Ek Rajasthani Lok Katha Ka Vishleshnatmaka Adhyayan - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Ek Rajasthani lok Katha ka Vishleshnatmaka Adhyayan" by Manohar Sharma:

This analytical study by Manohar Sharma delves into a Rajasthani folk tale, highlighting Rajasthan's rich repository of folk literature, including poems, songs, and stories, which reveals the vibrant inner life beneath its seemingly dry exterior. The author emphasizes the importance of studying folk literature as it reflects the joys, sorrows, aspirations, and emotions of the common people.

While acknowledging the growing scholarly interest in preserving Rajasthani folk literature, Sharma stresses the equal necessity of its critical analysis to uncover valuable societal insights. He notes the extensive work done by Western scholars in this field.

The core of the study is the detailed breakdown of a specific Rajasthani folk tale. The story begins with a Thakur (chieftain) deciding to go on a pilgrimage and inviting his barber (Khawas) to accompany him. The Khawas agrees on the condition that the Thakur must resolve any doubt he raises along the way, or he will return.

The first doubt arises when the Khawas encounters a beautiful, richly adorned, but dead woman in a market. No one pays her any attention. The Thakur explains this mystery:

A king built a large pond, but it wouldn't fill with water due to lack of rain. Pandits suggested a human sacrifice from the royal family. The king, unwilling to sacrifice himself, his queen, or his heir, decided to sacrifice his daughter-in-law, planning to remarry his son. The prince, deeply in love with his wife, fled with her on horseback. They rested by a well in a forest, where the prince discovered his wife dead from a snakebite. Grief-stricken, he prepared to immolate himself with her.

Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati appeared. Parvati, moved by the prince's devotion, urged Shiva to revive his wife. Shiva explained that her lifespan had ended, but the prince could revive her by sharing his own lifespan. The prince, through a "truth affirmation" (Satyakriya), gave half his lifespan to his wife, bringing her back to life. Shiva and Parvati departed, and the prince kept this a secret.

Later, the prince left his wife near a well while he went to get food. Upon his return, she was gone. She had gone to a nearby troupe of performers (Nats) and, driven by lust, propositioned one of them. The prince, searching for her, found her with the Nat, who claimed her as his wife. The dispute escalated to the king's court. When asked for proof, the prince reclaimed the half of his lifespan he had given, causing his wife to die instantly. The prince then recounted the entire story, the Nat was punished, and the prince returned home. Following this, heavy rains filled the king's pond.

The Thakur explained to the Khawas that the dead woman in the market was the prince's wife, whose promiscuity led to her current state and the resulting public indifference. This satisfied the Khawas, and they continued their journey.

Analysis of the Folk Tale:

Sharma then dissects the story, identifying key elements:

The Prologue (Upo-dghat): The structure of the Thakur and Khawas's pilgrimage, where the Khawas poses a new riddle at each stop, is a common narrative device to build suspense. This framing resembles the Vetala Panchavimshatika, creating curiosity and making the story engaging.
Thematic Classification: The story, even without the prologue, belongs to the Triyacharitra (woman's character) genre, which often highlights female weaknesses. This tradition is ancient, found in texts like Shuka Saptati and the Rajasthani Dampati-Vinod, which also explores male frailties.
The Motif of "Satyakriya": The story employs the "Satyakriya" (truth affirmation) motif twice. This ancient Indian motif involves characters performing incredible feats through the power of truth, such as walking through fire or reviving the dead. In this tale, the prince first gives half his lifespan and then reclaims it.
The "Shiva-Parvati" Trope: The divine couple's intervention to resolve a crisis is a recurring theme in Rajasthani folklore, often turning tragic stories into happy ones, as seen in tales like "Maru Dholo." They are portrayed as cosmic controllers, exemplifying the power of Shiva devotion.
The "Sacrifice for Water" Element: The tale's initial plot point of a sacrifice to fill a pond connects to Rajasthani traditions of constructing water bodies and the belief in appeasing local deities or "guardian spirits" (Rakshak Dev) for rainfall. This relates to ancient Yaksha worship. The practice of "Bali-Bakla" (offering boiled moth beans) during droughts and the story of a Seth's grandson being sacrificed to fill a pond in the "Bachhwaras" Vrat legend are cited as parallels.
The "Nat" Element and Attraction to Appearance: The heroine's attraction to the Nat reflects the widespread public interest in street performers in Rajasthan. Their agility and physical prowess often captivate audiences, as evidenced by the folk song "Natdo" where the heroine is drawn to a Nat's appearance.

Universal Themes and Origins:

Sharma notes that folk tales transcend geographical and temporal boundaries, evolving across generations and adapting to local contexts. The Rajasthani tale shares similarities with stories found in other cultures, such as "Cinderella."

He then traces the tale's origins to ancient Indian folklore:

"Chullapaduma" Jataka: This Buddhist tale features princes who, facing famine, resort to cannibalism. One prince saves his wife and shares his flesh, and later his blood, to sustain her. His wife is later seduced by a criminal, and in a twist, she attempts to kill the prince, who survives and eventually exposes her.
Panchatantra's "Labdha Pranasha": A Brahmin and his wife flee to the forest. After the wife dies from thirst, the Brahmin revives her with his lifespan through Satyakriya. She is later seduced by a cripple. The Brahmin, after a harrowing escape, reclaims his lifespan, leading to his wife's death and exposing her infidelity.
Dashakumara Charita's "Mitragupta" episode: Three brothers face a famine. The youngest flees with his wife, who later seduces a lame man they rescued. She pushes the prince into a well and flees with the lame man, eventually prospering by portraying herself as a devoted wife. The prince escapes, exposes her, and she is punished.

Sharma concludes that the elements found in the Rajasthani folk tale were present in Indian folklore even during the Buddhist era. Such tales were incorporated into Jataka stories and the Panchatantra for moral instruction. The key difference in the Rajasthani tale and the Panchatantra version is the dual use of Satyakriya.

He further draws a parallel to the Ruru Pramadvara episode from Srimad Devi Bhagavatam, where Ruru revives his beloved Pramadvara by sharing his lifespan. This story, also popular, shares the theme of profound love and sacrifice with the folk tale.

Conclusion:

Sharma emphasizes that while the folk tale and the mythological episode share the theme of male sacrifice for a beloved, the folk tale's underlying purpose differs. The folk tale utilizes Satyakriya twice, reflecting a deep-seated disdain for women, portraying them as ungrateful and untrustworthy. This leads to a "poetic justice" where the unfaithful wife faces punishment, resonating with the audience's moral judgment and transforming it into a didactic story.

The study highlights the layered nature of folk tales, their ancient roots, and their ability to absorb influences over time, reflecting the synthesis of various elements characteristic of Indian culture. Sharma advocates for further analytical studies of folk literature to enrich the literary world.