Author: Nityananda Shastri
Satya Vrat Shastri/
Translator(s): Satya Vrat Shastri
Publisher: Sahitya Akademi
Year: 2005
Language: multilingual
Pages: 441
ISBN/UPC (if available): 812602058X
Description
Composed by one of he foremost Sanskrit poets and scholars of the earlier part of the 20th Cen. Pandit Nityananda Shastri, the Mahakavya delineates the life story of Lord Rama which he conceives as the ocean, the udadhi, in fourteen cantos, the figure corresponding to the number of the jewels, the ratnas come out of it when churned. The figure also is reminiscent of the number of years of exile of the Lord.
The Mahakavya is composed in the age-old Citrakavya style which had long become extinct requiring as it does high proficiency in grammar, vocabulary and syntax. Pandit Nityanand Shastri possessed all these in abundance. Coupled with these was his extra-ordinary mastery over prosody and rhetorics as exemplified by the use by him of rare metres and figures of speech.
The Mahakavya with its varied descriptions of natural phenomena and human emotions and the sue only of certain letters or the avoidance of them going with certain situations shows his rare command over expression which also is noticeable in designing his composition in such a way that each initial letter of the stanzas leads to the appearance of the first canto of the Valmiki Ramayana which gives a summary of the Rama story.
For the proper appreciation of readers this work is presented herewith in English version by one of the leading lights in Sanskrit of the present times.
Contents
INVOCATION
The octavo comprising hymns in praise of Ganesa, Sarasvati, Surya, Visnu, Siva, Dadhimathi, Maruti, Valmiki.
CANTO I
Description of Kosala country
CANTO II
The arrival of Visvamitra and his welcome by the king
CANTO III
The description of the departure for Mithila
CANTO IV
The permission of Visvamitra to Rama and Laksmana to go round the city
CANTO V
Dispatch of invitation to Dasaratha from Mithila to Saketa
CANTO VI
Entry of the brides and the bridegrooms in the palace
CANTO VII
Description of the city path
CANTO VIII
Bharata Leaves
CANTO IX
Rama’s recreation in Citrakuta
CANTO X
Rama leaves for Dandaka forest
CANTO XI
The poet fancies the reason for Sita’s coming into contact with Indra and Rama with Hanumat
CANTO XII
Hanumat flies over the ocean
CANTO XIII
The description of the march of the army
CANTO XIV
The conversation between Rama and Sita in the course of the journey
SUPPLIMENT
The eulogy of Brahman (Rama) by Brahma