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HAMSA SANDESA OF SRI VEDANTA DESIKA? Part 3
Prof. Narasimhacharya, Retd. Professor, Madras University (now a visiting Professor in the Oxford University) EXCLUSIVELY for publication in ?Sri Ranga Sri?. The learned Professor delivered this ?The Sripad Endowment Lecture? on 5th February 2003.
(Text of the lecture received from Dr. Miss M.S.Ramesh, IAS)
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KaaLidaasa became a celebrity by his own inborn gift of poetic genius. His greatness was admitted by one and all. He was quoted reverentially even by great mimamsaka Kumaarila BhaTTa in his Tantra Vaartika (1.3.2). Attesting to the statement of the Dharma Saastras that dictates of one?s own conscience can sometimes be taken as PramaaNa. Kumaarila BhaTTa says:


Evam cha vidvad vachanaad vinirgatam
Prasiddharoopam kavibhir niroopitam /
Sataam hi sandEha padEshu vastushu
PramaaNam antah karaNa-pravruttyah //

KaaLidaasa in his ?abhijnaana Saakuntala? (Act I) speaks of Dushyanta who fell in love with Sakuntala at first sight. He knew that she was the daughter of the Sage KaNva who was a Brahmin by caste. Can a Kshatriya marry a Brahmin girl? But, his heart was telling him that he could marry her. It is this context that the poet has put these words into the mouth of Dushyanta.


A-samsayam kshatra- prigrahakshamaa
Yad aaryam asyaam abhilaasi mE manah /
Sataam hi sandEha padEshu vastushu
PramaaNanam antah karaNa pravruttyah // (I.20)

? Undoubtedly she is fit to be the wife of a Kshatriya, since my noble mind covets her. In matters of doubt, the inclination of their minds is, to the virtuous ones, an unerring guide?

Sri Sankara in his commentary on Verse 18 of the 15th Chapter of the Gita makes a veiled reference to KaaLidaasa. This is the Verse in question:


Yasmaat ksharam ateetO ahm
Aksharaadapi cha uttama: /
AtO asmi lokE veDE cha
Pratitah PurushOttama: //

Lord KrishNa tells Arjuna: ?I am known as PurushOttama both in the Vedic and the secular literature because I am superior to both the principles of kshara (the bound souls) and the a-kshara (the liberated souls)?

Achaarya Sankara observes: ?The word ?lOkE? in the verse (in the secular literature) means, in the literary works of poets?. Explaining this expression, Sri Madhusoodana Saraswati, the last name in Advaita philosophy, in his commentary called ?gooDaartha deepikaa? writes:

Hari yathaikah purushOttamah smartah iti prasiddham?

Among the celestials, the name PurushOttama denotes unmistakably to Lord VishNu and nobody else?

It is interesting to note that Sri Ramanuja in the opening portion of his Sri Baashya explains the word ?Brahman? of the Sutra
"athaatO brahma jigjnaasa" (1/1/1) as PurushOttama:

?brahma sabdEna cha scabhaavatO nirasta-nikhiladOshO anavadika- atisaya- asankhyEya- kalyaaNa guNa ? GaNaah purushOttamah abhidheeyatE?


?harir Yathika: PurushOttama: Smrutaa:
mahEswara: Trayambaka Eva na apara: /
tathaa vidur maam munaya: satakrataum
dviteeyagaami nahi sabda esha nah //

All this is just to show how famous KaaLidaasa was even with the writers on Saastras and Vedanta. So, it is not fair to attempt a comparison between the poetic geniuses of KaaLidaasa and Desika. Religion and poetry are two different things and there is no need to attempt a comparison. Desika has already attained supreme glory by his literary writings, commentaries and independent works bearing on Vedanta and Saastras like Mimamsa and Nyaaya. He does not need our support to claim supremacy in poetic talents through a comparison with the works of KaaLidaasa.

Of course, one can do well by reading these two SandEsa kaavyas side by side and enjoy the lyrical beauties in an impartial way, giving each poet the credit and admiration he deserves. Aanandavardhana of the 10th century, one of the greatest Aalamkaarikas who propounded the theory of Dvani (Suggestion) as the soul of poetry, states that Mahaakavi KaaLidaasa became a celebrity long ago through hundreds of wise sayings. Any attempt to depict him in a lesser color will only reflect the misguided enthusiasm of the person who embarks upon such a venture. To quote:
?Tattu sookti sahsradyOtitaatmanaam mahaatmanaam dOshOdghOshaNam aatmana eva dooshaNam bhavati??