A Survey of Maithili Literature Radhakrishna Chaudhary Shruti Publications Delhi Also from SHRUTI PUBLICATIONS 1. A Survey of Maithili Literature (Vol. II) Gajendra Thakur 2- fefFkykd bfrgkl (Hkkx 2) Coming Soon Gajendra Thakur First Shruti Publications edition 2010 © Publisher, 2010 All right reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior permission of the author and the publisher. Price : 250/- ISBN : 978-93-80538-36-5 Published by Shruti Publications Registered Office: 8/21, Ground Floor, New Rajendra Nagar, New Delhi 110 008. Tel.: (011)-25889656-58 Fax: (011) 25889657 Website:http://www.shruti-publication.com e-mail: [email protected] Distributor : Pallavi Distributors Ward no-6, Nirmali (Supaul), Mob. 9572450405, 9931654742 Typeset & Printed by AJAY ARTS New Delhi For Shri ShriKrishna Chaudhary Shri Binod Bihari Verma Preface The survey was initially prepared for a particular occasion under the heading “History of Maithili Literature”, sponsored by the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi. The man-made destiny willed otherwise and the mechanism, crowned with utter selfishness and sectarianism, did not allow the original scheme to materialise. The original idea was, therefore, changed and the present survey is a modified, revised and uptodate account of the Maithili literature in all its ramifications. I wish Maithili should have a clean slate to start, if it has to prosper in the company of other sister languages of the country. The survey, in its present form, is intended for the common readers. It is an attempt to outline the essence of Maithili. There is no attempt to prove or disprove but rather to present in outline a graduated interpretation of the course of development. In a sense, it is a synthesis of the ideas permeating underneath Maihili language and liteature. A connected account of all the epochs of Maithili literature, from the earliest times to the present day, has been given in this short survey. Hitherto there is only one book in English language on the History of Maithili literature and that, too, was published, about thirty years back. The edition, now to be brought out by the Sahitya Akademi, is being written by the same author and naturally the Sahitya Akademi version of history will be nothing but old wine in new bottle. The present survey has been prepared in a purely historical perspective. Though much remains to be done in the field, the present work is just an attempt to draw the attention of the specialists in their respective branches to fill up the gap still awaiting further enquiry and proper research. I have condensed many facts in order to render the volume more fitted for popular reading. It also contains uncritical list of recent publications in the language to date. I have endeavoured to make it as simple, clear and readable as far as possible and have tried to be accurate and uptodate. Writing for non-specialised readers is like walking on tight rope. One is always afraid of falling into pedantism or triviality. It is for the readers to judge whether I have succeeded in keeping my balance all the way or not. 6 | Preface Marthili is a living language and has a glorious history of its own. Its history is the history of the growth of one of the earliest important languges of northeastern India and which influenced in one way or the other, all the languages of eastern India. The book is likely to interest all the lovers of our languages and if my readers feel that this humble attempt of mine has been worth while I shall deem my labour amply rewarded. I must express my sincere sense of gratitude to Prof. Upendra Nath Mallik, M. A. (Cal.), of the Department of English, T. N. B. College, Bhagalpur University, for his ungrudging help and coopertion. I have no words to thank Shri Gopiraman Choudhary, Research Fellow, Bihar Research Society, Patna, not only for his help and cooperation in seeing the book through the Press but also for other help. Without his active cooperation at the printing level the work would not have seen the light of the day so early. My sincere thanks are due to Dr. B. K. Verma Manipadma, Pandit Rajeshwar Jha of the Bihar Research Society, and to my wife and daughter, who shared my worldly anxieties while the work was in progress. I wish to thank all those who gave me their encouragement and help. I crave the indulgence of my readers for all types of shortcomings in this humble work. The very thought that this work will be of some help to all types of readers, will render them more tolerant to its occasional heaviness. RADHAKRISHNA CHAUDHARY Bhagalpur August 15, 1976 Contents 1. Introductory 1 2. Evolution of the Language and Script 14 3. Forms of Early Maithili Poetry 24 4. Triumph of Maithili Speech 32 5. Age of Efflorescence 42 6. The Mongrel Language 74 7. Crossing the Frontier 79 8. Heritage without Glamour a Study in Medieval Maithili Poetry 94 9. A Comfort to the Grieved 106 10. Era of Decadent Documentary Prose 119 11. Throbbing Human Heart 122 12. The New Awakening 131 13. The Golden Trio 140 14. The Lotus Blossoms 147 15. The New Dimensions 170 Appendix-I 203 Appendix II 215 Abbreviations ABORS : Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. JBORS : Journal of the Bihar & Orissa Research Socieiy, JBRS : Journal of the Bihar Research Society. MBH : Mahabharat. MSS : Manuscript. MM : Mahamahopadhyay. NIA : New Indian Antiquary. PPM : Prakritpainglam. RT : Ragatarangini. VR : Varnanaratnakara. CHAPTER—I Introductory HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND Mithila is bounded on the north by the Himalayas, and on the south, west and east by the Ganges, Gandaka and the Kaushiki respectively. It comprises the districts of Champaran, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Saharsa, Purnea, North Monghyr and parts of the Terai region in Nepal. It forms the north-eastern part of the State of Bihar. The Mithilamahatmya, describes the boundary of Mithila in the following manner; “Between the Himalayas and he Ganges, intercepted by fifteen rivers, lies the most holy land known as Tirabhukti; beginning from the Kosi and running up to the Gandaki, its length is declared to be twenty-four yojanas, that is, 192 miles; beginning from the Ganges and extending up to the Himalayan forests, its breadth is sixteen yojanas, that is, 128 miles. There is situated the city of Mithila.” The name ‘Tirabhukti’ appears in the records of the Gupta period (circa 4th centuary A. D.). Tirabhukti is modern Tirhut. The antiquity of Mithila is proved beyond any shadow of doubt. The story of the Aryan Colonisation of Mithila is narrated in the Shatapatha Brahmana and the name Mithila or Videha is derived from Videgha Mathava. The word Mithila was derived from “Manth” (to churn) by the author of the Unadisutra. According to the Matsyapfurana, Mithila was also the name of a Sage. Mithi was one of the rulers who is said to have carried out Ashvamedha Yajna and thereby rendered it holy. Mithila was originally the name of the capital of the land, which was known as Videha. Mithila and Videha ultimately came to be synonymous. Mithila figures prominently in the Vedic and epic sources. Mithila is associated with the name of Janaka Videha and stands apart pre-eminently as the land given to intellectual pursuits and consequently to speculations about the spiritual well-being of man. Janaka gave impetus to philosophical discussions at his court and that formed the kernel round which the Indian culture had grown, developed and ultimately perfected in later years. “The path of duty can be known from the usages of Mithila”— a passage attributed to Yajnavalkya—is later echoed by Vidyapati in his Purushapariksha, where he says—”the people of Tirabhukti are by nature proud of their merits”. It was here in Mithila that Janaka ruled, Yajnavalkya legislated and Gautama meditated. Mithila was also associated with the leaders of Jainism and 2 | A Survey of Maithili Literature Buddhism. We have no definite information about the ancient ruling dynasties after the Janaka dynasty. For sometime it formed a part of the republic of Vaishali and during the Gupta period, it formed a part of the Gupta empire. It appears that it also formed a part of the empire of Harshavardhana. The period following his death is one of political confusion and the real history of Mithila, as an independent unit, begins in 1097 A. D. when the adventurers of the South, the Karnatas, ushered in a new era of splendid glory and achievements. It was under them that Mithila once again became the centre of philosophy, law and literature. The Karnatas were replaced by the Oinwaras in about 1325 A.D., and under that dynasty, Mithila made further progress in literature and philosophy, Vidyapati flourished under the Oinwaras. The Oinwaras were replaced by the Khandawalas in about 1556 A. D. The contribution of Mithila to the development of a synthetic Indian culture has been immense. Yajnavalkya developed the Madhyanandini branch of Yajurveda (universally know as Shukla and accepted by the whole of northern India)’. The Yajnavalkya smriti came to be duly recognised and formed the bedrock of the Mithila School of Hindu Law. The contribution of Mithila to Smriti is equally important. Mithila has produced illustrious writers and thinkers and India is justly proud of Mithila’s contribution to Nyaya. It was first systematised by Gautama and in the twelfth century A.D., Gangesha gave it a new orientation. In the realm, of philosophy, specially Nyaya and Mimamsa, Udyotakara, Mandana, Prabhakara, Vachaspati. Parthasarthi, Udayanacharya, Murari, Gangesha, Pakshadhara and Shamkara made their valuable contributions, while in the realm of Smriti, Shrikara, Halayudha, Bhavadeva, Shridhara, Aniruddha, Chandeshwara, Ganeshwara, Vachaspati, Vidyapati and others are notable figures.