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My Research Article On Oriya Epic Poem Tapasvini
My Research Article On Oriya Epic Poem Tapasvini
My Research Article On Oriya Epic Poem Tapasvini
Updated :
This article in revised form has been included as an Introductory in the Book
ISBN : 81-87661-63-1.
*
Book Ref :
http://hkmeher.blogspot.com/2009/08/english-version-book-of-oriya-tapasvini.html
Literary Appreciation Ref :
http://www.museindia.com/focuscontent.asp?issid=34&id=2292
Revised Article Link :
http://tapasvini-kavya.blogspot.com/2011/10/english-tapasvini-kavya-tapasvini.html
=======
Tapasvinī, an eleven-canto Oriya epic poem, is the magnum opus of this great poet. With
the prevailing sentiment of Pathos, this kāvya depicts the post-banishment episode of Sītā
in the hermitage of Sage Vālmīki. In this Rāmāyana-based literary composition, the
poetic presentation is well-embellished with originality and significant innovations. Like
Kālidāsa in Sanskrit and William Wordsworth in English, Gańgādhara Meher is regarded
as ‘Prakriti-Kavi’, Poet of Nature, in Oriya literature.
This epic poem reveals the ambition of the poet to portray the brilliant character of a
devoted wife steeped in Indian culture in the domain of literature. With vivid and
prominent delineation of Sītā’s life-deeds,Tapasvinī kāvya may be construed as a
‘Sītāyana’ in the field of Indian Literature.
In the present article, endeavours have been made to elucidate the significance of
Tapasvinī and some salient features of this literary work are being discussed here in a
comparative perspective.]
INTRODUCTION :
‘Tapasvinī’ is regarded as the best creation of Gańgādhara. For wide popularization and
comparative correspondence, the author of the present article has completely translated
‘Tapasvinī’ into Hindi, English and Sanskrit. From among those tri-lingual translations,
Sambalpur University, Jyoti Vihar, Burla, Orissa, has published the Hindi Rendering in
2000. The passages of Tapasvinī quoted in this article have been taken from the extracts
of his English Rendering published in Bartikā (1), Kantāraka (2), Saptarshi (3), Jhańkār
(4) and Suntimes (5), also from his complete version.
GENESIS OF TAPASVINĪ :
Rāmāyana of Vālmīki and Mahābhārata of Vyāsa, the two great epics of Sanskrit
literature, have profoundly inspired many poets, playwrights, thinkers, critics and
litterateurs of various languages in India and abroad. Indian life has been so permeated
with these epics that it can never avoid them. Cultured with Sanskrit, worthy sons of
Indian soil have contributed much to make the literatures of Indian languages prosper in
various ways. The Sītā-Rāma-story of India has immensely influenced the people of both
oriental and occidental cultures. In Oriya literature, Sītā, the dearest daughter of Earth, in
her later part of life, appears as a Tapasvinī in the poetic vision of Gańgādhara.
Tapasvinī, an eleven-canto Oriya epic poem, is a great classic of Gańgādhara Meher, who
is renowned as Prakriti-Kavi in Oriya literature. The main theme of this kāvya is the
post-banishment episode of Sītā in the hermitage of Sage Vālmīki. Dealing with a topic
of poignant Pathos, this kāvya is basically influenced by Uttara-Kānda of Vālmīki’s
Rāmāyana, Raghuvamśa mahākāvya of Kālidāsa and Uttara-Rāma-Charita drama of
Bhavabhūti, still the poetic presentation is marked with originality and significant
innovations.
In the verses of Kālidāsa, ‘Tapas’ (penance) is clearly meant for Sītā in the later part of
her life. Gańgādhara happens to take the word ‘Tapasvi’ from Kālidāsa and has used it as
‘Tapasvinī’ in feminine gender for Sītā. Moreover, the poet in the Preface of Tapasvinī
kāvya mentions : “The main purpose of this book is to elucidate how Sītā strengthened
and heightened more and more, her devotion-to-husband (pati-bhakti) by deeming exile
as her own misfortune and how she as a Tapasvinī spent time by rendering her forest-
dwelling into penitential austerity beneficial to her husband.”(9) The poet further
expresses his hope that the wise readers would once unveil the memory’s curtain
portrayed with the brilliant impeccable and sacred character of Sītā of their own hearts
and would render uplift of the hearts of women.(10)
Gańgādhara is very distinct and doubtless in his writing. Sītā is the heroine of this epic
poem that analyses the social condition of a married woman and contends to give
appropriate honour and status even after separation from her husband. Tapasvinī mainly
treats of the plight of Sītā’s later life, yet the entire story of Rāmāyana has been recounted
contextually. So in this perspective, this kāvya may be regarded as a ‘Miniature
Rāmāyana’ in Oriya literature. Just as Rāmāyana is named after King Rāma with
depiction of his life-deeds, so in a greater sense Tapasvinī kāvya may be construed as a
‘Sītāyana’, as it prominently features the sublime character of Sītā in the entire story.(11)
SUBSTANCE OF TAPASVINĪ :
As per the epical tradition of India, Gańgādhara, in the beginning of Canto-I, pays
humble homage to the Goddess of Speech in an inquisitive manner. Further he expresses
his desire that indicates the main theme of the kāvya. He modestly prays :
After the prayer, there appears the pathetic scene of the banished Sītā in the solitary site
on the bank of Gańgā. The bewailing Sītā condemns her own fate for exile. Nature, in all
aspects sympathetic to her, becomes stunned at her mourning.
In Canto-II, the hermitage of Vālmīki is found reigned by Queen Peace (Śānti). With the
fatherly affection of Vālmīki and the motherly love of the hermit-matron Anukampā (a
new creation of the poet), Sītā resides in the hermitage. In Canto-III, Rāma’s remourse
after Sītā’s exile is depicted. Further kingship is assessed as a sacrifice where a king
offers himself as an oblation for the public welfare. Rāma and Sītā, both forlorn in their
respective places, become absorbed in pathetic thoughts of separation.
Canto-IV contains a lively and comely picture of Dawn (Ushā) in the hermitage. Sītā,
accompanied by Anukampā and the hermit-girls, goes to River Tamasā who expresses all
her motherly affections. After ablution, all enter the pleasure-garden where Sylvan
Beauty (Vana-Lakshmī) is delineated as a maiden-friend of Sītā. Cordial welcome and
parlance of both the friends are pleasantly portrayed.
Canto-V just follows the previous one. The juvenile Spring is observed in the garden. Sītā
enjoys all sorts of regards and welcome from trees, creepers, flowers, birds and other
various aspects of Nature. Anukampā admonishes Sītā about the three kinds of Śraddhā
that are divine, human and diabolic. She further figures Sītā as a Tapasvinī endowed with
the divine qualities. At about 7 a.m. all return to their abodes and perform their daily
duties.
In Canto-VI, a moonlit night of Chaitra month, rich with breeze and fragrance of flowers,
comes to the view. A couple of glow-worms are praised by Sītā. Before a hermitess-
friend, Sītā narrates all the stories starting from her childhood up to the forest-dwelling.
Canto-VII covers the subsequent part of the story till the banishment, as narrated by Sītā
before the maiden-friend. The lamenting Sītā is consoled and supported by the friend and
other hermit-maidens.
Canto-VIII gives a picturesque view of Summer with the beauties of Nature. Worldly
behaviour is alluded with the aestival affluence. Sītā’s reminiscences come to the scene.
Dame Thought (Chintā) appears before her and apprises of the arrival of some guests.
Coming one by one, Chitrakūta, Mahānadī, Godāvarī and Ayodhyā, all alive, express
feelings of their sorrow-stricken hearts before Sītā and retreat.
In Canto-IX, Rainy Season is described with natural colours and splendours. Nature
shows her sympathy and concern for Sītā languishing under pregnancy. Birth of the twin
sons, Kuśa and Lava, gladdens Nature. Canto-X speaks of the filial affection of Sītā,
growth of the twins, their studying various scriptures, their melodious recitation of
Rāmāyana in accompaniment of lutes and Sītā’s joys with sorrows
Canto-XI embodies Vālmīki’s pondering over the administration of King Rāma, fitness
of the twins as the heirs of the royal dynasty and invitation from Rāma to attend the
observance of Horse-sacrifice in Ayodhyā. Hearing the message from the Sage and
deliberating about her own queenly status, Sitā suspects that Rāma might have accepted a
second wife; because the presence of wife is a must for yajamāna in sacrificial
performances. Then Sitā secretly and sorrowfully writes an humble letter to King Rāma.
This letter is a unique and original issue of the muse of Gańgādhara. In this letter, Sitā
earnestly prays Rāma to apprise her of the secrecy of incantation and penance rendered
by the second queen (as suspected in Sītā’s mind), so that Sītā would practise more
severe penance than hers to acquire Rāma as own life-lord in the next birth also.
After knowing from the twins the news that Rāma has kept the gold image of Sītā as the
lady associate and not a second spouse, she shamefully becomes overwhelmed with
beatitude. Keeping her letter secret, she inwardly apologizes to her husband-king. Sage
Vālmīki and Sītā admonish the twins about their future performances in the sacrificial
site. Dame Sleep (Nidrā) and Yogamāyā come to the cottage of Sītā to take her on their
laps. Sītā views the royal coronation of King Rāma with herself as Queen, along with
Bharata, Śatrughna, Kuśa and Lava. On this auspicious occasion, deities and demi-gods
shower flowers from the firmament. Thus Tapasvinī ends with the following lines :
POETIC STYLE :
Musical melody, grace of diction, serenity, rhythmic eloquence, lucidity with emotional
touch and sweetness of meaning are the remarkable features of this epic poem. Various
figures of speech such as alliteration, simile, metaphor, imagery and the like also find
proper and praiseworthy places in this literary work. There occurs no verbosity or
stiffness of speech. Predominance of meaning and sentiments is greatly appreciable.
Words of Gańgādhara are pleasantly intelligible and imbued with emotions. So this kāvya
has become unhesitatingly attractive and appealing.
In the beginning of his poetic life, Gańgādhara was influenced by the poets of Rīti-Yuga
of Oriya literature for writing in ornate style; but later on, observing the literary milieu,
he adopted the contemporary new style. Therefore a blended pattern is found in his
compositions. Dr. Māyādhar Mānsinha, an eminent Oriya poet and critic, has aptly
regarded Gańgādhara Meher as the ‘Classical Star’ and ‘Miniature Kālidāsa’ of Oriya
literature.(12) Dr. Binod Chandra Nāik, a reputed modern poet and critic of Oriya,
describes Gańgādhara as a 'Supreme
Craftsman' creating Tapasvinī kāvya with rhetoric patterns, like weaving Sambalpuri
sāree with ornate designs at the loom.(13)
SENTIMENT OF PATHOS :
In Classical Sanskrit Literature, Bhavabhūti is the first poet and dramatist who advocated
and elucidated the Sentiment of Pathos (Karuna Rasa) in a separate style and presented it
as the original source of all sentiments.(14) Verily in Indian tradition, it may be observed
that Rāmāyana known as Ādi-kāvya was originated by Sage Vālmīki who felt the Pathos
in his heart by seeing the death of a Krauñcha bird killed by a hunter and the spontaneous
flow of a metrical verse was emitted from the mouth of the Sage that led to the
composition of the great epic Rāmāyana.(15) Kālidāsa conspicuously declares that
Vālmīki’s ‘Śoka’ (pain) raised by seeing the death of Krauñcha bird turned into ‘Śloka’,
the metrical verse.(16) Rhetorician Anandavardhana also clearly mentions the same thing
in his work, while dealing with ‘Rasa’ as the essence or Ātmā of poetic composition.(17)
Poet Śrīharsha also speaks of Vālmīki’s ‘Śoka’ and ‘Śloka’ in connection with the praise
of God’s incarnation as Rāma.(18)
In this connection, a line from the great poet P.B. Shelley’s poem (19) may be recalled :
“Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought.” Flash of bliss intrinsically
abides even in the sentiment of Pathos; otherwise nobody would be inclined to the
sentiment which above all permeates the Rāmāyana. Viśvanātha Kavirāj, a reputed
rhetorician and poet of Sanskrit, succinctly declares blissfulness of all the sentiments.(20)
Poet Gańgādhara is influenced by Bhavabhūti. In Tapasvinī, the excellence of Pathos
begins from the outset. Though other emotions are accessories in the middle, sentiment of
Pathos is prominent. The poet has avoided to end the kāvya in a tragic description and
made the ending comically happy, depicting Sītā’s union with King Rāma even in a
dream state. Apropos filial affections of Sītā for her twin sons (Canto-X), also that of
Anukampā and River Tamasā (Canto-IV) and as well as of Godāvarī (Canto-VIII),
Vātsalya Rasa is contextually blended in this kāvya.
King Rāma’s love for Sītā is sincerely selfless and dedicated. He discards her simply
because of the false public calumny. Forlorn and perpetually perplexed, he depreciates
the royal throne. To render the regal duty, i.e. public gratification, he sacrifices his
personal happiness of life; still his mind’s drone remains rapt in relishing the sweet mead
of the Lotus-Queen blown in the lake of heart. In Canto-III, as the context goes on, Rāma
addressing his sense-organs admonishes:
Sītā, as a devoted wife, understands the inner feelings of her husband who is an ideal king
and ruler of the country. She reminds the words of the King within her wailings and says
in Canto-I :
Here the idealistic supremacy of King Rāma is observed following the idealism
maintained by Bhavabhūti. In his drama Rāma proclaims : “For propitiation of the
subjects, I have no pain in sacrificing my personal affection, compassion and happiness,
even my wife Jānakī also.”(21) In the pen of Gańgādhara, establishing own duties and
status, Sītā further says :
Of public contentment
Thyself, an avower ardent.
Further I’m thy wife
as per the laws of wedding life.
Every step of mine does lead
in thy foot-prints indeed.”
Sītā as a Tapasvinī incarnates all the divine qualities that place her in the highest
honourable shrine among the devoted wives of Indian culture. The word ‘Satī’ (Chaste
woman) is oft-used in Tapasvinī to evince her pure and unblemished character.
Bhavabhūti depicts Sītā as an idol of Pathos or an embodiment of pangs of separation.
(22) In the pen of Gańgādhara, Sītā is delineated as an embodiment of Pathos.
Natural love of River towards Sea is distinctly illustrated as compared to Sītā’s love for
Rāma in Canto-II. Here originality of Gańgādhara is really appealing. The public censure
separates the couple from each other; yet the beloved lady of vast heart patiently endures
the estrangement. As the context goes on, Vālmīki consoles Sītā in the following lines :
Contextually in Canto-IX, Sītā becomes very happy after seeing the birth of the twin
sons; but owing to separation from her husband-king who is unable to partake of the
happiness, she feels dejected. Here the poet speaks:
Residing in the hermitage of Vālmīki, Sītā feels comforted among the companions.
Regarding Sītā’s Love for King Rāma in Canto-V, the poet expresses :
In the verses of Kālidāsa, Sita knowing the exile from Lakshmana sorrowfully delivers
her words for her husband thus: “Knowing me pure through the fire-ordeal in front of all,
you abandoned me after hearing rumours from some people. Is this deed befitting your
celebrated pedigree ?”(24) Next moment, she ponders that the exile is the unbearable
result of her sins acquired in the previous births.(25) In the poem of Gańgādhara, Sītā
does never tell a word of rebuke to her husband and merely expresses the above-
mentioned three reasons of her self-analyzed sins. This issue exhibits an originality of the
poet.
While Sītā was refused by King Rāma and was asked to testify her chastity in the fire-
ordeal at Lańkā, as seen in the Vālmīki-Rāmāyana (26), she expresses her feelings with
tearful eyes by saying that King’s behaviour towards her is like that of a low-category
man to his low-category wife and further prays to the Fire-god to save her life giving
proof of her purity. In Tapasvinī, Sītā does not have any propensity to bear the life of a
suspected wife and intrepidly invokes her Dharma (Righteousness or Devotion-to-
husband) to enter with herself into the enkindled fire to prove her chastity. In Canto-VII,
the devoted wife prays:
“O Dharma ! In my body
with your excellence entire,
have a stance steady.
Intimid with me enter into the fire.
Not possible if
in my present life,
then after my demise
for my lord’s sake
at his feet you’ll make
myself a maid-servant please.
DEPICTION OF NATURE :
Dawn (Ushā) with her Sun-brown costume, blooming smile of flowers and calm
countenance, appears as a Goddess of Yoga giving solace by sweet words and rendering
relief from sufferings. She as if descends from heaven on earth to give a new life. Sītā
pays her devotional reverence to the auspicious Dawn.
As the context continues in Canto-IV, Sītā accompanied by Anukampā and the hermit-
girls, goes to River Tamasā for early ablution. Tamasā, the fair-limbed and sacred-
streamed hostess of the hermitage, with her wave-hands places Sītā on her lap and
embraces with affections. Sītā regards Tamasā as her mother and the latter shows filial
affections for the exiled daughter. In this Canto-IV, Vana-Lakshmī (Sylvan Beauty)
extends her heartiest welcome to the exiled Sītā and her friendly address is emotionally
expressed. For instance:
In Canto-I, seeing the banishment of Sītā, Nature mourns with severe distress and with
her army tries to take vengeance upon Fate. A fierce form of Nature is remarkable in the
poem as follows:
Knowing own banishment rendered by her husband, when Sītā falls senseless on the
ground, depicting the reaction of the sympathetic Cloud, the poet says:
Gańgādhara, on one side, has adopted various phases of Nature to depict the human
beauty and on the other, he has inserted human aspects with a view to presenting the
lively loveliness of Nature. Both internal and external beauties of Nature are well-
depicted in Tapasvinī. Veritable is his epithet ‘Prakriti-Kavi’, the Poet of Nature.
PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE:
The ideology of Bhavabhūti along with the naturality of Vālmīki and Kālidāsa are
intertwined in the poem of Gańgādhara. The quintessence of poet’s philosophy of life has
been contextually reflected in Tapasvinī. Forbearance, theistic trend, noble endeavours
for the attainment of goal and high aspiration are signified in his work. He believes in
both deed and destiny, but never adheres to pessimism. For instance, life of fortitude,
benevolence and polite activities is indicated in Canto-IV. River Tamasā expresses before
Sitā regarding the significance of life:
In spite of negative attitude of some fault-finders in social life, one should patiently and
courageously go ahead to establish one’s own goodness and virtues valuable to others. In
Canto-X, Ketakī’s words for Sītā are worth-mentioning:
“Conjured by the cynics’ eyes
what can the blemish do,
when one’s own noble qualities
form a divine ornament true ?
Seeing my thorns
with repugnance,
if black-bee from me returns,
shall I forgo the pride of fragrance ?”
Sītā replied :
Like the water of coconut
sweet is this limpid water;
nay, nay, not water, but
mother’s milk real,
flowing as the stream ambrosial
for Sītā, the dead-like daughter.
Oh ! In this land you’re indeed
my mother dearest
incarnate as Tamasā having a heart
riven by my severe smart.”
In the same context, the poet exhibits the inner feelings of a mother in the words of Sita
to River Tamasā :
In Canto-II, hearing Sītā’s mourn, the hermit-girls reach the spot and after consoling her,
intimate the father-like Sage Vālmīki about the matter. Here Gańgādhara, to draw the
compassion of the same female category, employs the hermit-girls only, not the hermit-
boys, nor Vālmīki himself, as described in the Rāmāyana (27) and the Raghuvamśa (28)
respectively. The heartiest relationship between Sītā and the hermit-girls who were
companions in her previous forest-dwelling with her husband is beautifully described in
the mouth of Sītā herself before a hermitess-friend in the later forest-dwelling. Some lines
for example:
From the above-mentioned illustrations, it may be asserted that in presenting the struggle
of life, social norms and behaviours, ethical values of human relationship, sympathetic
feelings and other mundane phenomena, Gańgādhara identifies his deep-delved dexterity
with his intrinsic poetic vision. Several maxims are also befittingly blended. Further
dramatic style and retrospective presentations can be marked very exquisitely in this epic
poem.
Analysing the literary works and life of Gańgādhara, Dr. Māyādhar Mansinha regards
him as a ‘Literary Hero’ referring to the various kinds of heroes of human society
described by Carlyle.(29) Really Gańgādhara, being a poet, a social reformer and a patron
of Indian culture, is very frank, fearless and ever-beneficial for the country and the
mankind at large. As a brave and modest poet, he has tried his best to characterize
nobility and brighter sides of life even in the midst of struggle and sufferings.
CONCLUSION :
Tapasvinī elaborates a pathetic plot of the great epic Rāmāyana. However Gańgādhara
contextually cites some sites of his own province suitable to the situations. Describing the
sorrows of Sītā as well as of the hermit-girls (Canto-III), he exemplifies the river
Mahānadī along with its tributaries Ańga, Iba and Tela. He refers to the gorge Rāmeśvara
of Mahānadī (Canto-III) near Sambalpur, also to Hirākud (Canto-VIII). All these places
are mostly attached to Sambalpur district. Expressing the love of River and Sea, he
adverts to the Lake Chilikā located in the eastern coast of Orissa. This instance is
conspicuous from the footnote given by himself (Canto-III). All these regional
geographical environs assert loving attraction of the poet for his birth-place and do not
mar the beauty of literary theme in any manner. In this kāvya, literary propriety is
commendable indeed. Lapses in Gańgādhara’s writing are hardly seen.
From social point of view, Sītā is regarded as a daughter of King Janaka, yet she was
born from the furrow of earth, and therefore an offspring of Nature. A subtle true
observer and a proficient literary commentator of Nature, Gańgādhara Meher is the first
and most successful poet in Oriya literature to give a complete epic form to the post-exile
episode of Sītā with a beautifully impressive touch of Pathos. He is a worshipper of
Truth, Good and Beauty. His is an all-encompassing artistic view with idealistic faith and
sincerity. To conclude, in the present day also, Tapasvinī, a prominent poetic
achievement on the ever-green Sītā-Rāma-story, may be useful in the field of
comparative study among various literatures of Indian languages.
***
REFERENCES :
2. Meher, H.K., Canto-IV from the Complete English Rendering of Tapasvinī Kāvya,
‘Kantāraka’, 2000, pp.14-20, Bhawanipatna, Kalahandi.
10. Ibid.
13. Naik, B.C., Gangadhar Meher (Makers of Indian Literature Series), 1996, p.35.
Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.
19. Palgrave, F.T., ‘To A Skylark’ (poem), The Golden Treasury, 1979, p.245.
Oxford University Press, Calcutta.
23. Das Hemanta Kumar (Ed.), Gańgādhara Granthāvalī (Tapasvinī, Canto-1), 1977,
Pustak Bhandar, Berhampur, Orissa.