Kumaravijayamahakavyam

Description

Upholding the high tradition of Sanskrit literature the poet has portrayed the character of Kumara Kartikeya in this epic in 11 cantos containing 902 verses. According to the poet, Kalidas could not complete his Kumarasambhava as he wished to. In the Nirnayasngar and Sahitya Akademi, editions of Kumarasambhava the IX–XVII Cantos have been added to it which appears to have been composed by a poet other than Kalidasa. This can easily be established because of the difference in its composition, syntax, expression, obscenity and above all low standard of poetry, in comparison to the previous Cantos. In Kumarasambhava lord Brahma wished for the birth of Kumara from the womb of Parvati. This has not been followed by the poet in the later part of Kumarasambhava. The story of this part is based on the text of Puranas, which is obscene, and it cannot be accepted as scientifically true. In the present epic, as per the wish of Brahma the poet has depicted the birth of Kumara from the womb of Parvati. He has made changes in the story to make it poetic and more scientific. The poet himself says in the foreword of the epic : “I pay due honor to the observations of ancient poets in all respect. However, if the poets of present day pay attention to my poem without any preoccupation they will attain joy from it. ”

In the very first verse of the first canto of the epic the poet mentions to move ahead of the story of the last canto of Kalidasa’s Kumarasambhava. Parvati alone has the ability to give birth to the son of Siva to lead the army of Gods in war against the demon Taraka. The poet follows the panchikarana method of Vedanta for the birth of Kumara from the womb of Parvati and depicts lord Shiva as the master of earth wherein the earth happens to be the Parvati herself. In the last verses of this canto the war between Kumara and Taraka takes place without any bloodshed.

 In the second Canto of the epic Kumaravijayam Tarakasura conquers water. Kumara defeats Taraka in war to release water but decides not to kill him. In the third canto Taraka conquers Fire. Sun is also a part of the fire which emits water on earth in the form of rain and which ultimately transforms into different forms of foods to nourish people. The entire Canto is composed in the meter Prithvi and happens to be very much related with the current values. Kumara himself was the incarnation of Fire. He did not attempt to kill Taraka even at this stage.

 In the fourth Canto of the epic the poet has depicted Vasyushati. In this Canto the philosophy of Yoga has been dealt with in detail. Kumara and Taraka both are having the supreme yogic powers. In the Fifth Canto the poet has described how the Tarakasura conquers the Sky (Akasha). The Sixth Canto of the epic is the depiction of the real nature of the soul (Atman) which is the central theme of the discussion of all the schools of Indian philosophy. Here Kartikeya attains all the powers required to conquer the demon. All the gods greet him with full gaiety and present dance to celebrate this occasion. In the Seventh Canto the poet has tried to solve a number of disputed definitions of Bharata’s Natyashastra in the course of his attempt to depict the dance presented by the followers of Kartikeya to celebrate his maturity. In continuation to this the poet has described unparallel physical beauty of Kartikeya in the Eight Canto. The Ninth Canto contains the prayer of both the Shiva and Shiva. The poet has raised the question before the history whether it favors those winning battles by means of bloodshed or those without bloodshed.

 In the Tenth Canto the poet has dealt in detail about the philosophical background of the unending diversity available in this world in every field of life and it ends with the universal answer of the  philosophers that it is because of the desire and effect of the ultimate power. The last Canto of the epic the Himalaya greets his daughter Parvati and his sons with full gaiety and honor and the mother Mena is depicted dancing with joy to celebrate their arrival.

Thus the poet has depicted conquering of the demon Taraka by Kartikeya without any blooodshed, which happens to be the chief aim of the entire epic

This epic has been published by Kalidasa Sansthana, Varanasi along with Hindi Translation of Dr. Sadashiv Kumar Dwivedi.