The Kumarasambhava of Kalidasa is one of the most famous works of the entire body of Sanskrit Literature. It describes the birth and penance of Parvati, culminating in the wedding of Shiva and Parvati. The first Sarga (Canto) describes the beauty of the Himalayas and Parvati being born to the noble Himavan and Mena. She grows up to be an incomparable beauty, and all learning comes to her effortlessly. Hearing from Narada that she is destined to wed Shiva, Himavan arranges for her to serve Shiva in his penance.
The second Sarga starts with the Devas, tormented by the Asura named Taraka, assembling to meet Brahma under Indra’s leadership. When they see the Creator, they burst into a beautiful Stuti (hymn) of twelve verses, which is what this article seeks to describe.
What is unique is that this Stuti does not restrict itself to the Saguna aspects of Brahma, describing his form, hue, the objects he holds, his garments or vehicle. Instead, it is in highly philosophical terms, seeing Brahma as the Supreme Parabrahman, describing his Tattva or true nature. While we all know that Stutis of Adi Shankaracharya and other preceptors are such, of Bhakti infused with Jnana, it is indeed amazing to see that this great poet follows the same path.
We start with the opening verse of the Sarga. The verses have been given with words split for easier reading.
तस्मिन् विप्रकृताः काले तारकेण दिवौकसः ।
तुरासाहं पुरोधाय धाम स्वायम्भुवं ययुः ॥ २.१॥
Translation : At this time, the Devas, residents of heaven, persecuted by Taraka, reached the abode of Svayambhu (Brahma), led by Indra.
Indra is referred to by the same Turashaat, which means one who quickly subdues his foes. This implies that Taraka was no ordinary foe.
तेषाम् आविरभूद् ब्रह्मा परिम्लान-मुखश्रियाम् ।
सरसां सुप्तपद्मानां प्रातः दीधितिमान् इव ॥ २.२॥
Translation : Brahma appeared before those Devas, whose faces were languishing (with worry), like the Sun appears at dawn before lakes with drooping (literally sleeping) lotuses.
This verse employs an Alankara (figure of speech) called Upama, which means providing a simile. Brahma is compared to the Sun, and the Devas to lakes and their faces to lotuses. Just as the lotuses start blossoming slowly, seeing the Sun at dawn, the Devas became hopeful and cheerful on seeing the Lord.
अथ सर्वस्य धातारं ते सर्वे सर्वतोमुखम् ।
वागीशं वाग्भिः अर्थ्याभिः प्रणिपत्य उपतस्थिरे ॥ २.३॥
Translation : Then, all of them saluted Brahma, the creator of everything, the one who has faces on all (four) sides, the lord of speech. After saluting, they worshipped him with words which were true to their meaning.
Brahma has three adjectives here – the Creator of everything (sarvasya dhata), the one with faces everywhere (sarvatomukha) and the lord of Speech (vageesha), which also means the lord of Sarasvati. Praises to human beings may contain hyperbole, but praises to Gods speak of their real glory and are therefore “arthya” (i.e they mean everything they say)
नमः त्रिमूर्तये तुभ्यं प्राक्सृष्टेः केवलात्मने ।
गुणत्रय-विभागाय पश्चाद् भेदं उपेयुषे ॥ २.४॥
Translation : Salutations to you who take the three forms (Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra) , who were all alone before creation, who then underwent division for distributing the three Gunas.
In the commentary of this verse, the famous commentator of several literary works, Mallinatha, quotes the following verse of the Aitareya Upanishad : “ Atmaa vaa idameka evaagra aaseet”, which asserts the same thought that the Supreme Being was only one at the beginning.
यद् अमोघम् अपामन्तः उप्तं बीजमज त्वया ।
अतः चराचरं विश्वं प्रभवस्तस्य गीयसे ॥ २.५॥
Translation : O Unborn One! That infallible seed that you sowed in the primordial waters, is the origin of this world with its moving and stationary objects. You are (therefore) praised as the source of this world.
Here Mallinatha quotes the verses from Manu Smriti which describe this, beginning with “apa eva sasarjaadau taasu veeryamavaasrjat (1.8) “, which must have inspired Kalidasa.
तिसृभिः त्वमवस्थाभिः महिमानं उदीरयन् ।
प्रलय-स्थिति-सर्गाणाम् एकः कारणतां गतः ॥ २.६॥
Translation : Revealing your glory through the three states (of being Hari, Hara and Brahma), you are thus the single cause of creation, sustenance and dissolution.
In the first verse, the Devas say that the Paramatma divided and disseminated the three Gunas unto three forms, while here the three Krtyas (cosmic actions) performed by the three are spelt out. The same Supreme Being takes three forms to carry out generation, protection and absorption.
स्त्रीपुंसौ आत्मभागौ ते भिन्नमूर्तेः सिसृक्षया ।
प्रसूतिभाजः सर्गस्य तावेव पितरौ स्मृतौ ॥ २.७॥
Translation : With the intent to create man and woman, you have split your own self as two. These (two halves of yours) are the mother and father of all creation which keeps procreating.
To enable them to proliferate, the Creator has made the male and female of every species. For this he divided his own form. Mallinatha quotes this verse from Manu Smriti which says that the Lord divided himself into two, and became man with his one half and woman with the other.
“dvidhaa krtvaatmano dehamardhena purushobhavat .
ardhena naaree tasyaam sa viraajamasrjatprabhuh’ .. 1.32..
This also highlights the fact that though we use the masculine form by convention, the Paramatma is beyond gender.
स्वकाल-परिमाणेन व्यस्त-रात्रिन्दिवस्य ते ।
यौ तु स्वप्नावबोधौ तौ भूतानां प्रलयोदयौ ॥ २.८॥
Translation : By your own timescale, you have apportioned your night and day. Your sleep and waking are the dissolution and emergence of all creatures.
Brahma’s day and night are designed by himself as a thousand Chaturyugas each. Accordingly the world goes on for that period and pauses for another such duration respectively. Another verse from Manu Smriti is taken up by Mallinatha to show how this idea is explained in the Smritis.
yadaa sa devo jaagarti tadevam chesht’ate jagat .
yadaa svapiti shaantaatmaa tadaa sarvam nimeelati .. 1.52..
(When the lord is awake the world acts. When he is composed and asleep, the world shuts down)
We have seen the first five verses of the Stuti and shall discuss the remaining seven in the next part.
