Arundhati (epic)
Author | Jagadguru Rambhadracharya |
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Original title | Arundhatī (Epic Poem) |
Country | India |
Language | Hindi |
Genre | Epic Poetry |
Publisher | Shri Raghav Sahitya Prakashan Nidhi, Haridvar |
Publication date | 1994 |
Media type | Print (hardcover) |
Pages | 232 pp (first edition) |
This article is part of a series on Rambhadracharya | |
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ArundhatÄ« (Hindi: अरà¥à¤¨à¥à¤§à¤¤à¥€) (1994) is a Hindi epic poem (Mahakavya) composed by Jagadguru Rambhadracharya (1950–) in the year 1994. It consists of 1279 verses in 15 cantos (sargas). The poem presents the narrative of the couple ArundhatÄ« and Vasiá¹£á¹ha which is found in various Hindu scriptures. As per the poet, the narration of the epic is directly related to the psychological evolution of humans.[1] A copy of the epic was published in 1994 by the Shri Raghav Sahitya Prakashan Nidhi, Haridwar, Uttar Pradesh. The book was released by the then President of India, Shankar Dayal Sharma on July 7, 1994.[2]
Composition
In the prologue of the work, the poet mentions why he chose ArundhatÄ« as the subject of his first ever epic poem composed in Khadi Boli, the standard dialect of Hindi. He mentions that his reverence for ArundhatÄ« is natural as he was born in a family of VaÅ›iá¹£á¹ha Gotra. He found the character of ArundhatÄ« – “which has invaluable elements of the Indian culture, society, righteousness, nation and Vedic philosophy†– to be unblemished, inspiring and worthy of imitation. He further says that the practice of Agnihotra was substantially promoted and furthered by ArundhatÄ« and Vasiá¹£á¹ha only, and that along with the seven sages (the Saptará¹£i), only the wife of Vasiá¹£á¹ha is worshipped, and no other seer's wife is accorded this honour.[1]
Narrative
Sources
Most of the narrative of the epic can be found in various Hindu scriptures. Some portions are the original compositions of the poet.[1] The birth of ArundhatÄ« is found in the Åšiva PurÄṇa and ÅšrÄ«madbhÄgavata, but the epic describes the birth as per ÅšrÄ«madbhÄgavata. The instruction by BrahmÄ to ArundhatÄ« is taken from the UttarakÄṇá¸a of the RÄmacaritamÄnasa. The animosity between ViÅ›vÄmitra and Vasiá¹£á¹ha is based on the BÄlakÄṇá¸a of VÄlmÄ«ki's RÄmÄyaṇa. The birth of Åšakti and ParÄÅ›ara is found in the MahÄbhÄrata and several BrÄhmaṇa works. The final events in the epic are based on the narrative of Valmiki's RÄmÄyaṇa, RÄmacaritamÄnasa and VinayapatrikÄ.[1]
Synopsis
ArundhatÄ« is the eighth daughter of Ṛṣi Kardama and DevahÅ«ti, and is married to Vasiá¹£á¹ha, the eighth son of BrahmÄ. BrahmÄ assures the couple that they will have the DarÅ›ana (sight) of RÄma. The couple spends many years waiting for RÄma. ViÅ›varatha, the son of the king GÄdhi, tries snatch celestial cow KÄmadhenu from Vasiá¹£á¹ha, but is unable to stand against the Brahmadaṇá¸a of Vasiá¹£á¹ha. ViÅ›varatha undergoes penance and becomes the Ṛṣi ViÅ›vÄmitra. The revengeful ViÅ›vÄmitra curses all hundred sons of ArundhatÄ« and Vasiá¹£á¹ha to die. The forgiveness of the couple gives rise to a son Åšakti, whom ViÅ›vÄmitra gets killed by a demon. ArundhatÄ« and Vasiá¹£á¹ha then head for VÄnaprastha Āśrama, leaving their grandson ParÄÅ›ara to look after their hermitage. BrahmÄ ordains them to re-enter GÄrhasthya Āśrama, reassuring that they will have the DarÅ›ana of RÄma as a householder couple only. The couple starts living in an Āśrama near AyodhyÄ. With the birth of RÄma, a son named Suyajña is born to them. RÄma and Suyajña study together in the Āśrama of ArundhatÄ« and Vasiá¹£á¹ha. After the marriage of SÄ«tÄ and RÄma in MithilÄ, ArundhatÄ« meets SÄ«tÄ for the first time when the newly-wed couple arrives in AyodhyÄ. SÄ«tÄ and RÄma spend fourteen years in exile. When they return home, they have their first meal after the exile which is prepared by ArundhatÄ«, and the epic ends thereafter.
The fifteen cantos
- Sṛṣá¹i (Hindi: सृषà¥à¤Ÿà¤¿, meaning Creation):
- Praṇaya (Hindi: पà¥à¤°à¤£à¤¯, meaning Adulation):
- PrÄ«ti (Hindi: पà¥à¤°à¥€à¤¤à¤¿, meaning Affection):
- Paritoṣa (Hindi: परितोष, meaning Satisfaction):
- PratÄ«ká¹£Ä (Hindi: पà¥à¤°à¤¤à¥€à¤•à¥à¤·à¤¾, meaning Expectation):
- Anunaya (Hindi: अनà¥à¤¨à¤¯, meaning Supplication):
- PratiÅ›odha (Hindi: पà¥à¤°à¤¤à¤¿à¤¶à¥‹à¤§, meaning Retribution):
- Ká¹£amÄ (Hindi: कà¥à¤·à¤®à¤¾, meaning Exculpation):
- Åšakti (Hindi: शकà¥à¤¤à¤¿, meaning Qualification):
- UparÄma (Hindi: उपराम, meaning Cessation):
- Prabodha (Hindi: पà¥à¤°à¤¬à¥‹à¤§, meaning Cognition):
- Bhakti (Hindi: à¤à¤•à¥à¤¤à¤¿, meaning Devotion):
- Upalabdhi (Hindi: उपलबà¥à¤§à¤¿, meaning Acquisition):
- Utkaṇá¹hÄ (Hindi: उतà¥à¤•à¤£à¥à¤ ा, meaning Anticipation):
- Pramoda (Hindi: पà¥à¤°à¤®à¥‹à¤¦, meaning Elation):
Notes
References
- Rambhadracharya, Svami (July 7, 1994). अरà¥à¤¨à¥à¤§à¤¤à¥€ महाकावà¥à¤¯ [The Epic ArundhatÄ«] (PDF) (in Hindi). Haridwar, Uttar Pradesh, India: Shri Raghav Sahitya Prakashan Nidhi. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
- Rambhadracharya, Svami (January 14, 2000). मà¥à¤£à¥à¤¡à¤•à¥‹à¤ªà¤¨à¤¿à¤·à¤¦à¤¿ शà¥à¤°à¥€à¤°à¤¾à¤˜à¤µà¤•à¥ƒà¤ªà¤¾à¤à¤¾à¤·à¥à¤¯à¤®à¥ [The ÅšrÄ«rÄghavaká¹›pÄ commentary on the Muṇá¸aka Upaniá¹£ad] (in Hindi). Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India: Shri Tulsi Peeth Seva Nyas.