Desis Employed In Padmavijays Samaraditya Kevali Ras

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This document discusses the Samarāditya Kevali Ras, a significant Jain work composed in Gujarati by Maharaja Padmavijayaji. The author, a disciple of Uttamavijayaji and from the lineage of Hiravijayasurishvari (who influenced Emperor Akbar), lived around the 2000 V.S. (Vikram Samvat). Padmavijayaji was prolific, with approximately fifty-five thousand verses attributed to him, and the Samarāditya Kevali Ras is a notable example of his Gujarati compositions.

The Samarāditya Kevali Ras itself is an adaptation of the Samaraicca Kaha, an 8th-century work by Haribhadrasurishvara originally written in Prakrit. The Prakrit original was less accessible to the general populace, prompting Padmavijayaji to recast it into Gujarati to reach a wider audience. He also chose to present it in a versified musical form, specifically employing the "Desi" mode of singing.

The Significance of "Desi":

The core of this document lies in the analysis of the "Desis" used in Padmavijaya's Ras. "Desi" refers to a folksong mode of singing or a popular tune. The author's deliberate use of Desis was strategic: by employing familiar tunes, the audience would readily grasp the narrative, requiring only the substitution of words. This approach led to a proliferation of similar literature during that period within Jain tradition.

The author marvels at Padmavijaya's expertise in employing these Desis, noting that he achieved this despite renouncing the world in childhood and possessing deep knowledge of folksongs and even classical music.

Structure and Usage of Desis:

• The Samarāditya Kevali Ras is structured into 199 Dhal (stanzas or sections meant for singing).
• The poet utilized a vast array of Desis, with only two or three being repeated across the 199 Dhals.
• These Desis encompassed various origins: Vedic, folk, and Jain Desis.
• Linguistically, the Desis drew from Gujarati, Rajasthani, Vraj, and other Hindi languages.

The Ras Form and Indicating Desis:

The Ras form was highly popular in Old Gujarati literature from the 15th to the 19th centuries. Compositions in the Ras form were typically cast into a Dhal, and at the beginning of each Dhal, an indication of the mode of singing according to the prevalent Desi was provided. Even within the same meter (matramela), different Desis could be used for singing. Sometimes, the meter and classical rag (musical mode) were also indicated.

Examples of Desi and Rag Indications:

The document provides numerous examples of these indications, including:

• Metre-based: Copai (copai metre), truṭak' (troṭaka metre)
• Rag-based: dhamāl, godi, bangālo, māru, rāmagiri
• Desi-based: adhiyāni, ekviśāni, kadakhāni, candrāulāni (from dhruvākhyāna), candalīyāni, jogisar celāni, zunmakhadāni, dhanara dholani, narāyanani, pārdhiyani, fatemalāni, batauni, bharanini, mākhinā gitani, lalanāni, lālanani, māruņini, sürati mahināni, hamcadini, hāndani, khambhāti.

Preservation of Folk Music and Linguistic Evidence:

• The use of Desis by Jain poets allowed them to incorporate the popular tunes of their time. By noting the first line or refrain of these popular songs, Jain poets preserved these melodies in their works.
• These preserved lines offer a glimpse into the richness of songs from those eras and are valuable for understanding the historical development of folk music.
• The lines often include fragments from Rajasthani, Punjab, and Vraj languages, serving as linguistic evidence and "recognition tags."
• These lines are considered rare remnants of past folksongs and are historically significant, even helping to date the age of certain folk songs, garbas, and ras.

The Lyrical and Classical Connection:

• The document emphasizes the importance of maintaining and studying the tradition of singing these Desis, as their essence lies in their lyrical quality.
• Classical rag was also sometimes indicated, and Desis could be set to classical rag. For instance, a specific desi is mentioned as being sung in "Dhamāla rāg" and another in "gaudi rāg."
• Crucially, the choice of rag or Desi was not arbitrary; it was always guided by the propriety of the occasion. Just as certain metres are suitable for devotional themes, descriptive passages, or sentiments of love-in-separation, specific Desis were chosen for appropriate thematic contexts. For example, the "kadakhani" Desi is suitable for descriptions of battles.

Conclusion and Warning:

The author strongly advocates for the preservation of these Desis at all costs. They warn against substituting them with "modern cheap filmi song-lines," deeming such an act an "academic crime." The importance of these Desis, therefore, cannot be overstated. The author also acknowledges the scholarly works that aided their research on Desis.

In essence, this document highlights how Padmavijaya's Samarāditya Kevali Ras is a significant work not only for its Jain narrative content but also for its skillful integration of popular folk music (Desis), providing valuable insights into the musical, linguistic, and cultural landscape of medieval Gujarat and its surrounding regions.