Citra-bandhas find place in the Citra-kāvyas in Sanskrit. The alaṅkārika Mammaṭa in his Kāvyaprakāśa says that Citrakāvyam (IX.85 cd) constitutes bandhas [1].
तच्चित्रं यत्र वर्णानां खड्गाद्याकृतिहेतुता।
संनिवेशविशेषेण यत्र न्यस्ता वर्णाः खड्गमुरजपद्माद्याकारमुल्लसयन्ति तच्चित्रं काव्यम्।
कष्टं काव्यमेतदिति दिङ्मात्रं प्रदर्श्यते॥
“Where the letters assume the form of such objects as the sword and the like, it is the figure Pictorial.”
“In cases where the letters arranged in particular ways appear in the form of sword, or the drum, or the lotus and so forth, we have Pictorial Poetry (i.e.poetry with Pictorial Figures). As this sort of poetry is extremely difficult, we are citing only a few examples [2]
Following this, examples for Khaḍga-bandha, Muraja-bandha, Padma-bandha and Sarvatobhadram are given in this work. Citrakāvya is an ancient Indian tradition of writing poetry in visual patterns by play of meaning , based in brilliant flexible play of vowels, consonants, words and sound. It is the device of constructing verses that can be written out in the form of a lotus, chariot etc. A Citrakāvya is created by composing a piece of verse specially designed to be fitted in a visual pattern. This tradition is particularly suited to the Sanskrit language because in it the meaning is syntax-independent and various kinds of visual arrangements of words are possible without distortion of meaning.
Citrakāvya has no dhvani, deeper or suggested sense but charming only in its outer elements, diction or denotative sense or both.There are three varieties of Citrakāvya (a) Śabdacitra or verbal peculiarity (b) Arthacitra , which consists of figures of speech of sense and (c) Ubhayacitra exhibiting ingenuity both of words and sense. Gītagovinda of Jayadeva, Yudhiṣṭhiravijaya of Vāsudeva and Sītāharaṇa of Nārāyaṇa are illustrations of Citrakāvya. These are individual works, but Buddhivilāsinī is a commentary, that too for a mathematical text. Gaṇeśa Daivajña has written the Buddhivilāsinī (BV) in 1545 CE, a commentary on Līlāvatī, which is a mathematics text of Bhāskara II belonging to 1150 CE. He has composed several verses with bandhas in his BV. This shows his skill in versification. Probably BV is the only commentary on a mathematics text which contains such bandhas. It is commendable that Gaṇeśa has composed the prayer verses in the beginning of the units as verses with bandhas as in Citrakāvya. There are altogether 8 verses with bandhas out of which four are presented here.
- Aṣṭadalapadmabandha : In the introductory verses (BV.p.1) Gaṇeśa gives a verse with Aṣṭadalapadmabandha, a lotus flower with eight petals. It is a prayer praising Lord Śiva.
शरजाव हरानीशशनीरासुरधामश।
शमधामाव पापाशशपापहृदिजारश॥
‘Oh! Mahādeava! The protector of Kārtikeya, who is born among reeds (Śarajāva)!; One who does not have a Lord above Yourself (anīśa) ! One who removes the affliction caused by Śani ( śanīra, by remembering whom even the pain caused by Saturn is removed, what about other pains)! One who destroys the tejas or place of the asuras (asuradhāmaśa)! One who is the abode of Śama ( Śānti, yoga etc.)! One who removes sins (pāpāśa)! One who does not save the haters (śapāpa)! One who destroys that is produced in mind such as darkness, desire etc (hådijāraśa)! Protect us.’
- Chatrabandha :After explaining the names of numerals from 1 to 1017 , before describing the parikarmas the following verse is written praising Lord Gaṇeśa. This is a chatrabandhaśloka , (BV.p.12), a verse that can be presented in the form of an umbrella.
प्रोह्यान्यपरिकर्माणि भज तं स्वपथानुग।
गणितज्ञ ज्ञतिलक कलभाननभक्तिग॥
‘Oh! One who has devotion to Śrī Gaṇeśa (who is elephant-faced) ! Follower of own path (ācāra got by varṇāśrama )! The best of scholars! Mathematician! Leaving aside all other things, worship Lord Gaṇeśa.’
In this verse the author indicates the subject of treatment i.e. parikarmas , in the chapter intended for discussion.
- Churikābandha : A prayer verse in praise of Rāma, in the beginning of the prakīrṇas (p.42) which is a churikābandhaśloka (verse represented in the form of knife):
चिन्तये तव तत्त्वाय राम रामपदं पदम्।
यत्प्रकीर्णाघदलनं नन्तव्य जगदाश्रय॥
‘Oh Rāma! One who is worthy of salutation! One who is the refuge to the whole world! I think with reverance Rāma’s feet, which are the abode of auspiciousness and which are destroying the scattered sins, for getting the welfare and true knowledge.’
The author himself explains the verse and it is indicated here that prakīrṇa is the next chapter of discussion.
- Śankhabandha : Before starting the Miśra-vyavahāra the following verse in Śankhabandha ( in the form of a conch) is given by the author, which is explained by him (BV.p.85).
शशभृत्काय पुण्याय पुण्यामिश्ररसानघ।
घनसार भवानीश शनीर हर पालय॥
Oh! The Lord of Bhavānī! One who is wearing the moon on your body! One who consumes (destroys those who are devoid of merits! One who has meritorios forms ,who is Jalamürti himself)! Who is blemishless, One who removes the pain caused by Śani! Protect me to get puṇya.’
Here Gaṇeśa explains that when He is able to remove the pain caused by Śani himself, what can be said about troubles caused by others? He will remove them easily. In the verse, Miśra-vyavahāra ,which is going to be discussed, is indicated.
The figures of the 4 bandhas are given:
Note:
[1] Ganganatha Jha, Kävyaprakäça of Mammaöa, Bharatiya Vidya Prakashan, Delhi, 2005 [2] ibid, p.344