Kumrasabhava

Sarga 1
Grammatical Notes
Narsing Rao
November, 2015

Email: narsingrao@outlook.com

Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 2
Prvat ............................................................................................................................................. 2

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Introduction
Sat, the daughter of Daka, and in her previous life the wife of iva was born as the daughter,
named Prvat, of the mountain Himlaya and Men. On attaining youth, she was sent by her
father on the advice of the sage Narad, to attend on iva, who was practicing penance on one
of the Himlayan peaks.

Dain gave the following guideline on how to begin a Kvya:

.
In this case, Klidsa begins with (indication of subject matter). Recall that the
Raghuvaa began with

Prvat

.

In the northern direction there is the divine king of mountains called the Himlaya, which

stands like the beam of a balance spanning (having entered) the eastern and western oceans.

()

()

()
, + , should be dropped by (). However, there is an
exception in this case by () which makes the elision of

optional only in the case of insentient beings. Since a mountain is insentient, both forms are
valid: and However, when referring to a person, the form must be (one who
does not move).
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But if a mountain is insentient, how can one consider it to be a human for the purpose of a
narrative? That is why Klidsa uses the qualifier [ ( )],
one whose self is of the nature of a god. Mallintha clarifies the purpose of this appellation:
by this we can consider

him capable of participating in activities such as marriage, birth of a daughter etc. that will be
described

= + + [by ()]
= + + [by ()] =

is actually [ + + ] (having fathomed) with the elided following

the opinion of the grammarian Bhguri:

||
In the opinion of Bhguri, the of the upasargas and is dropped, and also can be
added to prtipadikas that end with a consonant () [Pini does not have a rule that
affixes to derive feminine forms of substantives ending in consonants]

Using this rule, the following forms are equivalent: (, ), (, )

Similarly the following feminine forms are valid: + = , + = , +

=
Verses 2 through 17 that follow are descriptions of the Himlaya.

.
()

From whom all the mountains, considering to be a calf, while Meru the expert milkman stood
by, extracted from the earth, under the direction of Pthu, brilliant gemstones and valuable

medicinal herbs. [The analogy is this: the gems and herbs on the Himlayas are considered as

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if extracted from the earth by the mountains, just as one extracts milk from a cow for the
purpose of the calf].
(), this compound is formed using:
() [+ (), ()]
Words meaning at an earlier time and the words , , , , , and are
compounded with another subanta provided they are in the same case. Examples from the
, , , , ,
while Meru the expert milkman was present. Here the action of
milking (
) is conditional on another action (the presence of Meru). An action which
indicates another action is represented in the locative () using:

() [+ (), ()]
An action the performance of which indicates another action must be used in the seventh case.
This usage is analogous to the English construction on Meru the expert milkman being
present

the verb (to milk, to extract) is which means that it has two objects that
which is extracted (in this case, gems and herbs), and that from which is extracted (in this

case, the earth, ); both of these objects will therefore be in The list of roots that
have two objects is given by:

[ on ()]
Examples: he milks the cow, he begs Bali for the earth

.

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Snow could not be a destroyer of the fortune of him who is the source of unlimited gems; for a
single blemish is hidden (drowned) in a host of virtues, like a mark on the moon (by its rays).
() destroys fortune
= = + [by ()]. In this case
there is by:

() [+ () and others]
In the case of compound words ending in , , and , the first vowel of both padas is
substituted by vddhi. Using this rule, + =

.

Who bears on his peaks (coloured) ores, which give various colours reflected on scattered
clouds, thereby appearing like an untimely twilight which causes the heavenly nymphs to

complete their amorous adornments. [The implication is that even though it is not evening, the
light reflected from the ore deposits on scattered clouds make it look like evening, thereby

prompting the apsaras to hurry to decorate themselves in preparation for the enjoyments at
night].
scattering of clouds that are coloured (by the light reflected by the
ores), here the word meaning cloud is irregularly formed from
carrier of the waters, using () which says that words such as

derived from = + = requires elision of Similarly

+ becomes by replacing by and by The types of transformations
generally valid for such irregular formations is summarized in the following verse:

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Etymology () requires the following five types of operations: 1) Insertion of an

additional vara, 2) Interchange of varas, 3) Modification of a vara, 4) Elision of a vara,
and 5) Attribution of a meaning to a verbal root beyond its normally accepted meaning
Examples: 1) = + = (insertion of ), 2) + = (interchange of
and ), 3) as seen above, 4) as seen above, 5) derived using

+ (to cry out) + , where is replaced by , the final is elided, and the meaning
of the root is taken as to sport

.


To whose peaks Siddhas repair when troubled by showers after having enjoyed the shadows
cast by the clouds, moving around the girdle of the mountain, below the peaks. [The clouds

girdle the mountain up to the middle. Therefore the region below the clouds is shady but also

prone to rain. When it rains the Siddhas repair to the peak which is perpetually exposed to the
sun].

up to and including the girdle (middle) of the mountain. This compound is formed
using the rule:

() [+ () , ()]

The word signifying the exclusive limit ( ) or inclusive limit (

) is optionally compounded with a word in the fifth case resulting in an avyaybhva
compound.

nominative plural in the neuter gender of (with sunshine), qualifies

.

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Where Kirtas track the path of lions, from whom blood stains have been washed off by snow
melt, that have killed elephants, by pearls dropped from the cavities of their claws, not having
seen their pug marks. [It was believed that pearls were also found in cavities of elephants]
(snowmelt),

(washed away by snowmelt), ( ) from whom blood stains

have been washed off by snow melt

.

Where the barks of birch trees, having characters written on them with

mineral fluid, resembling red spots on the bodies of elephants, serve the
purpose of writing love letters for Vidydhara damsels.
Note the similarity between and birch. On the right are pictures of
the bark of the tree and a manuscript written on birch bark.

Betula utilis (Himalayan birch, ) is a birch tree native to the Himalayas,

growing at elevations up to 4,500 m (14,800 ft). The white, paper-like bark of
the tree was used in ancient times for writing Sanskrit scriptures and texts.
The thin, papery bark is very shiny, reddish brown, reddish white, or white,
with horizontal pores. The bark peels off in broad, horizontal belts, making it
very usable for creating even large pages for texts.
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betula_utilis )

.

Who seemingly wishes to improvise (using ) the high pitched singing of the Kinnaras by
filling the holes of bamboos with wind rising from the mouths of caves.

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 , rising from the mouth of a cave; the word

meaning rising up is derived as follow: + + [by () = +
+ [by ()] = + + + [by ()]
= + [by ()] = [by ()]

.

Where the odour from the milky juice flowing from the cedar trees, rubbed against by
elephants seeking to remove the itching in their temples, makes the peaks fragrant.
+ + + [by (),
()] makes fragrant

.

Where fluorescent herbs which shed their light in the interior of caves, serve, at night, as

lamps, which do not require oil, at the time of amorous sports of forest dwellers accompanied
by beautiful women.
(), ,
( )
+ + [by ()] =
, [derivation similar to in 1.1].
(dwells in the forest) (+) + + [by ()], (no
elision of case ending) by (). indicates that in some cases the
elision does happen, as in

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.


Where the Avamukh (Kinnara) women, bowed down by the weight of their hips and full
breasts, do not abandon their slow gait even on paths on which the snow has solidified,
causing frostbite to the fingers and heels.
: (agonized) is derived using + +
using () which replaces + by rather than as would
normally be the case.
+ ( ) + +

.

Who protects from the sun, darkness, as if afraid of daylight, which has resorted to its caves;

indeed high-minded people display affection even to lowly supplicants who have taken refuge
in them.
from the sun; , being the source of fear, becomes by
(). It is in the fifth case by ()
(maker of the day, i.e. sun) is derived as + + using
-------- ----------- ----- ()

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.

Whose title King of mountains is made purposeful by the yaks by (fanning him) with their

hairy fan-tails, white as moonlight, spreading their glow all around by the movements of their
tails.
(),
[compounding of an object with the one it is compared to is done by
()],

.

Where clouds that have arrived by chance at the entrance of caverns which are dwelling

places serve as screens for the Kinnara women abashed at their garments being snatched
away.
, ,
,
- , ,
those which are hanging around the entrances of the caves which are also dwelling places
nominative plural of (curtain, screen)
( ..), derived as that by which something is
kept away, separated + + by (); however
this particular form is an irregular formation because there is instead of (because of
); but note Furthermore, Visarjanya is substituted by by
(), otherwise it would have been substituted by , being followed by

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.

Whose breezes, bearing the spray from the waterfalls of the Ganges, constantly shaking the

Deodar trees, and separating the plumage of peacocks is enjoyed by the Kirtas stalking deer.
by (the Kirtas) stalking deer - (
..) to look for, seek, hunt, stalk

.

Whose lotuses, growing in lakes at a high altitude, which are left after being collected by the
seven sages, are made to blossom by the sun moving at a lower level with its rays shooting
upwards.

growing in lakes at high altitudes, ,

derived as + = [by ()]

.

On knowing whom as the source in providing materials (such as Soma, wood, fuel etc.) for
sacrifices and his capability in holding the earth, Prajpati himself conferred on him
sovereignty of the mountains as well as a share in the sacrificial offerings.
, ,
, is derived as + [by
()]
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.


He, the friend of Meru and upright, married, according to proper rites, Mena, the mind-born
daughter of the ancestors, honoured by the sages, and matched to him in every way.
married; the root is normally parasmaipada, giving the form in as
However, tmanepada is ordained by () giving the form
Here means making ones own, i.e. marrying. However, if this sense is not
intended, then has parasmaipada to be used, for example, as in
which would mean Devadatta has an affair with Yajadattas wife

.

In course of time, on their mutual enjoyment of amorous pleasures appropriate to their
respective allure, the consort of the lord of mountains, possessed of charming youth,
conceived a child.

.

She gave birth to Mainka, worthy of marrying Nga damsels, the one who befriended the
ocean, and who was unfamiliar with the experience of pain caused by the wounds made by the

thunderbolt even when the enemy of Vtra and the cleaver of wings (of the mountains) (Indra)
was enraged.
Note: This has a reference to a legend in which Indra clipped the wings of mountains to
prevent them from moving from place to place. Although the idea of mountains having wings
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may seem strange, it is quite possible that it is rooted in the observation of geological
phenomena over a long period of time by successive generations of people, or geological
upheavals.
one who did not know the experience of pain, derived using
+ + using (); compounding by ()

locative of derived as + + using -------- ()

Mallintha quotes a verse to justify why Menaka had to have a son:


.

Subsequently Sat, the daughter of Daka and the former wife of Bhava (iva), who, driven by
insult, abandoned her body by the power of Yoga, resorted to the Mountains consort (Mena)
so that she could be reborn.
Note: The first occurrence of is the name of a person while the second is the feminine
form of meaning she who was such

.


She (Sat), the auspicious one, was born to her, who was always disciplined, by the lord of the
mountains, just as prosperity is produced by measures that are properly applied, not failing,
and accompanied by enthusiasm.
was born to, past causal passive form ( ), derived as follows:
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 + + + = + + + + + = + + + + + =
[by ()] = + + + + [by ()] =
+ + + = [by ()] =

.

The day of her birth became one in which there was happiness in all directions, winds blowing
without dust, blowing of conches followed by showers of flowers, and happiness for all
embodied beings, both movable and immovable.
of movable () and immovable (); is
derived as + using () [Other words derived using this
rule are: , , , ].

.

The mother (Mena), in the company of her daughter who was endowed with a lustrous halo,
shone exceedingly brightly just as the region of the Vidra mountain by beams of light from
gems split by newly formed thundering clouds.
+ ( ) + = or because of optional gama of
by ().
Note: Vidra is the name of a mountain in Sri Lanka where Blue sapphires (Lapis Lazuli)
come from. The gem itself is called
derived as + using the rule

(). See the Mahbhya for more discussion on this, the point being that the gems
actually originate from but are only polished at Vidra. If so, should be applied
to and not to | However, this can be justified on the grounds that is well
known whereas is not; so for all practical purposes, the source is

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.


From her birth onwards, as the days rolled by, she, who was growing up, developed an
increasingly beautiful lustre in her limbs just as the crescent of the moon increases every night
by the addition of digits caused by more and more light.
day by day, repetition of the word by () to indicate that
something keeps repeating.
Mallintha says that this is an example of Vkyopama and quotes Dain:

.

When the meaning of one sentence is compared to that of another, then this type of simile is
called Vkyrthopama. It is of two types, depending on whether the word iva (indicating
comparison) is used once or more than once.

Her relatives, who were fond of her, called her by the ancestral name of Prvat; later the
beautiful one came to be known as Um when forbidden by her mother to do penance with the
words (dear, do not).
is explained by the Kik in the commentary on ():
the word

abhijana means ancestors as well as, by implication, the place where the ancestors lived.
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 = + [by ()] + [by ()]

= () +
In the construction , becomes by () the
object from which prohibition is desired is designated as apdna.

.


The sight of the king, who had a son and daughter, was not satisfied even though it rested on
his child; indeed a row of bees is most attached to a mango blossom even though there is an
endless availability of flowers during spring.
()
when the words and are compounded respectively with and then only the
first one remains. Therefore means having sons and daughters

here the word which normally means a mango tree, actually means a mango
blossom, derived as follows: is affixed with the appropriate pratyaya by

() to designate a part of the tree (such as a leaf, branch, or flower).

However this pratyaya is elided by () on ().

.


He was purified and embellished by her, just as a lamp by a vigorous flame, the path to
heaven by the three-coursed river (Ganges,), or the wise by refined speech.
one who possesses wisdom (). = = + = () +
() = by () on ()
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.

During her childhood, she (Prvat), surrounded by her friends, enjoyed playing with dolls,
balls, and mounds of sand on the banks of the Mandkin.

artificial dolls made from cloth etc. (artificial) is derived as follows:

() () + () + () by () and (). is derived
as + by (). Here has the sense of the diminutive. Also:
( ..)

.

At the time of her education, knowledge acquired in her past lives came to her, who retained
what was learnt, just as a row of swans to the Ganges during autumn, or inherent
luminescence to herbs during the night.

( ) to one whose learning is retained

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