Knowing Kaalidaasa - The Miracle of poetic Imagination

Today is the day in Indian calendar, called Shukla (ascending moon) Pratipada (First day) of the month Ashadha. This is an immortal day in the history of Indian literature, graced by the birth of?greatest among the poets, the Great Kaalidaasa, who underwent metamorphosis from being a foolish child to the greatest poet of the history and being known as “kavikulaguru” (The chancellor of poets). ?Even the poets describe him as –

‘pura kaveenam gananaa prasange kanishthikaam atishthat kaalidaasa: |

Adyaapi tat tulya kever abhavat anaamika saarthavatee babhoova ||’

“In the past, during the census of poets, the counter started counting from little finger with name of Kalidasa. However, even today, by being unable to find an equivalent poet the finger Anaamika (Anonymous) came true to its name.”

The life of Kalidas has three exciting stories. Kaalidaasa's wedding with his wife princess Vidwattma (the great scholar), was a conspiracy of revenge. After noticing of being married to a cowherd boy, Vidwattama expelled him from the palace. Humiliated Kaalidaasa practiced penance of goddess saraswati in Kashmir and became a great poet. When Kaalidaasa meets Vidwattama again she asks, 'Asti kaschit vag-vishesha:? Meaning is there something special to say? The extemporaneous poetry starting with each of these three words, Kalidas composed three great poems.

Kumarasambhavam starts with the word ‘asti’

‘Astyuttarasyam dishi devatatma Himalayo nama nagadhiraja:|

Poorvaparau Toyanidhee vaghya sthitah: prithivya eva manadanda: ||”

(in the direction of north, there is a king of mountains called Himalaya. With both its arms immersed in the oceans, it stands proud as a measure scale of the earth)

Meghdoota, starts with the word ‘kashchit’,

‘Kashchit Kantaa-virahguruna Swadhikarat Pramata:

Shaapenaastam Gamitmahimaa Varshbhogyena Bharthu: |

Yakshash-chakre Janaktanya snana-punyodakesu

Snigdhachaya Tarushu Vastim Ramgiriyashrameshu ||’

(A Yaksha who got a punishment of leaving away from home and his wife due to the torment of the king, had to live in separation of hi beloved for an year without his mystique powers. He lived in the hermitage of Ramagiri in the dense shades of trees where there were sacred waters due to bathing of goddess Sita) ?

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The Raghuvansh mahaakavyamstarts with the word ‘Vak’-

‘Vagarthaaviva sampriktou vagartham pratipataye|

Jagat: Pitarau Vande Parvati-Parameshwarau||

I pray the parents of the world, Godess Parvati and God Shiva, who are saturated with each other exactly like the language and meanings of words, they bless me with the best of the speech.

In the greatness of Kaalidaasa, another incident is described of a conference of the great scolars. The Scholars conferred that Dandi is the only poet, and not Kaalidaasa. The sad Kaalidaasa ?asked Goddess Saraswati “who is the poet?”. The Godess Sharda said - Kavirdandi Kavirdandi Kavirdandi na samshaya:| (Meaning – Dandi is the only poet, Dandi is the only poet, Dandi is the only poet, and that’s undoubted. Now Kaalidaasa was even more disappointed and he asked – then you only tell me “who am I?” Goddess replied, - Tvam evaham – you are me only.

What makes Kalidaasa immortally the most respected poet? Could it be the quick poetry, the simple, effective yet comprehensive language, the use of beautiful rhymes or the unique figure of his speech, the simile, for which he the proverb “Upamaa Kalidaasasya” stands? In fact, all these are the qualities of Kalidasa's creations. However, the most adorable quality is the precision of human emotions in the true sense. ?Kaalidaasa, authored eight major scriptures viz. Ritusamhaara, Abhijnaana Shaakuntala, Vikramoorvashiyam, Kuntaleshwar-dautyam, Malavikaagnimitram, Raghuvansha mahaakaavyam, Meghdootam, and Kumarasambhavam. In each of these, the human emotions and the beauty of the situations is precisely depicted in a come-to-life form. As much as one can praise Kalidas's creations and poetry, one must read his literature on his own language for the true enjoyment. Here are some special excerpts from the great poetries.

Abhijnana Shakuntala, is the love story of King Dushyanta and daughter of a sage, Shakuntala. The story has love at first sight, separation, reunion through the meeting of king and his son. This is an ordinary love story in theme. ?However, while reading, the revived feelings of these characters resonates it with the reader and immerses the reader to start making imagination and speculations of the situations around. The words are simple but effect is fabulous. Abhijnaana-shaakuntala is was described when it was authored publically as “Kavyeshu Natakam Ramyam Tatra Ramya Shakuntala”, meaning among the poetry, Plays are the best and among the plays, Shakuntala is the best of the bests.

Of this play, last issue describes reunion of Dushyant and is son Bharta. All know Bharat is son of Duhyanta. Despite, this scene was exciting for the readers. Through the baby steps, he establishes the fact to Dushyanta that Bharat is his son. In this scene, the child Bharata in attire of a baby sage was playing with a lion cub. His attendant ladysages were not able to liberate the cub from him and they observe King Dushayanta in the vicinity. They invite him to help. King says, oh little sage, leve the cub and laughing sage says, he is not a sage, he is a prince. Confused king asks, which clan is he prince of and the sages tell the same clan as of the king. This was first time when king gets a step closer of reality of the intuition of Bharat being his son. By the time he spreads his hand and on his palm, the palmistry signs of being a sovereign king were observed. It was predicted that Dushyant's son would become sovereign king. Dushyanta wanted to ask his mother’s name, but due to limits of pious actions, he could not ask. Meahile one of the sages says a word Shakunta-lavanya (beauty of the bird) and Bharata starts searching search for his mother. This was another hint for Dushyanta that his mother’s name was same as name of his wife Shakuntalaa". The ultimate curiosity is on the peak in minds of readers when Dushyanta picks up the mystic bracelet of Bharata, which was supposed to be picked only by himself of his parents. The sages hand often confirmed that if anyone else picks it up, it changes to a serpent and bites the picker. The description is simple, straightforward yet extremely engaging.

Another great scripture is Raghuwansha. The best of the descriptions of the Svayamvara (selection of husband) of Princess Indumati is a masterpiece of poetry and exceptional talent of Kaalidaasa. In description of the brilliance of Princess Indumati he said,

samchaarini deepashikheva ratrau yam yam vyatiyaaya patimvara saa|

Narendra maargatta eva prapede tamisravritaam sa sa bhumipala:||

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( “she, who was willing to select the best suited husband for herself was moving ahead from front of a king after the other. Like when a chariot with a lampshade at night leaves the poles the bank of the royal road in the circle of shadow behind while moving ahead, the kings prior were being plunged into the dark.”)

?Meghdoot is the pinnacle of poetry. The imagination of conveyancing a lifeless cloud as his messenger to his beloved is nothing short of a miracle Kaalidaasa. He himself said in Meghdoota “Dhoom-jyoti-salil-marutam sannipata? kva megha:” meaning ‘where the cloud, a confluence of smoke, light, water and wind is’. ?However Meghadoota is a composition of wonderful imagination to tell the cloud with human-man consideration of emotions and requirements to reach the mysteric city of Alakaa and to convey his message to his separated wife. Yaksha making descriptions of his house, wife, the route to Alakaa and the city of Alaka itself was extremely the beautiful. However the emotional appearance of separation and adornment, the nitty-gritties of human nature and habits were also very specially, meticulously and skillfully descended into. As a human, no one would help a stranger. Hence, Kaalidaasa’s Yaksha first welcomes the cloud by offering flowers of kutaja, a herb of Vidarbha known for blossoming only at the end of summar, signaling entry of Monsoon in the region and having fragrance similar to petrichor. With this sign of knowing him, he further tells him that I know you. He says “Jatam vanshe bhuvanavidite pushkaravartakanam janami tvam prakritipurusham kamarupam maghona.” Meaning, I know you- you are born in the reputed family of tornedoes in the sea and are blessed by the king of gods to bear any form. However acquaintances are not enough an encouragement to reach to the distant place. Hence, there is a need for some anticement and reason enough to start and continue. Hence, Kalidas describes the route towards Alaka in fascinating way. The route encludes love story, righteousness, astonishing vastness of Kurukshetra lake and the beauty of Kailash and Mansarovar aloing with the curiosity of seeing lord Krishna who has same complexion and the beauty of rainbow as peacock feather in him etc.

Having so much on the path, convincing the cloud not to give up and reach Alaka was another challenge to be seen as an obvious human though. Hence, in the first verse of the second part itself, he describes the Alaka Nagari to ignite a temptation by associating the buildings of Alaka with the cloud. He describes –

Vidydwantam lalita-vanitaa sendrachaapam sachitraa:

Sangeetaaya prahata-murajaa snigdha gambheera-ghosham|

Antastoyam manimaya-bhuvas-tungam-abhram ligaagraa:

Praasaadaas-twaam tulayitum-alam tatra tais tai: visheshai: ||

[Oh cloud, the buildings of Alaka Nagari are exactly your comparison Like you have lightning, they have agile women, you have rainbows so they are colorful, like you have a calm deep and serious voice, they have the sound of drums played for music echoes you have water they have gems, you are high in the sky be and their summits are kissing the sky| This is the many common specialty you both have]. Further Kalidasa describes the city of Alka as being of gold up to the sand and of gems up to the stone Therefore, it is not only laughable that Shivaji has also gone to the garden outside the city The moonlight of his head, the petals of sapphire and the lotuses with emerald teeth bloom every night in his courtyard.

The most beautiful description includes magnificence of all six seasons (Spring, Summer, Monsoon, blossom, Autem, and Winter) absorbed in the city of Alakaa with their perpetual existence in the city. Imagination such splendour of all six season in a city was unparalleled. The premium of the imagination is most interesting when the description is –

Haste leela kamala-malke baala-kundaa-nuviddham

Neeta lodhra prasava rajasaa paandutaam-aanane shree: |

Cheedapaashe Nava-kurabakam chaaru-karne Shireesham

Seemante cha twad-upagamajam yatra neepam vadhoonaam||

In the Alaka nagari a women decorates flowers in her adornment. She wears two lotus buds in her hands, garnished with the flowers of kunda. They use pollen gains of Lodhra to flush the face fair. (The yakshini is of the original wheaten complexioned.) The braids are decorated with fresh flowers of Corinthians and the earlobs wear Shirish flowers and connecting them, they wear Kadamba flowers in the partition of hairs. These flowers blossom in particular seasons only. Lotus blooms in Autem, Kunda in Shishir (winter), Lodhra in Vasanta (spring), Corriantus in Hemant (blossom), Shirish in Greeshma (summer) and Kadamba in rain. Only the abundance of those flowers can allow decorative use to common people. Meaning that splendour of all seasons co-exist in the city.

However, I feel grief when some scholars call Kaalidaas as the Shakespeare of India. While Shakespeare was a great literaturian, there is no reason to call the greatest talented poet Kaalidaas in title of a modern foreign author. That’s a subjugation, worth a pity of the shallow minds which even Shakespeare wouldn’t ever admire. I shall conclude with a famous verse -

Adyapi Yasya Gayanti Kirtin Kavivara Api |

Namami Kalidasam Tanm Bharatasya Mahakavim ||

Even today, all the gretest poets sign songs of whose admiration, I bow my head to that great Indian Poet Kalidas.?