4. Objectives of Kṣemendra’s Satire

Society and literature are closely related. In another word, literature represents a society. Through his literary work, a satirist can serve for the uplift of the society. He can teach people how to live a value based life. In reality, a satirist always tries to bring some positive values in the society. He tries to heal all the immoralities prevailing in that particular society. In real sense, a satirist wishes to hold some lessons before the readers. The Deśopadeśa, the Narmamālā and the Kalāvilāsa are the unique satirical compositions of Kṣemendra through which he tries to bring a positive change in the society. In this chapter, it is proposed to study how Kṣemendra has satirized each and every immorality prevailing in the society for the uplift of social and moral values.

Follies and foibles are not confined to one age only. Generally, in every society there exists a group of people who are not social, greedy and selfish. Their greed and selfishness often give birth to thieves, exploiters and such other vicious people. They are the source of all problems in the society. They are eliminator of peace and harmony in the society. In one place of his work, Kṣemendra mentions that ‘dharma is sinking and good people are completely destroyed. Now there is continuing a bad time.^[1] This comment of Kṣemendra indicates the prevailing condition of the society of his time. Most probably, the prevailing condition of the society induces Kṣemendra to compose the satirical works.

In one place of his work, he says-O dear citizens! where will you go now? (hā praje kva gamiṣyasi).^[2] It indicates his concern for the whole situation. His satirical works namely the Kalāvilāsa, the Deśopadeśa and the Narmamālā, reflects his entire grudge against the corrupt bureaucrats and the people of the society belonging to different strata. In the works, Kṣemendra has used satire to expose all kinds of vices and follies prevailing in the society. Herein, evil practices are primarily ridiculed. Kṣemendra does not spare anyone. Kṣemendra, in his works, criticizes the evil practices but behind it his intention to reform is visible. Kṣemendra utilizes satire as a powerful instrument against all kinds of nefarious deeds to make aware all the people of such anti-social and immoral deeds. Kṣemendra realizes that satire is the best way to make people ashamed of which indirectly helps in eradicating vices and follies. Thus, his only objective in composing the satirical works is to moralize the society and the life around him, as he believes that without social and moral values, a society cannot be termed as good. In the Deśopadeśa, he himself expresses that his only endeavor is to rescue all the classes of people from doing evil deeds.^[3] He says that in the guise of humour he wants to give some advices to the people.^[4]

In the last verse of the Narmamālā, he says that he composed the work to give some meaningful counsel to all.^[5] In the Deśopadeśa, Kṣemendra humbly states that though he is not much expert in mocking still he has done it to advise the people.^[6] In the Kalāvilāsa also, Kṣemendra mentions that the work is full of worldly counsel.^[7] It can be said that Kṣemendra wants to raise the society from the degraded state by revealing social truth. He hopes for the elimination of all kinds of social evils. Therefore, he applies satire as a weapon to make a value based society.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

aho nu kāladaurātmyād ghoratā kiyatī kaleḥ/
sādhavaḥ sarvathā naṣṭāḥ kaṣṭaṃ dharmo’stamāgataḥ// Narmamālā ,III.93

[2]:

Deśopadeśa , I.17

[3]:

hāsena lajjito’tyantaṃ na doṣeṣu pravartate/
janastadupakārāya mamāyaṃ svayamuddamaḥ// ibid.,I.4

[4]:

ye dambhamāyāmayadoṣaleśaliptā na me tān prati ko’pi yatnaḥ/
kintveṣa hāsavyapadeśayuktyā deśopadeśaḥ kriyate mayādya// ibid.,I.3

[5]:

iti diviraniyogivrātaduśceṣṭitānāṃ kusṛticaritacarcā narmamālā kṛteyaṃ/
api sujanavinodāyombhitā hāsyasiddhai kathayati phalabhūtaṃ sarvalokopadeśaṃ// Narmamālā ,III.113

[6]:

kṣemendraḥ praṇatiṃ karoti na paṭurlokopahāseṣvalaṃ/
kintveṣa vyapadeśataḥ pratipadaṃ deśopadeśaḥ kṛtaḥ// Deśopadeśa ,VIII.52

[7]:

lokopadeśaviṣayaḥ sukathāvicitro bhūyāt satāṃ dayita eṣa kalāvilāṣaḥ// Kalāvilāsa X.42