas gifted a wreath of flowers to Indra, how Indra disrespectfully placed it on his elephant’s head, how the beast crushed the wreath beneath its feet, how the angry sage cursed Indra that he would lose his glory, how the gods, now weakened by the effect of the curse were defeated in battle by their enemies, the Asuras, how Indra heard the divine voice of Śiva urging him to stay incognito, how, according to the advice of B»haspati, their preceptor, the gods left for the Mandara mountain, how they spent their days meditating there, how B»haspati informed them after several thousand years that their troubles would soon end, how the gods, along with B»haspati approached Brahma’s Satyaloka, how Brahma asked

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them to approach Vi½³u for succor, how Vi½³u asked them to first make friends with the Asuras and then churn the milky ocean with the Mandara mountain for a churning rod and the serpent V¡suki for a rope so that they could obtain ambrosia and become immortals by drinking it, how B»haspati made friends with Śukr¡c¡rya, the preceptor of Asuras, how the gods and demons came together to lift the mountain Mandara, how when lifting the mountain proved to be an arduous task, B»haspati created a whirlwind to uproot it, how the two parties flung it in to the ocean, how the Asuras fetched the serpent V¡suki to tie it around the mountain, how the Asuras caught hold of the snake’s mouth and the Devas, its tail, how the shaky mountain was steadied on the back of the primeval tortoise, how when the poison H¡l¡hala emerged from the thousand mouths of V¡suki, the gods and Asuras prayed to ¾iva to protect them from it, how Śiva consumed the poison, how P¡rvat§ held his neck to prevent her husband from swallowing it, how Śiva’s throat turned blue as a consequence, how the gods praised Śiva for protecting the world from the fearful venom, how as the churning continued,

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several gems including the elephant Air¡vata, the horse Ucci¦¾ravas, the cow K¡madhenu, the five wish-yielding trees, the moon’s crescent, the Apasarases and the goddess Śr§ appeared, how the king of the milky ocean appeared along with Dhanvantari who held the pitcher of ambrosia in his hands, how the Asuras snatched the pitcher away, how when B»haspati was trying to make a truce with the Asuras, a beautiful damsel appeared before them, how she agreed to distribute a small portion of the ambrosia to the gods before giving a larger share to the Asuras, how she told them to sit in two separate lines with their eyes closed, how she cut the neck of R¡hu and Ketu, two Asuras who strayed in to the line of Devas, how she was put down the empty pitcher after distributing ambrosia to the gods alone, how she was praised by the gods who now regained their strength, how the Asuras opened their eyes only to learn that they had been cheated by Vi½³u who had appeared in the form of a damsel, how Vi½³u ordered the gods to drive away the Asuras by their might, how the Asuras who were defeated made the nether world their abode and how at the end of their churning mission, the god

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dismissed V¡suki after praising him, how they hailed lord Śiva and how they again crowned Indra the king of heaven.

The poet’s mastery over prose and poetry alike

The poet has exhibited his wide range of literary talents in delineating the story and describing various episodes with a touch of humor here and there. His command over prose comes out superbly in this work which has been divided in to 5 chapters called Ā¾v¡sas

When they saw the gem Kaustubha and the damsels, Apsarases, emerge from the ocean, the gods argued with each other about possessing them. These petty gods, and they are plenty of them, are heaven’s burden to say the least. When a frightening poison emerged, the gods ran hither and thither and the universe came to a halt. And then there appeared a God who, with these words – “Don’t panic” – took the lead. Let us praise him alone. (Verse 1.2)

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The following is a partial translation of a prose passage that describes Amar¡vat§, heaven’s capital –

There is a certain city called Amar¡vat§. It is the abode of Lord Indra whose lotus feet are worshipped by gods and demons alike. It is the place where gods live. It is home to many a wonder. It is a mine of gems and the very pinnacle of sensual pleasure. What more can we say? Even words cannot grasp it. Since it is situated in the sky which has no support whatsoever and since it has doors everywhere, there is no need to raise a foundation, no need to build a doorstep, no need to construct a dome and no need to dig a moat but still, so as to not abandon a tradition, they have built a wall around it. And within it is a palace called Vaijayanta which has neither a storey nor a staircase. It is peopled by those who can move about anywhere at will and have no reason to grow any food because the ambrosia which they drink fills their stomachs. Furthermore, since trees like the Mand¡ra can provide them with whatever jewels and clothes they aspire for, one needn’t sell or buy anything there and therefore the market places are just names.

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That’s all. Here one can see all those sages who while they lived on earth, had tortured their bodies by performing severe penances, freed their minds of desire, fear, anger and envy and who had no inclination for objects of sense. And where can you see them - with Apsarases of course. (Prose 1.2)

The short woks of N§laka³¿had§k½ita

Satirical and didactic poems -

Kalivi¢a¯bana

Literally translated as “A farce on the age of kali”, this century of verses, along with his other work, Sabh¡ra²jana¾ataka, are ample proof of the fact that N§laka³¿had§k½ita is a satirist par excellence. In this work, which explores the evil effects of the present epoch, Kaliyuga, the poet makes debaters, teachers, physicians, astrologers, rich men, relatives, money-lenders, backbiters, hypocrites, misers and even poets, the butt of sarcasm, humor and irony. All the 102 verses in this poem employ the simple Śloka or Anu½¿ubh meter, aptly suited for making witty comments. Some of these verses are translated below –

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There are five ways by which one could win a debate in the court – not being panicky, letting go of shame, ignoring the opponent, laughing loudly and praising the king. (2)

“It’s already time. Keep studying and things will become clearer in the future” – To those that teach their students in this manner, wherefore pain? (8)

If we are so dumb-witted that nothing at all can stimulate our minds, we shall try these options – practicing witchcraft, becoming yogis or renouncing the world. (10)

If someone wants to know how long he would live, the astrologer must always say that he will live a long life. Those who actually manage to live long will praise him. Those who die will not come back to argue. (16)

The physician should neither calm not frighten his patient excessively. In the former case, an absence of worry and in the latter case, an absence of hope, will make him not pay for the consultation. (24)

Those that employ their gift of poesy to the service of men with no merits are like those fools who even after procuring the wish-

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fulfilling cow of heaven use it for pulling a plough (38)

Even death waits for one’s life-span to end but the money-lender follows no rule as regards time. (51)

All that one needs to be able to give lectures on every subject, not care a bit for the learned and forget one’s past are a few pennies in the pocket (68)

The miser likes these the most – Among religious observances, a complete fast, among treatment methods, postponement of a meal and among ways of worshipping god, chanting. (75)

A guest who wants to stay long in the house of his host must get ready to leave every day but when just about to leave, he must return back and narrate the different bad omens he encountered on his way (81)

The creator has placed the hearts of wicked men in others’ defects, their ears in others’ talks and their speech in others’ secrets. (98)

Sabh¡ra²jana¾ataka

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Unlike the preceding work which is dominated by satire, this poem, “Entertaining the court”, is partly satirical and partly didactic. It has 105 verses in total, all composed again in the Śloka meter. The poet begins by describing how an ideal assembly of scholars should be. He then proceeds to praise (and in some cases make fun of) knowledge, poesy, sweet talk, liberality, courage, polity, fate, virtue, forgiveness, peace, morality, richness, family life and kinghood. Some of these verses are translated below –

There is this place where there are all kinds of people but no scholar whomsoever. Like a world without the sun, such a place means nothing to us. (2)

A king’s court is blind without scholars, dumb without poets and deaf without singers. (18)

Seen through the eyes of a poet, even the squint-eyed become lotus-eyed, misers become the wish-fulfilling trees of heaven and cowards become super heroes. (21)

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The strong befriends the strong but suppresses the week. A gale kindles the forest-fire but puts off the candle. (45)

If fate is not on your side, you will learn the scriptures, understand them and renounce the world, over and over, but still not attain final liberation. (61)

Though always on the move, time, like a whirlwind, appears to be stagnant but it can turn the world topsy-turvy in a moment. (66)

A best friend in matters of love, a teacher in imparting the knowledge of truth, a soldier in the battlefield and a minister in helping one acquire wealth – that’s what Dharma is. (81)

How can the scriptures, whose every word is ‘rich’ in meaning, forbid the acquisition of wealth? (88)

If you add a bit here and a bit there to the joy of an alert and wise householder then that’s what is the joy of heaven and if that’s enduring, you know you have attained liberation. (98)

Even able ministers cannot save a kingdom that has no king. Strong winds cannot bring

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back to life a body bereft of its vital breath. (101)

Poems on renunciation -

Vair¡gya¾ataka

This poem is a collection of 100 verses on the merits of renunciation, the unconditional love of realized souls, the impermanence of life, the importance of attaining peace, the shallowness of relationships, the transitory nature of materialistic pleasures, the utter foolishness of hankering after wealth, the havoc created by desires, women as obstacles in the path of realization, the illusiveness of heaven, the joy of liberation and the indispensability of Śiva’s grace for securing salvation. All the verses are composed in the Āry¡ meter. Some are translated below –

The kingdom of renunciation has wisdom for its minister, steadfastness for its army, desires for its enemies, tranquility for its treasury and the three worlds for its provinces. (2)

These are their last parents, this is their last wife and these are their last sons. But

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instead of loving them all the more for this, the wise renounce everything. How strange! (14)

In the above verse, the poet plays around the idea that the wise, having attained liberation, would no longer be born again. Therefore, this being their last birth, one would actually expect them to be attached all the more to their near and dear ones. But then, if they did attach themselves, they would neither qualify as wise nor attain liberation.

The ignorant are like playful children, unpredictably adamant and unpredictably pleased. But the wise, like loving parents, attend to them with patience. (18)

For its sake, the sinful man has committed sins all his life and when he is just about to die, the selfish family asks him thus – “Now who will take care of us?” (13)

If you hoard excess wealth, a king or thief will surely take it away. If you eat more, won’t you end up with vomiting or loose motions? (37)

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What use of actions when ignorance envelops knowledge? When darkness blinds the eye, can you see what’s there by opening the mouth? (69)

The more you move the tighter will the knot become. But stand still and the noose will eventually loosen (72)

People keep asking how this city is how that city is but none wants to know how the city of Death is? (75)

Enough of all those mothers and fathers I have had. But if I still must, let me have half a mother and half a father. (83)

In the above verse, the poet has expressed his desire for liberation from the cycle of birth and death through the grace of ardhanar§¾vara, an aspect of ¾iva, whose right half is male, Śiva himself and left half, female, his beloved P¡rvat§. And Śiva and P¡rvat§ are also the world’s parents.

Lucky are those men who worship many gods and therefore have no dearth of them. But my god is not even complete. (84)

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This verse again plays on the Ardhan¡r§¾vara aspect of Śiva that makes him incomplete.

“Let us never quarrel” – Thus decided Śiva and Parvat§ before merging in to a single form. But when I sought protection from them, each wanted to protect me first and a quarrel ensued! (95)

Ś¡ntivil¡sa

This is a short didactic poem in 51 verses, all written in the 17-syllable Mand¡kr¡nt¡ meter, that address the importance of Ś¡nti or tranquility of mind. By Ś¡nti is meant a state where the mind, though conscious, is in perfect rest as in Su½upti, deep sleep. The poem speaks of how even scholars, including the poet himself, have utterly failed to mature internally in spite of the myriad opportunities which life presented to them, of how the relationships which we hold close to over hearts are but mirages, of how scholars are forced to serve those in position for their daily needs, of how desires refuse to leave us, of the urgent need to realize the self, of the limits one must stick to while enjoying sensual pleasures, of the

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powerfulness of time, of the impermanence of heavenly pleasures and the importance of securing Lord Śiva’s grace to overcome the wheel of existence. Some of the poem’s verses are translated below -

If we know the king’s servants, we feel we have obtained a learned master. If we reach the palace-gates, we feel we have entered a holy grove. If we manage to see the king, we feel we have realized the Supreme Self and if we die working for the king, we feel that is liberation. (6)

All that skill which we acquired by serving the master since our childhood, never once losing interest in the Vedantic texts, has been reduced, night after night, to an entertainment that is aimed at making kings go to sleep amidst story-telling sessions. (8)

I can hear the conversation of Death’s messengers. I can also feel the noose tightening each moment around my neck. The vital airs, each wanting to leave the body first, are bidding me farewell. But the mind does not, even now, turn away from sense-objects. (10)

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“What has happened has happened and what has been lost has been lost, due either to childishness or fickle-mindedness. Now that I have decided I must not stay in this house even for a second, I must leave right away” – thus deciding firmly in their minds, some men leave their homes only to return back the very next moment to console their crying babies. (22)

I do not crave for the moon’s kingdom, Indra’s position or Brahma’s supremacy, what to speak of wanting to reach other worlds? If each of us starts desiring for the other’s position, where would those whom we want to displace end up? Therefore, O Śiva, I request you to grant me nothing else but my own pure joy. (49)

Hymns addressed to gods -

Ānandas¡garastava

This work, a hymn in praise of goddess M§n¡k½§, the presiding deity of Madurai in Tamilnadu, has 108 verses of exquisite lyrical beauty. Every verse, except the last one which is in the Ārya meter, is composed in the 14-syllable Vasantatilaka meter. While

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the first half of this poem is rich in devotional and philosophical content, the second half, from the 53rd verse onwards, describes the physical beauty of the goddess. Some of these verses are given below in translation –

Discouraged by the fact that I was so far removed from my Mother, and that I couldn’t manage to earn those few, but precious moments, when I could pour out my heart to her, I gave up trying. But then the waves of her side-glances were aroused by the gentle breeze of genuine kindness and I still cannot stop thinking of them. (1)

You can accept me or reject me, but I shall go around announcing that I am your servant and conquer the worlds with these words alone. And they shall also suffice to break the headgears of Death’s messengers. (6)

He that understands the supreme truth can obtain your grace and he that obtains your grace can understand the supreme truth. This, O daughter of the Himalayas, is the fallacy of mutual dependence. (12)

To the ears of those that cannot bear the pangs of Sa¯s¡ra even for a moment, the

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paths laid out by S¡¯khy¡ and other such philosophies never appeal. It is like asking someone who is overcome by severe hunger to eat after counting the grains of sand on the banks of Ga³g¡. (21)

I seek your guidance even to blink my eyes or take in a breath. Therefore even if I err in my actions, I cannot be blamed. The child eats what the mother provides it. So how can you hold it responsible for overeating? (38)

If you feel that I am a candidate for protection, please protect me. Why worry about the rights and wrongs which I have done? When you are free to create and destroy the universe, why cheat me by saying that you follow the dictates of karma? (42)

Your feet are as soft as the butter that was churned out from the ocean of ambrosia. That they are also red, I surmise, is because you have placed them on the stony hard Vedas. (54)

The victory over K¡ma was brought to effect by the eye in the forehead that belongs to both of you, Śiva and P¡rvat§. We have no

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contention even if Śiva usurps all that fame. But in the victory over Yama, the god of death, it was the left leg, which belongs to you, that was the cause. What has Śiva contributed to it? (56)

One must recollect here the Ardhan¡r§¾vara motif of Śiva, an idea which N§laka³¿had§k½ita often turns to.

The Goddess’s pearl necklace seems like a line formed by drops of milk oozing from her breasts when she looked at me, her prodigal son, with affection beyond measure. (72)

O Mother! This line of mascara drawn across your eyes looks like a line of mossy weed all along the ever flowing stream of kindness. (92)

Śivotkar½ama²jar§

This is a short poem in 52 verses, all set to the 19-syllable Ś¡rdÀlavikr§¢ita meter. It is in praise of Śiva and as can be made out from the title itself, aims at establishing his supremacy. The fourth line of every verse ends similarly with the words ‘sa sv¡m§ mama daivata¯ taditaro n¡mn¡pi n¡mn¡yat£’ that translates to ‘He is my master and Lord

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and I shall not address anyone else other than him even by his name”. One of these verses is given below in translation –

When one worships him by offering flowers, one is instantly liberated but K¡ma, who proceeded to hit him with those very flowers, was reduced to ashes. He is interested in his devotee’s feelings alone and not on things superficial. He is my master and Lord and I shall not address anyone else other than him even by his name. (2)

Gnomic verses -

Any¡pade¾a¾atakam

Verses that are written using the literary device of Any¡pade¾a are quite popular in Sanskrit and form a genre by themselves. These are verses that are apparently addressed to someone at hand but are meant for somebody else altogether. To give an example, a verse that speaks of sandalwood trees as harboring snakes could actually be about kings who offer shelter to the wicked. The present work has 101 verses, all in the 19-syllable Ś¡rdÀlavikr§¢ita

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meter. The translations of some of these verses are given below –

A crow flew across the directions and searched every forest before zeroing on this place. It then brought twigs, one at a time, by catching them in between its beaks. And at last, when it had just then completed building a nest on the tree and was about to sit on it, a wildfire broke out in the forest. (5)

When clouds, without expecting any help in return and without waiting to be solicited, wet the earth with their waters, all beings get a fresh lease of life. But what pierces my heart is that this astrologer keeps bragging about how he had predicted the rain and walks around as if he has purchased the world. (7)

Crow, my dear friend! Why do you waste your time roaming around in this manner? Become a swan and freely savor lotus-stalks in any pond you like. What makeover do you need? - Just a bit of whiteness. That’s all. If people will argue about you not being a swan, you can refer them to me and I will take your brunt. (12)

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We worship Ga³e¾a but continue to kill rats. We meditate on Bhairava but drive away dogs. We praise Śiva but exorcise ghosts. One’s virtues cannot hide another’s vices. (26)

The winter must end and the mangoes must put forth their shoots. The cuckoo will then eat them and sing the Pa²cama note. On the contrary, you, dear crow, are not like the cuckoo. Since you are free, none dare tell you what is your season, what sound you must make or what you must eat. (48)

Miscellaneous works of N§laka³¿had§kh¾ita

Mukundavil¡sa –

This work, a Mah¡k¡vya on the life and exploits of K»½³a, unfortunately stops at the 15th verse of the 4th Sarga. The first Sarga describes the pitiable plight of Mother Earth who approaches Brahma for help and is then accosted by him to Vi½³u. The Lord promises to incarnate for her sake. The second Sarga starts with a description of the city of Mathur¡. The imprisonment of Devak§ and Vasudeva by Ka¯sa after he hears an oracle

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that the eighth child of Devak§ would kill him, the killing of the first six children by Ka¯sa, the seventh child who transforms in to Yogam¡y¡ when flung by Ka¯sa informing him that his killer was already born elsewhere form the remaining subject-matter of this canto. The third and fourth Sargas describe the birth of K»½³a and his childhood pranks.

Śivatattvarahasya –

This work comments on the 108 names of Śiva as enumerated in a section of the Skandapur¡³a called the Śankarasa¯hit¡.

Ca³¢§rahasya –

Written in the 14-syllable Vasantatilaka meter, this short poem in 36 verses describes the various exploits of Ca³¢§ and also contains a description of the goddess’s physical beauty.

Raghuv§rastava –

Composed in the Vasantatilaka meter, this short poem of 33 verses praises R¡ma by alluding to various episodes in his life.

Gurutattvam¡lik¡ -

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In this work, N§laka³¿had§k½ita has praised his guru, G§rv¡³endrasarasvat§ in 28 verses of which the first 27 verses allude to the 27 asterisms.

Saubh¡gyacandr¡tapa – This is a work that deals with the Ś¡kta doctrine and tries to establish the superiority of Śakti.

Kaiyya¿avy¡khy¡na –

Also called Prak¡¾a, this work, which is available only in parts, is a commentary on Kaiyya¿a’s gloss to the grammatical work, Mah¡bh¡½ya, of Pata²jali.

A few memorable quotes from N§laka³¿had§k½ita

1) an¡yatapr¡³amasa¯yat¡k½amabrahmacary¡na¾an¡dikhedam | citta¯ mahe¾e nibh»ta¯ vidh¡tu¯ siddha¦ kav§n¡¯ kavitaiva yoga¦ || (Śival§l¡r³ava, 1.26)

A poet need neither restrain his breath nor fix his gaze. He need neither practice celibacy nor suffer the consequences of fasting and the like.

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Writing poetry for him is the easiest form of yoga to fix his heart on Śiva.

2) kv¡rth¡¦ kva ¾abd¡¦ kva ras¡¦ kva bh¡v¡¦ kva vya±gyabhed¡¦ kva ca v¡kyar§ti¦ | kiyatsu d»½¿i¦ kavin¡ na dey¡ kimasti r¡j²¡miyat§ha cint¡ || (Śival§l¡r³ava, 1.30)

Sense, sound, sentiments, suggestion, style and many more must a poet keep his eye on while composing poetry. Does even a king have worries such as this?

3) bh¡rat§½u kav§ndr¡³¡¯ y¡vat§ sukum¡rat¡ | t¡vat§ k¡vyamarmaj²asammardaikasahi¾¦³ut¡ || (Ga±g¡vatarana, 1.13)

Though she is soft, the poet’s muse will still not yield to the critic’s squeeze

4) ¡maye yamake j¡gratyapam»tyau ca du½kavau |

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v¡³i pr¡³i½I tanmanye vajre³aiv¡si nirmit¡ || (Ga±g¡vatarana, 1.30)

That you still breathe, O Sarasvat§, when the illness of verbal jugglery has you in its grip and the untimely death in the form of the bad poet is not far behind, proves that you are adamantine.

5) sphuli±g¡ iva sa¯sk¡r¡scint¡k½obhaistanÀk»t¡¦ |udbµdhyam¡n¡ yatnena nodbudhyante katha²cana || (Nalacaritra, 1.41)

Impressions from the past that fade due mental agitation are like dying sparks. Try as you may to kindle them, they simply will not be kindled.

6) an¡locya nij¡¯ ¾aktimad»½¿v¡ k¡ryag¡dhat¡m | autsuky¡davag¡hante mand¡ majjanti c¡talam || (N§laka³¿havijayacampÀ, 3.4)

The foolish man neither contemplates on how capable he is nor examines

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the profoundness of a job at hand. He jumps in to it with excitement and drowns completely.

7) paracchidre½u h»daya¯ parav¡rt¡su ca ¾rava¦ | paramarmasu v¡ca¯ ca khal¡namas»jadvidhi¦ || (Kalivi¢ambana, 98)

The creator has placed the hearts of wicked men in others’ defects, their ears in others’ talks and their speech in others’ secrets.

8) santva¾v¡¦ santu m¡ta±g¡¦ santu yodh¡¦ sahasra¾ah | narendr¡³¡¯ vi¾e½e³a na vin¡ kavin¡ ya¾ah || (Sabh¡ra²jana¾ataka, 20)

Kings may possess horses, elephants or soldiers in thousands but if there is no poet, they will gain no fame.

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9) arth¡n¡madhik¡n¡m r¡j²¡ core³a v¡ dhruvo n¡½a¦ | anne khalvatibhukte vamana¯ v¡ sy¡dvireko v¡ || (Vair¡gya¾ataka, 27)

If you hoard excess wealth, a king or thief will surely take it away. If you eat more, won’t you end up with vomiting or loose motions?

10) n¡ha¯ y¡ce padamu¢upatern¡dhik¡ra¯ maghonµn¡pi br¡hm§¯ bhuvanagurut¡¯ k¡ kath¡nyaprapa²ce |anyasy¡nya¦ ¾riyamabhila½annastu kastasya lokomahya¯ ¾ambhµ di¾a mas»³ita¯ m¡mak¡nandam£va || (Ś¡ntivil¡sa, 49)

I do not crave for the moon’s kingdom, Indra’s position or Brahma’s supremacy, what to speak of wanting to reach other worlds? If each of us starts desiring for the other’s position, where would those whom we want to

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displace end up? Therefore, O Śiva, I request you to grant me nothing else but my own pure joy.

Bibliography

Ganesh, R. (1997). Neelakanta Deekshitana Shatakatraya. Bangalore: Abhijnana.

Unni, N.P. (1995). Nilakantha Diksita. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi

Upadhayay, D. (Ed.) (2001). Śival§l¡r³ava of Śr§ N§laka³¿ha D§k½ita. Varanasi: Sampurnanand Sanskrit University

Sastri, K. (Ed) (1916). The Ga±g¡vatara³a of N§laka³¿ha D§k½it. Bombay: Kavyamala

Sastri, S. (Ed) (1987). Nalcharitram of Neel Kantha Diksit. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Sanskrit Sansthan.

Sastri, S. R. (Ed) (1972). Nilakanthavijaya Campu. Madras: Sanskrit Education Society.

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Rao, Nagaraja, H.V. (Commentary) (1999). Anandasagarastava. Mysore: Sudharma Prakashana.

N§laka³¿had§k½ita. (1890). Anyapadesasataka. Bombay: Kavyamala

N§laka³¿had§k½ita. (1890). Santivilasa. Bombay: Kavyamala