Five Apbhramsa Verses Composed By Munja King Of Malava

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This paper by H. C. Bhayani, published in the "Z_Nahta_Bandhu_Abhinandan_Granth_012007.pdf" cataloged on jainqq.org, discusses five Apabhramsa verses attributed to Vakpati Munja, the renowned Paramara King of Malava (reigned approximately 975-995 AD). Munja is historically celebrated for his romance, heroism, literary talent, and patronage of the arts.

The primary evidence for the attribution of these verses comes from the Chandōnuśāsana by Hemacandra. Hemacandra cites a commemorative stanza that identifies the author of five famous Doha verses by listing a characteristic word (pratīka) from each. This practice was a traditional method to ensure the accurate attribution of isolated verses. The commemorative stanza, in Apabhramsa, states:

'cüdullau, bahoha-jalu, nayana, kahcua and visama-thana these five Dohas, like the five arrows of the Love-god, were composed by Muñja'.

The paper then proceeds to identify and translate these five verses.

1. The 'cūḍullau' verse:

   • Found in the Chandōnuśāsana (6, 22) and the Siddhahema (8, 4, 395) with slight textual variations.
   • Text (Chandōnuśāsana):

     Cudullau cunnthoisai muddhi kaoli nihittau niddaddhan sāsā ndalina bāha-salila-samsittan

   • Translation: 'O simple girl, your bracelet, positioned as it is under your cheek will be reduced to powder, having been (first heated by fiery sighs and then sprinkled with water of your tears'.

2. The 'bahoha-jalu' verse:

   • Also cited in the Chandōnuśāsana (6, 22).
   • Text:

     tain tettiu bāhaha-jalu sihinaritari vi na pattu chimichimivi chimivi garidatthalili simisimivi simivi samattu

   • Translation: 'Even though it was a flood of tears, it interspace her breasts it boiled up just on the cheeks sounding chimi chimi and so disappeared sounding simi-simi'.

The remaining three verses are identified from citations within the Apabhramsa section of the Siddhahema.

3. The 'nayanā' verse:

   • There is some uncertainty about its exact identification, but it is probably the verse cited under Siddhahema 8, 4, 514 to illustrate the use of 'prālva'.
   • Text:

     amisu-jale prälva goriahe sahi uvvattā nayaņsara teri sampesia demti tiricchi ghatta para

   • Translation: 'It seems that the arrows of glances of the fair damsel are deflected due to the stream of tears-hence, even though charged straight, they strike sideways'.

4. The 'kamcuā' verse:

   • Identified as the same verse cited in Siddhahema 8, 4, 431.
   • Text:

     pahia ditthi goradi ditthi maggu niamta arusūsāsēhi kamcuā timtuvvāņa karamta

   • Translation: 'O wayfarer, did you meet my fair lady?' 'Oh yes, I saw her gazing at the road (of your return), and drenching and drying her blouse in turn with her tears and sighs'.

5. The 'visama-thana' verse:

   • Identified as the same verse cited in Siddhahema 8, 4, 350 (and 362).
   • Text:

     phodemti je hiadaū appaņaü tāhā parāi kavaņa ghện rakkhějjahu lovaho appanā bālalě jāyā visama thaņa

   • Translation: 'Those who burst open their own heart-what compassion can they have for others? Men, be on your guards-the breasts of the young girls have become terrific.'

The paper further strengthens the attribution by citing indirect evidence from the Apabhramsa poem Jambūsāmcariya, composed by Vīra around 1020 AD, approximately 25 years after Munja's death. Vīra was familiar with contemporary literary works, including Apabhramsa literature. The Jambūsāmcariya shows clear influence from earlier Apabhramsa poets and even borrows ideas and wording.

A specific passage in the Jambūsāmcariya, describing lovelorn ladies, contains lines that "clearly echo the ideas and the wording" of Munja's 'cūḍullau' and 'bahoha-jalu' verses. The paper highlights the words 'cūḍullau' and 'chamachamachamei' as particularly indicative. The sequence of poetic imagery in this passage from Jambūsāmcariya matches that of the Munja verses as presented in the commemorative stanza, suggesting both authorities knew these verses from a source where they appeared in that order.

In conclusion, the paper establishes that the Chandōnuśāsana provides strong evidence for King Munja's authorship of these five Apabhramsa verses. Furthermore, the Jambūsāmcariya indirectly supports this attribution and indicates that the 'cūḍullau' and 'bahoha-jalu' verses were known and closely associated, possibly forming a group with other verses by Munja. This makes these verses historically significant for understanding the literary output of the renowned King Munja.