BHAVABHOOTHI AND KALIDASA- TESTED
BY SIVAPARVATHI
The noble Sreekantan was famed with the nickname all Keralites know as Bhavabhoothi. Once the honorable Sreekantan happened to sing a verse in the assembly of learned men.
"Thapasvee kaam gathovasthaamithi smeraananaaviva,
Girijaayaa sthanou vanthe bhavabhoothisithaananou"
The assembly was carried away by the colorful framing of the word Bhavabhoothi in the verse and from then on Sreekantan came to be known as "Bhavabhoothi". It is worth remembering that as he earned name, his fame spread far and wide as the author of well known plays viz. "Uttara Rama charitham" and "Malathi Madhavam" and also as a great poet of the time.
Once Goddess Parvathi asked Lord Parameswara, "in poetic style who is more qualified – Kalidasa or Bhavabhoothi?"
As an answer Lord said, " I don’t think there is much difference. But possibly Kalidasa has a better capacity than Bhavabhoothi to visualize more in depth beyond the meaning of the verse. That can be easily tested if you desire to be convinced."
For that, a plan was chalked out in Kailas. As decided son Subramania took the form of a dead child. Parvathi disguised as a poor Brahmin lady and mother of the dead child. That Brahmin lady carrying the corpse of her child stood at the gate of the palace of Bhoja Raja. That was the time when all poets were dispersing after a poetic rendezvous. Parvathi told each one of them, " Oh! Great poets of merit, look here. My child is dead because of a curse. But there is a remedy to bring him back to life. If some one completes the following poetic line properly, he will get back to life. This is the line to be completed:
"puronissara ne rana : ……."
Hearing this many poets took pity on her and attempted to complete the line. But the child would not wake up! Feeling ashamed and small all of them left one after another.
Later Bhavabhoothi came that way. Parvathi repeated her request to him again. Bhavabhoothi completed the line in this fashion: -
"
yaamithe priya prushtaayaa: priyaaya: kantasakthayo:asrujeevitha yoraaseethu puronissrane rana:"
But Parvathi cried." my child is not opening his eyes sir".
Bhavabhoothi replied, " I cannot do any better than this, to complete this line. There is an intellect coming behind me. You may try your luck with him. Sorry, I cannot do anything beyond this". Saying this Bhavabhoothi went away.
Atlast Kalidasa came. Parvathi approached him with the same request as with others. Bhavabhoothi’s and Kalidasa’s compilations were same! So Parvathi lamented to Kalidasa, "Sir, my child is not getting back to life with your line."
Having witnessed the situation Kalidasa told the Brahmin woman, "in that case your child will not be alive again. Because no one can do better, to complete this verse. Other wise the child may not be really dead. How can a child who is not dead, be made alive again?" Uttering these words Kalidasa too walked past her.
Parvathi was convinced by now about the truth of what Lord said about Kalidasa. The mythological story corroborates Parvathi’s narration of the entire episode to lord Parameswara, on reaching Kailas.
English translation by
Lakshmy. N