अपभ्रंश का शिखर महाकाव्य भविसयत्तकहा

Summary

The text discusses the 10th-century Apabhramsha epic "Bhavisayattakaha" (Bhavishyadattakatha) by poet Dhanapala. Dhanapala, born into the Dhakka merchant clan, considered himself a blessed son of Saraswati. The work uses ancient Apabhramsha language, showing word variation and grammatical flexibility. The epic incorporates folk idioms and proverbs, such as "can butter be obtained by churning water?" using the verb "virolana" instead of the more common "mathana" for churning. Dhanapala also uses phrases like "jantaho" (crushed) and idioms like "rubbing hands" and "beating head." The epic contains impactful subhashitas (wise sayings) advocating human effort despite divine control, noting that suffering and happiness come unexpectedly, and praising those who resist temptation from other women. It also states that evil intentions toward others ultimately torment the perpetrator. Beyond subhashitas, the work includes beliefs about rebirth, karma, omens, and folk customs, making it a cultural treasure. In terms of poetic devices, the epic uses similes, metaphors, and other figures of speech effectively, sometimes comparing the abstract to the concrete and vice versa. Metrically, it employs both matrik and varnik meters. The story follows Bhavishyadatta, a merchant's son, not a traditional heroic figure, marking a shift to a worldly protagonist. The narrative has three sections: Bhavishyadatta's loss of wealth and eventual success, his participation in a war between Kuru and Takshashila kings, and descriptions of past and future births. The epic's stated purpose is to glorify the Shrutapanchami vrat. The city of Gajapura is compared to a piece of heaven, following a tradition from Valmiki, Kalidasa, Svayambhu, and Pushpadanta. The epic employs shringara, vira, and shanta rasas in its