The Morals of Kalidas

C. Jacob

1). If Kalidas happened to be a scientist, don’t you think he would have become the greatest of all scientists, scientists like Newton and Einstein? What if, even though he became a poet? What a great scientist can do for mankind, a great poet can also do and even more. Whether Kalidas was born in 56 B.C. or 554 A.D. as the controversy remains, he is an ancient poet. But his knowledge, experience and power of imagination puzzles the modern writer. All great writers who study society and human nature write for the posterity and Kalidas stands supreme among them.

2). On reading “Kumara Sambhavam” one of the classics of Kalidas and of the PANCHA MAHA KAVYAMS in Sanskrit I was not a little astonished at the poetic excellence of Kalidas. “Kumara Sambhavam” is the story of Lord Siva marrying Parvathi and the birth of Kumaraswamy who is also called Shanmukha, a six-faced, six-days old fully grown monster and who vanquishes the demon Tarakasura when the latter becomes a menace to the MANAVAS and Devatas alike.

3). The truths and morals Kalidas said in this epic story have eternal values. Most of them have been spread throughout India and abroad. They have become so popular that they are on every man’s lips today. Though Kalidas is a beautiful erotic poet, the way in which he exposes human nature in this story is marvellous.

4). The Himalayas are personified as Himavath, and while describing the glory of Himavath, Kalidas says that the Himalayas are imbedded with invaluable diamonds and precious stones and they are covered with green foliage and innumarable herbs whose worth and value is inestimable. But it is a pity that such Himalayas are always buried in snow. However Kalidas extols the Himalayas thus: If there are many virtues in one person, a single vice in him is ignored just as the small spot in the moon is ignored because of its cool, pleasant, silver bright illumination around.

5). There are many caves in the Himalayas. The sun-rays can not penetrate them. Why? Himavath is protecting their natural darkness. One may remark that to habour evil is bad. But Kalidas justifies the act of Himavanth and his nature and says, “Great men treat the righteous and the unrighteous alike”

6). Indra instigates Manmadha, the god of love, to exhibit his skill and divert the attention of Siva who is in great penance, towards Parvathi, the daughter of Himavanth. Here the great poet Kalidas says through the mouth of Indra: That which is impossible for others, though trifling, if done by somebody it earns him great reputation...Vasanta is your bosom friend. Unasked he would help you. None need incite wind to fan the flames of fire.

7). Pravathi is mad after Siva to marry him. Her father is also very particular of marrying her to Siva. So he deputes his daughter to serve Siva in his daily worship and tapas. Siva at last completes his penance and opens his eyes. Parvathi who stands before him prostrates at his feet and prays for his blessings. Siva says, “I bless you with a husband who has never shared his bed with another woman”. Here Kalidas observes: “The words of great people would never go waste”. Since Parvathi is the incarnation of Sathee Devi who was the first wife of Siva, Siva blesses Parvathi in the aforesaid fashion. The blessing of Siva comes to pass in course of time. Hence the observation of Kalidas.

8). Manmadha is burnt to ashes when Siva opens his third eye with anger when he finds that it is Manmadha that is responsible for distracting his mind from penance by using Parvathi. As soon as Manmadha dies, Rathi Devi, his consort begins wailing. At that juncture arrives Vasantha. On seeing Vasantha, the close friend of her husband, Rathee Devi bursts out and bitterly cries. Mahakavi Kalidas makes an observation here as follows: Would not waves of sorrow swell up in the distressed person when the near and dear are sighted?

9). When Parvathi does serious penance to win the hand of Siva, Siva appears in the form of a Brahmin bachelor and asks her the reason for her penance. He puts her several suggestive questions to elicit the answer. Lastly he asks whether she is longing to have a husband of her choice. And even before she replies, Siva tells her that if she does it with such an aim, she need not, because she is so fair, beautiful and attractive that the husband of her liking himself comes searching for her. This, in the words of Kalidas are worth hearing: Naratna Manvishyati Mrugathyehitat. It means, a diamond is always searched for: it never goes searching for others.

10). Siva in the form of a Brahmin bachelor dissuades Parvathi from seeking the hand of Siva by saying that Siva is a god of ashes, ugly, nasty and worthless. On hearing this Parvathi gets provoked. She even chides the young man for his ignorance about the virtues of her would be Lord, dismisses his words as meaningless and of no significance and tries to leave that place. The great poet now remarks; “Those who live in freedom seldom mind the insults of others”.

11). When Siva ultimately surrenders to Parvathi, Parvathi feels as if her difficulties all have gone. In this context says Kalidas: However great the hardships that are suffered. they are not felt so when once the object is achieved.

12). Lord Siva honours the seven great sages (the Saptharishis) and equally Anundhathi, the wife of sage Vasista when they appear before him at his wish. What Kalidas observes here is worth remembering: “The lives of great people are always worthy of worship irrespective of their sex”.

13). The seven sages feel edified when Siva himself honours them. Kalidas makes a critical observation here like this: Men gain confidence in their own virtues only when they are appreciated by great people.

14). Lord Siva promises to marry Parvathi. Parvathi entreats Siva to take the consent of her father before he weds her. So Siva seeks the help of the seven great sages. He sends them to Himavanth to request him on his behalf to give his daughter to him in marriage. Here gives Kalidas the reasons for Siva in sending the sages on his mission. It is through the mouth of Siva he speaks as such: The marriages that are arranged by noble people can never be broken.

15). When the Saptharishis approach Himavanth, Himavanth becomes curious and asks the sages to tell him the purpose on which they have come and at the same time assures them that whatever help is expected from him he or his wife or his daughter is ready to do. He even implores them to bid him to do what all they want. Now, remarks Kalidas: only when a master entrusts work to a servant, it is deemed that the servant has got the blessings of his master.

16). Himavanth is willing to marry his daughter to Siva. But he thinks that it is the affair of his daughter and doubted the propriety to convey his willingness to the sages. So he consults his wife Mena Devi and seeks her approval. The poet of poets, Kalidas makes a beautiful observation in this context like this: Is it not the custom in the family for male members to take the opinion of their ladies in the matters of marriage of their unmarried daughters!

17). Agnihothra, the god of fire, comes to Siva in guise of a dove to represent to him the pathetic state of Devatas (The divine beings) because of the horrible deeds of the demon Tarakasura at the time when Siva is courting with his consort. Parvathi indentifies the Firegod. The Fire-god trembles. He takes his real form and bows to Siva. Siva grows wild. Agnihothra becomes more humble and entreats the Lord to forgive him. Siva is rather pacified. That is the scene. Kalidas in his characteristic way makes this observation here: Those who are resourceful in their talk can succeed in winning the sympathies of their masters.

18). Agnithora is however hit by Siva. The powerful sperm of Siva slips and falls in Agnihotra when Siva is disturbed in the sex-play with his wife. It begins to burn him off. He becomes listless as it becomes more and more unbearable. He runs to Indra and seeks his help. Indra pities his plight because the god of fire is afflicted with this suffering when he had gone to Siva on a noble purpose. See how beautifully Kalidas expresses the mind of Indra here: “It is not uncommon with men of magnanimity and nobility_to be encountered with dangers.”

Like this, in the other works of Kalidas there are many beautiful, immortal words, and blessed are those who can study his works and enjoy them.

*

Forward-onward!

Trust not the so-called rich, they are more dead than alive. The hope lies in you–in the meek, the lowly, but the faithful.

Do not look up to the so-called rich and great; do not care for the heartless intellectual writers, and their cold-blooded newspaper articles. Faith, sympathy–fiery faith and fiery sympathy! Life is nothing, death is nothing; hunger nothing, cold nothing. Glory unto the Lord–march on, the Lord is our General. Do not look back to see who falls–forward–onward! Thus and thus we shall go on, brethren. One falls, and another takes up the work.

That you may catch my fire, that you may be intensely sincere, that you may die the heroes’ death on the field of battle–is the constant prayer of VIVEKANANDA.

Back