Hanuman Nataka (critical study)
by Nurima Yeasmin | 2015 | 41,386 words
This page relates ‘Religious Elements (b): Dana-Dharma (charity)’ of the English study on the Hanuman-nataka written by Shri Damodara Mishra in the 11th century. The Hanumannataka is a Mahanataka—a fourteen-act Sanskrit drama dealing with the story of Rama and Hanumat (Hanuman) and presents the events in the lifes of Rama, Sita, Ravana and Hanuman (the son of Anjana and Vayu—the God of the Winds) based on the Ramayana story.
2. Religious Elements (b): Dāna-Dharma (charity)
Dāna (charity) is regarded as a component of dharma. The Kūrmapurāṇa[1] states that dāna is an act of bestowing to a noble person with full respect and satisfaction, without having any desire in return. According to Kūp[2] there are four varieties of dāna viz. nitya, naimittika,kāmya and vimalas. The dāna-dharma is regarded as the best of all according to Kūp[3], and there is no other dharma or worksimilar to it. In other works, the importance of dharma is also observed. In the Taittirīya Upaniṣad (TU)[4], an account of dāna is to be found which suggests to perform dāna with sincere respect. As mentioned in the Matsyapurāṇa [5] dāna is one of the best means of attaining the both lokas (world). In accordance with the faith and belief of the donor, mentioned in the Gītā there are three kinds of dāna viz. sātvika[6], rājasika[7] and tāmasika.[8] Iṣṭa[9] and pūrta[10] are the two varieties of dāna mentioned in the Agni Purāṇa In Agni Purāṇa, there is found discussions on daśadāna[11], sodaśadāna[12], and daśa dhenu.[13] An appreciation of dāna is also found in the Mahābhārata. According to Mahābhārata[14] one can achieve yaśa (fame) by means of dāna. It deals with the legend of Karṇa who ran after (kīrti) fame, at the cost of his life.[15] The Sanskrit writers like Bhaṛtrhari, Kālidāsa and others also praise the act of dāna. According to Bhaṛthari[16] hands are adorned by dāna and not by bracelets. Similarly the Campūbhārata[17] refers to say that a golden ring is a load to a finger if it is devoid of dāna. Likewise, the Hanumannāṭaka provides us a lot of information regarding dāna.[18]
It is needless to state that ‘dharma’ in the sense of’religion’, indicates at many rites and rituals, with so many modifications and changes. However, dāna remains an important part of almost all the religious activities. It is no doubt an indication of the fact that human beings, even at the availability of all material needs and comforts, should cultivate the mental setup of selflessness. Moreover, dāna is an indicator that there should be generated the sense of sharing. Sharing and help to others constitute what is called human virtue. The religious practice called dāna should be interpreted in this aspect.
There are found some information regarding the religious practices in the Hanumannāṭaka of Śrī Dāmodara Miśra.
The drama starts with four nāndī verses eulogizing to Lord Rāma. In all the four nāndīs there is found that the author praises Rāma and prays Rāma to protect everyone.[19] Rāma, the son of Daśaratha had already reached the status of being worshipped as he is said to be an incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu.
In the 1st Act of the Hanumannāṭaka, Rāma says that he is a Kṣatriya and he never takes weapons upon the Brahmaṇas.[20] It is indicative of the fact that Rāma was concerned about discharging his rājadharma.
There is also mention about the marriage ceremony of Rāma and Sītā.[21]
This denotes the practice of this religio-social duty in accordance with the tenets of the scriptures.
In the 2nd Act, there is found the description of artha, dharma, kāma and mokṣa.[22]
In the 2nd Act of the Hanumannāṭaka, there is mention about the temple. Rāma and Sītā went to the temple. It denotes the fact that visiting a temple is a part of religious activities of a householder.[23] In the 3rd verse of the 6th Act Jambavān says to Rāma to worship Rudra. Hanumat is the incarnation of Rudradeva. Then Rāma begins to worship Rudradeva. This is also an information of religious element.[24] As mentioned in the 8th Act of the Hanumannāṭaka, it is known that at that time the ecital of Vedas, stotras and stutikathā were the parts of their usual religious life.[25] Śāntipūjā is also mentioned in the 13th Act.[26]
In the drama, Rāma is represented as the incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu. After the 4th benedictory verse it is indicated.[27]
That prayers and worship to many gods and goddesses, visiting the temple, practicing some rites and rituals are some basic features of Hindu way of life, can be had of from this drama also.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
arthānāmudite pātre śraddhayā pratipādanaṃ
dānamityabhinirdiṣṭaṃ bhuktimuktiphalapradam
yaddadāti viśṣṭebhyaḥ śraddhayā parayā yutah
tadvai vittamahaṃ manye śeṣam kasyāpi rakṣati/ Kūp.II.26. 2-3
[2]:
[3]:
dānadharmāt paro dharmo bhūtānām neha vidyate/ ibid., II. 26.56
[4]:
śraddhayā deyaṃ/ aśraddhayādeyaṃ/ śriyādeyaṃ/ hṛyā deyaṃ/ bhiyā deyaṃ / saṃvidā deyaṃ/ TU. I.11.2
[5]:
[6]:
[7]:
yattu pratyupakārārthaṃ phalamuddiśya vā punaḥ diyate ca parikliṣṭaṃ taddānaṃ rājasaṃ smṛtaṃ/ ibid., XVII.21
[8]:
adeśakāle yaddānamapātrebhyaśca dīyate asatkṛtamavajñātaṃ tat tāmasamudāhṛtaṃ/ ibid., XVII.22
[9]:
agnihotraṃ tapaḥ satyaṃ vedānāñcānupālanaṃ ātithyam vaiśyadevañcaprāhuristañca nākadaṃ. Agni Purāṇa CCIX.3
[10]:
vāpīkūpatadāgāni devatāyatanānica annapradānamārāmāh pūrta dharmañcamuktidaṃ/ ibid.,CCIX.2
[11]:
kanakāśvatilānāgā dāsīrathamahīgrhāh kanyā ca kapilādhenurmahādānāni vaidaśa/ ibid.,CCIX. 23-24
[12]:
sarvadānāni vakṣyāmi mahadanani ṣoḍaśa
tulāpuruṣa ādyantu hiraṇyagarbhadānakaṃ
brahmāṇḍaṃ kalpavṛkṣaśca gosahasrañca pañcamaṃ
hiraṇyakāmadhenuśca hiraṇyaśvaśca saptamaṃ
hiraṇyaśvarathastadvaddhemahastirathastathā
pañcalāṅgalakaṃ tadvaddharādanaṃ tathaiva ca
viśvacakraṃ kalpalatā saptasāgarakaṃ paraṃ
ratnadhenurmahābhūtaghaṭaḥ śubhadinerpayet/ ibid.,CCX. 1-4
[13]:
daśadhenuḥ pravakṣyāmi yā datva bhūktimuktibhāk
prathamā guḍadhenuḥ syād ghṛtadhenustathāparā
tiladhenustṛtīyāca caturthī jaladhenukā
kṣīradhenurmadhulhenuḥ śarkarādadhidhenuke
resadhenusvarūpeṇa daśamī vidhruceyate—ibid.,CCX. 10-12
[15]:
[18]:
utpatirjamadagnitaḥ bhagavandevaḥ pinākī guru virjaṃ yattu na yadgirāmanupathaṃ vyāktaṃ hi tatkarmabhiḥ/
tyāgaḥ saptasamudramudritamahīnirvyājadānavadhiḥ styabrahmataponidhe bhagavataḥ kiṃ kiṃ na lokottaram// Hanumannāṭaka I.53
[19]:
(a) kalyāṇānāṃ nidhānaṃ kalimalamathanaṃ pāvanaṃ pābanānāṃ pātheyaṃ yanmumukṣoḥ sapadi parapadaprāptaye prasthitasya/
viśramasthānamekaṃ kavivaravacasāṃ jīvanaṃ sajjānānāṃ/ bījaṃ dharmadrumasya prabhavatu bhavatāṃ bhūtaye rāmanāma// ibid.,I.1
(b) pātu śrīstanapattrabhaṅgamakarīmudrāṅkitoraḥsthalo/ devaḥ sarvajagatpatir-madhuvadhūvaktrābjacandrodayaḥ/
krīḍākroḍatanornavenduviśade daṃṣṭrāṅkure yasya bhū bhātisma pralayābdhipalvalatalotkhātaikamustākṛtiḥ// ibid., I.2
(c) yaṃ śaivāḥ samupāsate śiva iti brahmeti vedāntino bauddhā buddha iti pramāṇapatavaḥ karteti naiyāyikāḥ/
aharnnityatha jainaśāsanaratāḥ karmeti mīmāṃsakāḥ so’yaṃ vo vidadhātu vāñchitaphalaṃ trailokyanātho hariḥ// ibid.,1.3
(d) taṃ rāmaṃ rāvaṇāriṃ daśarathatanayaṃ lakṣmaṇāgrājyaṃ guṇāḍhyaṃ pūjyaṃ prājyaṃ pratāpāvalayitajaladhiṃ sarvasaubhāgyasiddhim/
vidyānandaikakandaṃ kalimalapaṭaladvaṃsinaṃ saumyadevaṃ sarvātmānaṃ namāmi tribhuvanaśaraṇaṃ pratyahaṃ niṣkalaṅkam// ibid., I.4
[20]:
[21]:
vaivāhikaṃ kuśikanandanajāmdagnyaṃ vālmīkigautamavasiṣṭhapurohitādyaiḥ/
rāmo vidhiṃ saha samāpya salakṣmaṇastairānandayañjanakajāṃ svapuraṃ jagāma// ibid.,I.58
[22]:
[23]:
astaṃ jāte mukulanalinībāndhave sindhuputre prācībhāge pramadamudite pakvanāriṅgapiṅge/
rāmaṃ kāmaṃ gurujanagirā mandiraṃ sundaraṃ svaṃ rambhorustaṃ janakatanayā nandayanti jagāma// ibid., II.2
[24]:
kūrmo mūlavadālavālavadapāṃ nātho latāvaddiśo
meghāḥ pallavavatprasūnaphalavannakṣatrasūryendavaḥ
svāminvyomatarurmama kramatale śrutveti gāṃ māruteḥ
sītānveṣaṇamādiśandiśatu vo rāmaḥ saharṣaḥ śriyam// ibid., VI.3
[25]:
[26]:
[27]:
āsīdudbhaṭabhūpatipratibhatapronmāthivikrāntiko bhūpaḥ paṅktiratho vibhāvasukulaprakhyātaketurbalī/
urvībarbarabhūribhāraharaṇe bhūriśravāḥ putratāṃ yasyāra svamatho vidhāya mahitaḥ pūrṇaścaturdhā vibhuḥ// ibid., I.5