Chitrakavya Ka Utkarsh Saptasandhan Mahakavya

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Chitrakavya ka Utkarsh Saptasandhan Mahakavya" by Satyavrat Trushit:

This analysis discusses the "Saptasandhan Mahakavya" by Meghavijayagani, a significant work in the tradition of Chitrakavya (picture poetry) within Jain literature. This poetic style, characterized by its intricate linguistic craftsmanship and the weaving of multiple narratives, reached its zenith with Jain poets.

The Nature of Saptasandhan:

• Concept: Saptasandhan literally means "sevenfold connection" or "sevenfold weaving." The term refers to a complex poetic technique where a single verse is intended to convey multiple, distinct meanings, often relating to different characters, stories, or themes.
• Historical Context: The tradition of nanarthakavya (poems with multiple meanings) is ancient in Sanskrit literature. While Dandi's Dvisandhan (twofold connection) is mentioned, it is not available. However, his Chitrakaavya style greatly influenced later poets, leading to the creation of various multi-layered compositions like Saptasandhan, Chaturvishatisandhan (twenty-fourfold connection), and Shatartakakavya (hundredfold connection).
• Jain Contribution: Jain poets elevated this linguistic artistry to its peak. Saptasandhan is presented as a prime example of Chitrakavya excellence. The earliest known Saptasandhan is attributed to Acharya Hemchandra, but it is lost. Meghavijayagani composed his work to fill this void.

Meghavijayagani's Saptasandhan:

• Structure: The Mahakavya consists of nine sargas (cantos).
• Content: It intricately weaves together the life stories of seven prominent figures: five Jain Tirthankaras – Rishabhadeva, Shantinatha, Neminatha, Parshvanatha, and Mahavira – along with the Hindu deities Rama and Krishna.
• Technique: The core of the work lies in the shlesh (pun) and vilomariti (reverse composition) techniques, allowing for the simultaneous depiction of multiple narratives within a single verse. This difficult feat required the poet to employ a highly elaborate Chitra style and complex wordplay, making the poem extremely challenging to decipher.
• Commentary: The Saptasandhan is so intricate that it is almost impossible to understand without a commentary. Vijayamrit Suri's commentary, 'Sarani,' is praised for its scholarly attempt to explain the poem's essence, though even the commentary can be obscure at times.

Mahakavya Elements:

Despite its primary focus on Chitrakavya artistry, the Saptasandhan adheres to many conventions of a Mahakavya (epic poem):

• Invocation: It begins with four auspicious verses (mangalacharana) venerating Jinas (Tirthankaras) and the goddess of speech (Saraswati).
• Traditional Beginnings: It includes customary elements like praise of the virtuous, censure of the wicked, and descriptions of cities.
• Heroic Characters: The poem features noble heroes possessing dhirodatt (patient and dignified) qualities.
• Familiar Narratives: The storylines are drawn from well-known Jain and, to some extent, non-Jain traditions, making them "history-born" or well-known.
• Dominant Rasa: While the poem might lack the pervasive emotional depth (rasata) of typical epics, Shantarasa (the aesthetic mood of peace) is considered dominant. Traces of Shrungararasa (erotic mood) and Veerarasa (heroic mood) are also present.
• Goal: The ultimate objective of the work aligns with the concept of Chaturvarga (four aims of life), with Moksha (liberation) being the primary goal. The Tirthankaras attain shivattva (a state of liberation) after achieving kevalgyana (omniscience). The poem reflects the Indian cultural ideal of achieving liberation from the cycle of birth and death through continuous spiritual practice.
• Structure and Meter: The poem is composed in cantos (sargas), and the titles of these cantos reflect their content. Meghavijayagani follows classical rules for the use of meters (chandas), with one meter dominating each canto and a change at the end of each. The seventh canto showcases a variety of meters, consistent with scriptural guidelines.
• Other Epic Qualities: The poem also exhibits linguistic maturity, a strong desire to display erudition, a serious style, and detailed, ornate descriptions of objects, such as cities, mountains, and seasons, characteristic of epics. The poet himself labels it a Mahakavya in its title and canto colophons.

Poet: Meghavijayagani:

• Background: While his domestic life is unknown, Meghavijayagani was a prolific writer who revealed much about his ascetic life through works like "Devanandabhyudaya" and "Shantinathacharitra."
• Lineage: He was a disciple in the lineage of Hiravijayasuri, a prominent figure who influenced Mughal Emperor Akbar. His initiation guru was Krupavijaya, and his Upadhyaya title was conferred by Vijayadevasuri. Meghavijayagani held immense reverence for Vijayaprasuri, dedicating significant praise to him in his works.
• Talents: He was a talented poet, a philosopher, a grammarian, an astrologer, and a spiritual adept, contributing to all these fields.
• Notable Works: Besides the Saptasandhan, he is known for "Devanandabhyudaya" and "Digvijaya Mahakavya." He was also a master of samasya-purti (completing verses with a given phrase), demonstrating his skill by completing verses from Māgha's Shishupalavadha, Kālidāsa's Meghaduta, and Śrīharsha's Naishadhacharita. His completion of the Kirata poem is now lost. Other known poetic works include "Laghu Trushashti Shalaka Purushacharita," "Bhavishyattakatha," and "Panchakhyan."
• Other Disciplines: Meghavijayagani also authored works on philosophy (e.g., "Yuktiprabodha Nataka," "Dharmamanjusha"), grammar (e.g., "Chandrapraha," "Haishabdachandrika"), astrology (e.g., "Varshaprabodha," "Ramal Shastra"), and spirituality (e.g., "Matrikaprasada," "Brahmabodha"). He also wrote in Gujarati, demonstrating a wide-ranging genius.
• Time Period: Based on the Prantaprasasti, the Saptasandhan was composed in Samvat 1760 (1703 CE). Other works suggest his lifespan was between 1627 and 1710 CE. The Saptasandhan is considered his final work.

Narrative (Kathaanak):

• Interwoven Lives: The nine cantos weave together the lives of the seven heroes. Due to the extensive use of shlesh, separating their individual narratives is challenging.
• Canto Breakdown:
  • Canto 1 (Avatar Varnan): Describes the fathers' capitals, their kingdoms, and the mothers' dream visions.
  • Canto 2: Depicts the births of the heroes, the immediate cessation of diseases, and the prosperity of the people upon their arrival.
  • Canto 3: Details the heroes' consecration, naming, and marriages.
  • Canto 4 (Pujya Rajya Varnan): Describes Rishabhadeva's enthronement, his progeny, and the prosperity of his subjects. It also touches upon Krishna's story (Kaurava-Pandava rivalry, Draupadi's disrobing, renunciation) and the Tirthankaras' renunciation and asceticism.
  • Canto 5: Focuses on the wandering, penance, and suffering of the five Tirthankaras, their austerity to shed karma, and their teachings leading people away from passion and hatred.
  • Canto 6: Discusses the Tirthankaras achieving omniscience and preaching using the Syadvada method.
  • Canto 7: Describes the six traditional seasons. It also mentions the presence of future Chakravarti Bharata and other kings at the Tirthankaras' samavasarana (preaching assemblies).
  • Canto 8 (Digvijaya Varnan): Chronicles the conquests of Rishabhadeva's son, Chakravarti Bharata, his annual charitable giving, and the Tirthankaras' attainment of nirvana (liberation).
  • Canto 9: Primarily describes the ganadharas (chief disciples) of the Tirthankaras.
• Specific Events: The poem highlights key events like Rishabhadeva giving his kingdom to Bharata, Bahubali's journey, Bharata's conquest and charity, Shantinatha's acquisition of empire, Neminatha's renunciation by Rajimati, Mahavira's womb transfer, Rama's wedding, exile, Sita's abduction, Ravana's defeat, Krishna's marriage to Rukmini, Kamsa's defeat, and various events from the Mahabharata connected to Krishna and Neminatha.
• Chronological Issues: The poet's focus on showcasing his skill sometimes leads to a disarray in the chronological sequence of events, particularly in the depiction of Rama's life.
• Jain Ramayana: The work presents a Jain version of the Ramayana, where Rama is monogamous, but later marries multiple wives, leading to doubt about Sita's character and her subsequent banishment. Kush and Lav are replaced by Anganalavana and Madanankusha. Rama also undertakes a pilgrimage to Shatrunjaya and attains liberation.

The "Saptasandhanatva" (Sevenfold Connection):

• The Challenge: Weaving together seven distinct lives is an immense undertaking. The difficulty is amplified by combining five Jain Tirthankaras with two revered Hindu deities.
• The Role of Shlesh: Sanskrit's complex grammatical structure and the power of shlesh are instrumental in achieving this. Shlesh allows the poet to manipulate language to extract desired meanings.
• Varied Meanings per Verse: Not every verse has seven distinct meanings. Many verses have three meanings: one for the Jinas, and two for Rama and Krishna. Some can have four, five, or six meanings due to the Tirthankaras' unique attributes, while some verses have only one meaning applicable to all seven heroes.
• Grammatical Flexibility: The poet employs grammatical flexibility, shifting roles of nouns and adjectives to create different meanings for each hero within the same verse.
• Linguistic Manipulation: The poet's deliberate manipulation of language to extract multiple meanings is evident. The commentator sometimes has to contort familiar words into unusual meanings to make the verses fit. This deliberate obscurity can be frustrating for the reader.
• Example: A verse might mention the names of the fathers of all seven heroes, or their birthdates, or their initiation into vows, all within a single verse.
• Problematic Language: The text is criticized for its excessive linguistic play, which can make it difficult to understand, even leading to reader frustration.

Language and Style:

• Linguistic Play: The Saptasandhan is characterized by its "linguistic play." The poet's intense desire to create multi-layered meanings results in a vocabulary that showcases extreme erudition and poetic skill.
• Artificiality: The deliberate and effortful nature of the language introduces artificiality and hardship.
• Complexity and Obscurity: The poem is genuinely difficult and obscure. The poet's mastery of language is astonishing in its ability to convey seven meanings simultaneously.
• Double-Edged Sword: This linguistic complexity is both a virtue (demonstrating the poet's scholarship) and a vice (hindering comprehension). When this complexity becomes an insurmountable barrier to understanding, the poet's brilliance becomes a burden to the reader, who must endure significant intellectual strain to decipher the intended meanings.
• Examples of Difficulty: The text provides examples of how words are twisted and reinterpreted in the commentary to derive intended meanings, highlighting the extreme difficulty.
• Moments of Clarity: Despite the pervasive complexity, there are passages that are clear and fluid, such as descriptions of mothers' pregnancies, cravings, births, and the ganadharas. The ninth canto, in particular, is noted for its simplicity and grace, offering respite to the reader.

Nature Descriptions:

• Conforming to Tradition: Meghavijayagani includes descriptions of nature, such as Mount Meru and the six seasons, in accordance with epic traditions.
• Purpose: However, these descriptions are not driven by a genuine love for nature. In a Chitrakavya, their primary purpose is to fulfill the formal requirements of an epic.
• Artificiality and Lack of Emotion: The nature descriptions are described as lifeless and artificial, relying on wordplay and puns rather than conveying genuine emotion or natural beauty. The poet's talent is stifled by the overwhelming demands of shlesh and yamaka.
• Struggle with Nature Imagery: While the poet attempts to depict natural scenes, they are trapped within the confines of wordplay, making them almost invisible. For example, the roar of rivers in the rainy season is overshadowed by the overwhelming force of puns.
• Obscured Descriptions: Descriptions of spring, which should be vibrant, are buried under layers of shlesh, leaving the reader frustrated.
• Stimulation of Emotion (Uddipana): In some instances, nature is depicted in a way that evokes emotions, such as the depiction of Mount Meru and celestial nymphs' songs causing arousal.
• Rare Moments of Naturalness: Amidst the elaborate descriptions, occasional glimpses of natural, simple scenes can be found, like a farmer guarding his fields in the rain, or a cow shaking off its wet shawl.
• Idealized Nature during Births: During the births of the heroes, nature is depicted ideally, behaving in an unnatural manner, with directions becoming calm and heavenly drums sounding.
• Renunciation of Alcohol: The advice to abstain from alcohol in the spring season is presented with a Jain ascetic's purity, but this advice is also cloaked in shlesh.
• Focus on Poetic Skill: Similar to other late-period poets, Meghavijayagani uses nature descriptions primarily to showcase his poetic skill and mastery of embellishments, rather than expressing genuine affection for nature as seen in poets like Valmiki or Kalidasa.

Beauty Descriptions:

• Limited Focus: The poet's interest in depicting human beauty is less pronounced. He offers brief allusions to the physical charm of the heroes' mothers, using similes to describe their beauty.

Aesthetic Moods (Rasa):

• Lack of Emotional Depth: The Saptasandhan does not offer a rich, epic-like portrayal of human emotions. The focus on linguistic dexterity leaves little room for exploring the subtle nuances of the human mind.
• No Dominant Rasa: No particular aesthetic mood (rasa) is developed as the primary one.
• Dominance of Shantarasa: Given the subject matter, Shantarasa can be considered dominant, although even in the Tirthankaras' teachings, it doesn't fully blossom. A subtle trace of Shantarasa is seen in the Tirthankaras' sermons.
• Sambhoga Shringar: A poignant depiction of Sambhoga Shringar (union in erotic mood) is found in the descriptions of divine couples' activities during the Meru mountain description in the third canto.
• Veerarasa: Despite descriptions of Bharata's conquests and the battles of Rama and Krishna, Veerarasa is not effectively expressed. Some verses, particularly in the Rama and Krishna contexts, show a nascent Veerarasa.

Embellishments (Alankara):

• Ubiquitous Use: As a Chitrakavya, the Saptasandhan liberally employs the tools of "picture style," primarily embellishments.
• Embellishments as Goals: The embellishments are not used to enhance emotional expression or clarify meaning; they are the poet's ultimate goals. In his pursuit of these, the poet neglects other aspects of poetry, turning the work into an arena for displaying ornamentation.
• Shlesh as the Mainstay: Meghavijayagani set a formidable task for himself. To weave the lives of seven heroes, he was constantly reliant on shlesh. Indeed, shlesh is his "crutch," without which he cannot progress.
• Variety of Shlesh: All forms of shlesh are employed. The fifth canto particularly showcases the extreme form of shlesh-based style, where the language is so dense with puns that the reader becomes exhausted. This canto is unreadable without commentary.
• Multiple Meanings in Verses: An example is given of a verse with three main meanings: one for the five Tirthankaras and two for Rama and Krishna.
• Yamaka: Similar to shlesh, yamaka (rhyme and alliteration) is also extensively used. The eighth canto is filled with yamaka. The lines from the city description demonstrate the severity of shlokardha-yamaka (half-verse rhyme).
• Anupras: Anupras (alliteration) is also significantly used, adding a pleasing variety to the poem's predominantly yamaka and shlesh-filled structure. The alliterative sounds are captivating, especially in the descriptions of the fathers' administrative systems.
• Antyanupras: The end-rhyme (antyanupras) reaches its peak here.
• Arthalamkaras: Besides word embellishments, most major sense embellishments (arthalamkaras) are also used, with examples of Aprastuta Prashansa (praising the unstated), Tulyayogita (equal comparison), Deepaka (lamp), Atishayokti (hyperbole), Vyajastuti (praise disguised as censure), Samasokti (implied meaning), Arthantaranyas (general to specific or vice versa), Virodhabhas (apparent contradiction), Parisankhya (enumeration and exclusion), Udatta (exalted speech), Arthapatti (presumption), and Visheshokti (special statement) being provided.

Metres (Chhanda):

• Adherence to Rules: Meghavijayagani strictly follows the rules of meter composition.
• Variety: The first canto uses Upajati, with Malini and Sragdhara at the end. The second canto is dominated by Indravajra, with other meters like Shikharini, Malini, Upendravajra, Upajati, and Shardulavikridita used at the end. Vrutta and Vikridita are also employed.
• Dominant Metres: Harini and Anushtup are the main meters for the fifth and sixth cantos, respectively. The seventh canto uses six different meters, including Harini, Shardulavikridita, Vasantatilaka, Indravajra, Swagata, and Shikharini. The last two cantos predominantly use Drutavilambita and Upajati, concluding with Shardulavikridita, Vanshastha, and Sragdhara.
• Total Metres: A total of thirteen meters are used in the Saptasandhan, with Upajati being the most prevalent.

Conclusion:

• Poetic Prowess: Meghavijayagani's poetry presents complex problems, and he possesses an extraordinary ability to solve them. His forceful manipulation of language demonstrates his scholarship but can be seen as an offense against the reader's intellectual experience.
• Obscurity and Reader Expectation: The poet's style is so recondite that it hinders the reader from appreciating his work as intended.
• Poet's Objective: It's important to remember that the poet's aim was to showcase his skill in Chitrakavya creation, not to entertain the reader with mellifluous poetry.
• Success in Objective: Judging by this standard, the poem is entirely successful in achieving its goal.
• Analogy to Bana: The description of Bana's prose by Weber is aptly applied to the Saptasandhan. It is described as a "dense forest" where the reader must carve a path using their patience, effort, and intellectual tools. The poet's expectation of the reader's ability to comprehend his work is met with the obstacle of his highly intricate style.