Jain Bhaktakavi Banarasidas Ke Kavya Siddhant

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Jain Bhaktakavi Banarasidas ke Kavya Siddhant" by Sureshchandra Gupt:

This text analyzes the poetic principles (Kavya Siddhant) of the prominent Jain devotional poet Banarasidas, who lived from the 14th to the 17th century in India. Banarasidas is highlighted as a significant figure within the Bhakti (devotional) movement of Hindi literature, contributing to both devotional and ethical poetry.

Key Aspects of Banarasidas's Poetic Principles:

• Context and Prominence: Banarasidas was born in 1586 in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, and was contemporary with the Mughal emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan, enjoying their respect. He is considered the foremost among Jain poets of the Bhakti period in terms of poetic skill. His poetry emphasized humanism and moral virtues like truth, non-violence, forgiveness, and integrity, alongside devotional themes in line with Jain principles.

• Major Works: His three most famous works are:

  • Natak Samaysar: Based on a Sanskrit translation of Swami Kundakundacharya's Prakrit work "Samaysar." This work is particularly important for outlining his poetic principles.
  • Banarasi Vilas: A collection of 48 works, including translations and original compositions on various philosophical and devotional topics.
  • Ardha Kathanak: His autobiography, offering insights into his life and thoughts.

• Purpose of Poetry (Kavya Prayojan): While Banarasidas did not explicitly lay out his theories in a systematic manner, his scattered ideas suggest several purposes:

  • Spiritual Liberation (Moksha Labh): He believed that devotional poetry, by aiming for the destruction of mental afflictions (manovikar-nash), naturally led to spiritual liberation.
  • Knowledge and Character Building: He emphasized the inclusion of material that inspires right knowledge (samyak gyan) and strengthens character.
  • Worldly Welfare (Lokmangal): The use of terms like "Shivmarg" (path to auspiciousness) indicates a purpose of benefiting humanity.
  • Purification of the Mind: Similar to Aristotle's concept of catharsis, he saw devotional poetry as a means to purify a troubled mind.
  • Moral Instruction (Balbodh): He also valued the creation of simple texts for educating the masses.

• Cause of Poetry (Kavya Hetu): Banarasidas attributed the origin of his poetic voice to several sources:

  • Divine Grace: He believed in the grace of Goddess Saraswati (Vagdevi) and revered Jain Tirthankaras, particularly Parshvanatha and other Jinas, as sources of inspiration.
  • Spiritual Qualities: He acknowledged that poetic insight stems from synthesis, self-realization, and the ability to grasp transcendental knowledge.
  • Devotion and Determination: Strong faith and firm determination were crucial for his creative process.
  • Guru's Guidance: He recognized the importance of a guru's guidance in understanding scriptures and formulating poetic expression.
  • Study of Scriptures and Predecessors: Diligent study of spiritual texts and the works of earlier poets also served as inspirations.
  • Humility: Despite his talent, he often expressed humility, considering himself of "small intellect" or "limited poetic skill," which he saw as essential for genuine artistic expression.

• Subject Matter of Poetry (Kavya Varnya):

  • Expression of Felt Truth (Anubhūt Satya): He stressed the importance of presenting authentic experiences rather than fabricated or prejudiced narratives.
  • Moral Values: He strongly advocated for the inclusion of moral values in poetry and criticized poets who indulged in mere fanciful imagination or false descriptions.
  • Devotion to the Divine (Bhakti Nirupan): He supported the depiction of devotion, whether through rituals like "arati" or through sincere prayers to the Divine. He found the true worth of a devotional poet in describing the glory of Brahman and the path of ultimate truth.
  • Rejection of Erotic Poetry (Shringar Kavya): He explicitly denounced erotic poetry, even destroying his own early compositions in this genre, deeming himself a "bad poet" for creating "false texts."
  • Praise Poetry (Prashasti Kavya): He supported praise poetry, but emphasized praise based on genuine friendship and character rather than self-serving royal patronage.

• Poetic Craft (Kavya Shilp):

  • Language: He valued clarity, beauty of expression, and richness of meaning in poetic language. He believed in the use of evocative vocabulary that captures diverse human emotions. He also acknowledged that while repetition is generally a fault, it can be permissible in specific contexts, like devotional poetry, as supported by earlier literary theorists.
  • Meter (Chhanda): He recognized the importance of using a variety of meters (like Doha, Soratha, Chaupai, Kavit, Savaiya, Chhappay, Kundaliya) to express thoughts in diverse ways, as evidenced by his work in "Natak Samaysar."

• The Audience (Sahriday):

  • Discrimination and Understanding: Banarasidas stressed that the appreciation of poetry depends on the audience's ability to discriminate and understand. He criticized "ignorant" readers who fail to grasp the poet's intended meaning.
  • The Role of Intellect: He believed that a discerning intellect (Sattvik Buddhi) is crucial for true poetic appreciation. The ideal audience, like a swan (Hans), possesses the wisdom to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

Overall Contribution:

Banarasidas's poetic vision was deeply rooted in his personal experiences and spiritual understanding. He prioritized felt truths and morally grounded expressions. He viewed the destruction of negative emotions and the attainment of spiritual liberation as natural outcomes of good poetry. His poetic talent was attributed to divine inspiration rather than personal merit. Despite his Jain background, he is presented as a saintly figure, free from sectarian biases. His work, even in its scattered and brief form, offers valuable insights into the principles of devotional poetry, emphasizing a blend of wisdom and emotion. The text also notes his unique practice of describing the 28 fundamental virtues of Digambara monks, highlighting his broad perspective and deep respect across Jain traditions.