॥ अथ तृतीयाङ्कादौ विष्कम्भः ॥ ॥ ततः प्रविशति कुशानादाय यजमानशिष्यः ॥ शिष्यः । अहो महाप्रभावी राजा दुष्यन्तः । येन प्रविष्टमात्र एवाश्रमं तत्रभवति निरुपप्लवानि नः कर्मणि संवृत्तानि । का कथा वाणसन्धाने ज्याशब्देनैव दूरतः । हुङ्कारेणेव धनुषः स हि विघ्नानं पोहति ॥ ५३ ॥ 1 A pupil of the sacrificing-(Brahman) bearing Kusa grass.' Yajamāna=yajvan, 'a sacrificer,' 'priest' (see Raghu-vansa xviii. 11). In Telugu it has acquired the sense of 'master.' Cf. tatah praviśato Bharata śishyau, Vikram., Act III. Some read yajamānaḥ śishyaḥ. The translation would then be, a pupil occupied about a sacrifice.' The pupil, or religious student, certainly, did not officiate himself. śishya, in fact, denotes a Brahmaćārin, or young Brāhman in that state of pupilage through which every Brahman had to pass, living in the house of his preceptor, who, in return for instruction given, required his assistance in various menial offices, in collecting materials for sacrifice, and in asking alms. ‘Let the student carry water-pots, flowers, cow-dung, fresh earth, and Kuśa grass, as much as may be useful to his preceptor; let him bring wood for the oblation to fire; let him go begging through the whole district,' &c. (Manu ii. 176, &c.) Kusa, see p. 19, n. 1. 2 Since on his Highness having merely entered the hermitage, our rites have become free from molestation.' So read the oldest MSS. supported by K.; others pravishta evāśramam tatra bhavati, &c. s 'What mention of fitting the arrow (to the bow)? for by the mere sound of the bow-string from afar, as if by the roar of the bow, he dispels the obstacles.' Kā kathā, ' what account ?' i. e. what necessity for fitting Verse 53. SLOKA OF ANUSHTUBH. See verses 5, 6, 11, 12, 26, 47, 50, 51. यावदिमान्वेदिसंस्तरणार्थं दर्भानृत्विंग्भ्य उपहरामि । ॥ परिक्रम्यावलोक्य च । आकाशे ॥ प्रियंवदे । कस्येदमुशीरानुलेपनं मृणालवन्ति च नलिनीपत्त्राणि नीयन्ते । ॥ श्रुतिमभिनीय ॥ किं ब्रवीषि । आतपलङ्घनाबलवदस्वस्था शकुन्तला । the arrow the expulsion of the demons who impede our rites is effected by the mere twanging of the bow, without the use of the arrow (śara-sandhānam antareṇa, S.), in the same manner as a threatening roar often suffices to scare those who hear it. Cf. pratiśabdo hi harer hinasti nāgān, Vikram., Act I. Hunkāra is the roar of any fierce animal. The use of iva shews that the figure by which the sound of the bow is thus designated is Utprekshā, see Indian Wisdom, p. 454. So Bhaṭṭi-k. (x. 44), in giving an example of this figure, describes a mountain as stretching out, as it were, a huge body between heaven and earth to protect the land from the inroads of the sea. 1 For strewing on the altar,' or 'on the ground near it,' see p, 19, n. I. 2 Ritvij, a priest,' especially 'an officiating priest,' lit. 'one who sacrifices at the prescribed time,' from ritu, 'a season,' and ij=yaj, ‘to sacrifice.' An-ritvig yajnam na gaććhet, 'one ought not to go to (perform) a sacrifice unattended by an officiating Brahman.' See Manu iv. 57, ii. 143. 3 'In the air,' i. e. speaking in the air. This is an example of ākāśabhāshitam or ākāśa-vākyam, which is defined by S. to be dura-sthabhashanam, 'speech at a distance,' or aśarīram nivedanam, 'bodiless. statement;' and by K. as apravishṭaiḥ saha ālāpaḥ, 'conversation with (characters) not on the stage.' It is, in fact, a speech addressed to some person outside or off the stage, the actor at the same time fixing his eyes in the air, or on some object only visible to himself. Hence in K. ākāśe is followed by the words laksham or lakshyam baddhvā, 'fixing his gaze.' Cf. ākāśa-baddha-lakshaḥ, Vikram., Act IV; Mudrā-r. p. 6, l. 19; p. 31, The answer which is supposed to be given is also ākāśa-bhāshitam, and is not heard by the audience. The actor on the stage pretending to listen (śrutim abhinīya) repeats the imaginary reply, always introducing it with the words kim bravishi, Sahit.-d. p. 177. 4 For whom are brought this Uśīra-ointment and lotus-leaves, with fibres attached?' Usira virana-kanda, 'the root of Virana,' a fragrant grass (Andropogon Muricatum) with which a cooling ointment was made. Mrinala visa, 'the fibres of the stalk of the lotus.' तस्याः शरीरनिर्वाणायेति । प्रियंवदे यत्नादुपचर्यताम् । सा हि तत्रभवतः कुलपतेरुच्छूसितम् । अहमपि तावहैतानिकं शान्त्युदकमस्यै गौतमीहस्ते विसर्जयिष्यामि । ॥ इति निष्क्रान्तः ॥ 1 'Sakuntala is excessively indisposed, from injury inflicted by the heat [from a sun-stroke]; is it for the cooling of her body that you say (they are brought)?' Langhanāt=āghātāt, K.;=abhibhavāt, S.;= paribhavat, C. Root langh means 'to leap over,' 'overstep,' 'transgress,' 'to inflict an injury,' 'insult.' Nirvāpaṇa, 'a refrigerant remedy,' from the causal of nir-vā, 'to refresh,' 'cool;' cf. nirvāpayitā, ver. 65. 2 'Let her be nursed with care; for she is the (very) breath of his reverence (Kaṇva), the head of (our) society. I also will just deliver into the hands of Gautami for her the soothing water consecrated in the sacrifice.' Upacar, 'to attend on a patient,' 'administer remedies,' &c. Uććhvasitam=prāṇāḥ, ‘breath ;'=jīvanam, ‘life,' i. e. as precious as his own life. Cf. Lam. iv. 20, 'The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken,' &c.; also Kumāra-s. vii. 4. Vaitānika=vitānākhyayāga-sambandhin, 'belonging to the sacrifice called vitāna,'' sacred,' 'holy.' See Indian Wisdom, p. 197. Vitana is also 'the sacrificial hearth on which the sacred fire was kept.' The sānty-udaka may have been a kind of holy water, like the 'eau bénite' of the Roman Catholics. Gautami, the name of the sister of Kaṇva, K. 3 The Vishkambha or Vishkambhaka, according to the Sahitya-darpaṇa and Kāṭavema's commentary on the opening speech of Act II. of this play, is an introductory monologue or dialogue, so called from its concisely compressing (vi-shkambh) into a short space an account of those subordinate parts of the plot not enacted before the audience, a knowledge of which is essential to the comprehending of the action of the remainder of the play (vritta-vartishyamāṇānām kathāṇśānāṁ nidarśakaḥ, sankshiptārthas tu vishkambhaḥ, Sahit-d. p. 146; see also p. 62, n. 2 of this play). The Vishkambha may occur at the beginning of any of the Acts, even of the First, immediately after the Prastāvanā (ādāv ankasya darsitaḥ). It may be spoken by two out of the three sets of characters into which the dramatis personæ of an Indian play are divided, viz. the inferior (nīća), who speak Prākṛit anudāttoktya, 'in the low tone;' and the middling ॥ अथ तृतीयोऽङ्कः ॥ ॥ ततः प्रविशति समदनावस्थो राजा ॥ XISIT ॥ सचिन्तं निःश्वस्य ॥ जाने तपसो वीर्य सा बाला परवतीति मे विदितम् । न च निम्नादिव सलिलं निवर्तते मे ततो हृद॑यम् ॥५४॥ (madhya, madhyama), who speak Sanskṛit udāttoktyā, ‘in the high tone;' but not by the chief (pradhāna), such as the hero, &c. Again, it may be spoken by one character in the form of a soliloquy, or by two in the form of a dialogue; and either by characters of the middle class only, when it is called śuddha, 'pure;' or by those of the middle and lower combined, when it is called miśra or sankirna, mixed' (madhyena madhyamābhyām vā pātrābhyām samprayojitaḥ śuddhaḥ syāt tu sankīrņo nićamadhyama-kalpitaḥ). Sometimes the characters are exclusively those of the inferior class, who speak Prākṛit; sometimes more than two appear on the stage at once, in which cases it is properly called Praveśaka, though these terms are regarded as identical by the MSS. and commentators (vishkambha eva suvyaktaiḥ praveśaka iti smritaḥ, K.; pravesaka eva vishkambhakaḥ, S.) The Sahit.-d. restricts the former title still further by applying it to an interlude only (praveśako 'nudāttoktyā nīćapātra-prayojitaḥ, anka-dvayāntar vijneyaḥ śesham vishkambhake yathā). In Vikram., Act V, the opening soliloquy is styled Praveśaka both in the MSS. and in the Calcutta edition. According to the Sahit-d. the present monologue is a Suddha-vishkambha. In the Beng. MSS. it is termed a Praveśaka. 1 'I know the potency of penance; it is (also) known to me that that maiden is subject to another [is in a state of tutelage]. But as water does not turn back from the valley, (neither) does my heart from that (Sakuntalā);' i. e. I know that if I attempt to carry her off by force or by stealth, the power acquired by penance is such, that the Rishi will effect my destruction by a curse, &c. (śāpādinā nāśam vidhäsyati, S.) Nimnād, भगवन्कुसुमायुध । त्वया चन्द्रमसा च विश्वसनीयाभ्यामतिसन्धीयते कामिजनसार्थः । कुतः । तव कुसुमशरत्वं शीतरश्मित्वमिन्दोईयमिदमयथार्थ दृश्यते मधेषु । fayafa fgunuzfafarçŵy® स्त्वमपि कुसुमवाणान्वज्रसारीकरोषि ॥ ५५ ॥ scil. deśāt, 'from low land,' see Hitop. 1. 2651. The Deva-n. MSS., unsupported by the commentators, substitute the following for the second line of the above verse, Alam asmi tato hridayam tathāpi nedam nivartayitum, 'nevertheless, I am not able to turn back this heart from that (damsel).' 1 'O divine flower-armed (god), by thee and by the moon, who (seem) to be worthy of confidence, the whole company of lovers is deceived. Why so? [because] of thee, (there is said to be) the property of having flowers for arrows, of the moon the property of having cold beams; both these (properties) are observed to be untrue in such as me; (for) the moon emits fire with rays charged with cold; thou also makest (thy) flower-arrows hard as adamant.' The Hindu Cupid or Kama-deva, 'god of love,' is the son of Vishnu or Krishna by Lakshmi, who is then called Māyā or Rukmiņi. He is armed with a bow made of sugar-cane, the string consisting of bees, and with five flower-tipped arrows (whence his name Panća-vāṇa) which pierce the heart through the five senses. The names of the five arrows (according to Bharata, cited by S.) are—1. Harshana, Gladdener;' 2. Prahasana, 'Exhilarator;' 3. Mohana, 'Fascinator;' 4. Murchana, 'Sense-destroyer;' 5. Vikarshana, 'Distractor.' According to K. the names of the five flowers which point these arrows, and may be supposed to possess properties similar to those implied in the names of the arrows themselves, are―1. Aravinda, a kind of lotus; 2. Aśoka; 3. Śirisha; 4. Ćuta or Amra, i. e. the mango; 5. Utpala or blue lotus. But according to Sir W. Jones [Hymn to Kama-deva] they are-1. Campaka; 2. Ćuta or Amra; 3. Kesara or Nāga-kesara; 4. Ketaka; 5. Vilva or Bilva. In both lists the Ćuta occurs. This is certainly the favourite flower of the god (cf. the frequent allusions to it Verse 55. MALINI or MANINĪ (a variety of ATI-ŠAKVARĪ). See verses 10, 19, 20, 38. |