KAALIDAASA  AND OTHER STORIES

An anecdote on Kaalidaasa.

Kaalidaasa was a famous poet in King Bhoja’s court. Since he was appreciated and liked by the king, other courtiers were jealous and waited to find an opportunity to pull him down in the eyes of the king.

 One day they see Kaalidaasa coming out of a fish-monger’s shop with something   tucked in his arm! They rush to the king to report that Kalidaasa, whom the king believed to be a pious man, is seen coming out of the fish-market carrying a fish! King summons Kalidaasa to court immediately .Kaalidaasa comes to the court directly, carrying a small bundle under his arm, covered in the shawl he is wearing.  A conversation ensues in Sanskrit, the court language.

King:                Kim kakshay?                             What have you under your arm pit?

Kaalidaasa:     Mama pustakam.                         My book.

King:                Kim udakam?                             What about the water (that is dripping)

Kaalidaasa:     Kaavya-artha saara udakam.      It is the juice of essence of the Epic!

King:                Gandhah kim.?                             What is that nasty smell?

Kaalidaasa:     Raghuraama Raavana              The stink is caused (by the dead-bodies) in  

          mahaa  sangraama rangodbhavam       the great war between King Rama and

                                                                         the demon Raavana

                                                                                                                                                  

King:                Kim puchcham?       .                         What is it protruding like a fin?

Kaalidaasa:     Nava taala patra likhitam.          It is a new addition written on a papyrus leaf.

The King is still not convinced that it is anything other than a fish, and wonders how Kaalidasa is bluffing him so blatantly!

King:                Kim pustakam hay Kavay?                   Which is that book? O poet?

Kaalidaasa:     Raajan, Bhoomisurotamaadrusham     O King, it is the world-famous

                         Idam Raamayanam Pushtakam         Epic RAMAYANA                                                                                                                                                                                            .                                                            

So saying, Kaalidaasa opens out his arm and Lo! The Epic Raamaayana (or Raghuvamsha which was being written by him) falls to the ground!!!

You can imagine the faces of those jealous courtiers who had carried tales to the king about Kalidasa, thinking they had caught Kaalidasa red-handed.!The king admonished them instead!

Incidentally you may also notice that the conversation in Sanskrit, forms a nice poem, with a chandas.

In fact, Kaalidaasa had gone to the fishmonger’s shop to inquire regarding the type of big fish that he could describe in SHAAKUNTALAA drama he was writing wherein a big fish swallows the ring that King Dushyanta had given to Shakuntala.  The stink was carried from the fish market. And all the while he had his Raghu vamsha manuscript tucked in his shoulder under the shawl!

(2)        It is said that when Kalidasa started his poetic career some scholars did not appreciate his style as it was different from that of his predecessors. Then he writes;

Puraanam iti eva  na saadhu  sarvam,

Na chaapi kaavyam navam iti avadhyam!

“All that is old is not necessarily good

And a poetic work need not be condemned only because it is new or modern.”

Even in the present day world, we see a number of occasions where this holds good!

(3)        I remember a stanza from his Raghuvamsha wherein he describes Raghu going on his conquest, defeating other kings

Prataapo-agray tataha shabdaha paraagaha tad-anantaram!

Yayau paschaat rathaad-it chatuskandeti saa chamooh!

Usually Army would consist of four elements: Ratha chariot Hasti Elephant Turaga Cavalry Padaati soldiers. But in the case of this king, when he went to conquer, the four wings of his army were: First  Prataapa or the king’s fame, Then came  shabdaha   the  rumbling sound of the army ,Then comes Paraaga Dust raised by the army movement.

Much before the army of Raghu reached the enemy, his heart would have shaken by the fame of Raghu -the conquerer, then he would hear the rumbling sound of army’s movement, then he sees the dust raised by the approaching army, . Each one of these would have shaken the enemy’s morale. So, when the fourth element; the real army consisting of chariots cavalry etc .appeared on the scene, they would have very little work to do.!

{This brings to my mind a saying attributed to Hitler- Hitler flew to Austrian capital to demand surrender of Austria. He told the king that his army-four columns were on the move to attack and his Fifth column (spies) had already infiltrated in Austria and turned the locals to support Hitler. Austrian king had no choice other than to surrender!}

At another place Kalidasa writes; When the King’s army went to Vanga Desha (Bengal) to conquer, they adopted the trait of the Rice crop they were familiar with viz. yield when the flood comes, and once it passed, to stand erect again, similarly they also yielded to the army when it came (because they were not strong enough to stand up and oppose,) and once the conqueror’s army moved out,, again stood up defiant.

(4)  Sharad-dhanam no-rdaty chaatakopy: This line occurs in Raghu-vamsha of Kaalidaasa, the great poet. The context is as below:

In  olden days, students lived in Gurukulas and studied under the teacher or Guru. After completing his studies the student would give Guru-Dakshina to the Guru before bidding him good-bye. In one such incident….

After finishing his studies under a Guru a diligent but poor student insists his teacher should indicate the Guru-dakshina he would like to have .Guru says he is satisfied and pleased with the service the student had rendered during his stay in gurukula and looking to his diligence in studies,he does not expect any separate Guru Dakshina from him, The student still insists. The Guru gets annoyed and says: IF you are so keen on giving, give me a million gold coins’! The student has to keep up his word, so,he comes to Raghu, King of Ayodhya for help. The king has concluded a Yagnya. The king’s treasury is empty as he has given away all his riches in alms (‘Daana) to poor and needy and the king is himself so poor that he is using clay utensils instead of gold utensils! Observing this ,the student says;

“How can I expect help from you in this condition, Even a Chaataka bird does not expect a drop of rain from a spring cloud (which does not contain moisture) to quench its thirst (It is believed that the bird chaataka, does not drink water from pool or pond but wait with open mouth till a drop of rain falls into its mouth to quench its thirst)

The story goes on..   The king Raghu calls his treasurer who reports that the treasury is empty. The king can not send back the youth who has come seeking his help for a good cause. He shoots an arrow with a message to Kubera the Lord of Wealth in heaven, to send him a million gold coins immediately or face consequence of a war! There is a downpour of gold coins, filling the Royal Treasury.! The king fulfills his promise and sends the young student with a million gold coins to pay the Guru Dakshina.

Riches are there, not for one’s personal comfort, but to provide for the needy.

Strive to keep up your word –There will be a way out.