Sandeśarāsaka

The Sandēśarāsaka (meaning Message Poem[1]), also known by its Apabhraṃśa name Saṁnēharāsaya, (Sanskrit: सन्देशरासक, Apabhraṃśa: संनेहरासय) is an epic poem often dated to around the 11th century by Addahamāṇa (the Apabhraṃśa form of the name Abdur Rahman), a Multani (known as Mulasthana) poet,[2] in Apabhramsha.[3][4][5] Its language is considered to be a version of Apabhraṃśa, the language that gave rise to modern Northwestern Indo-Aryan languages like Punjabi and Sindhi.[6]

The manuscripts of the book were discovered in Jain libraries by Muni Jinavijaya. According to Muni Jinavijaya, the work was written before the conquest by Ghiyath al-Din Muhammad Ghori in 1192, when Multan was still a major Hindu pilgrimage centre.[7] The manuscripts include Sanskrit explanations by a Jain scholar in Vikram Samvat 1465 (circa 1408–09 C.E.).

Dating

The work is dated to various centuries by different authors:

  • According to Bhardwaj (2016), the author of the work flourished in the 11th century[8]
  • Roberts (1999) dates the author of the work to the 12th century,[9] with Asif (2016) claiming his Sandeśarāsaka was written in the late 12th century, being compiled near Jaisalmer[10]
  • Ollet (2017) dates the work to the 13th century,[1] with Flood (2022) dating it to the early 13th century[11]

Manuscripts

Various manuscripts of the work have been discovered:[12]

  • Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Ms. no. 181 of 1881–1882, 12 leaves, written in Jain Devanāgarī. Scribed by Paṃ. Nayasamudra.
  • Ms. from Jñānabhaṇḍār of Ācārya Śrī Jinaharisāgarjī at Lohāvaṭ in Marwar. 28 leaves. Completed at Hisāradurga (Hisar fort in Haryana) on the 8th day of the bright half of Āṣādha, Wednesday. Scribed by Lakṣmīcandra based on a lecture by Gāhaḍa. Completed in 1465 VS (c. 1408–1409).
  • Ms. from a Bhaṇḍār at Pātan. 17 leaves, written in Jain Devanāgarī. Copied by Muni Mānasāgara, dating to 1700–1750 VS (c. 1643–1694 CE)
  • Ms. held at the library of Śvetāmbara Sādhumārgī Jaina Hitakāriṇī Saṃsthā, Bīkānera , dating to VS 1633 (c. 1576–1577)[13]

Theme

This epic poem is inspired by Meghaduta of Kalidasa,[14] with Meghaduta involving sacred geography while the Sandeśarāsaka consists of mercantile geography, consisting of Uch and Cholistan fortresses.[10] The story involves a message from a husband to a wife via a cloud. While Kalidasa's work involves the message travelling from Ramagiri to Alaka, Addahamāṇa's work involves a route from Multan to Cambay. Furthermore, the Meghadūta focuses on the male yaksha while the Sandeśarāsaka centres on a female virahini.[10]

The author invoked God using an expression that combines Hindu and Muslim perspectives:[15]

माणुस्सदुव्वविज्जाहरेहिं णहमग्गि सूर ससि बिंबे।
आएहिं जो णमिज्जइ तं णयरे णमह कत्तारं।
māṇussaduvvavijjāharēhiṃ ṇahamaggi sūra sasi biṃbē.
āēhiṃ jō ṇamijjai taṃ ṇayarē ṇamaha kattāraṃ.

In Shahmukhi,

مَاݨُسَّدُوَّوِجَّاہَریہِں ݨَہَمَگِّ سُورَ سَسِ بِن٘بے ۔
آئیہِں جو ݨَمِجَّئِ تَں ݨَیَرے ݨَمَہَ کَتَّارَں ۔

In Gurmukhi,

ਮਾਣੁੱਸਦੁੱਵਵਿੱਜਾਹਰੇਹਿੰ ਣਹਮੱਗਿ ਸੂਰ ਸਸਿ ਬਿੰਬੇ।
ਆਏਹਿੰ ਜੋ ਣਮਿੱਜਇ ਤੰ ਣਯਰੇ ਣਮਹ ਕੱਤਾਰੰ।

Translation,

O citizens, salute the creator who is saluted by men, gods, vidyadharas, the sun and the moon.

Cultural influence

It is the only work by a Muslim in Apabhramsha,[16] and it is a precursor of Baba Farid and books like Padmavat of Malik Muhammad Jayasi.

It is the first book that refers to a vernacular work based on the Ramayana.[17]

Two of the verses were quoted by Acharya Hemachandra (1088-1173).[18]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Ollett, Andrew (3 October 2017). Language of the Snakes: Prakrit, Sanskrit, and the Language Order of Premodern India. University of California Press. p. 9. ISBN 9780520296220.
  2. ↑ Flood, Finbarr Barry (2009-05-03). Objects of Translation: Material Culture and Medieval "Hindu-Muslim" Encounter. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-12594-7.
  3. ↑ सन्देशरासक (Sandeś Rāsak) : संस्कृत-टिप्पनक-अवचूरिकादिसमेत अपभ्रंश मूलग्रन्थ तथा आंग्लभाषानुवाद-विस्तृत प्रस्तावना-टिप्पणी-शब्दकोषादि समन्वित अब्दुल रहमान-कृत ; संपादक, जिनविजय मुनि (Editor: Jinavijaya Muni), तथा हरि वल्लभ भायाणी, सिंघी जैन ग्रन्थमाला (Singhi Jain Granthamala), भारतीय विद्या भवन (Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan), 1945
  4. ↑ हिन्दी साहित्य में रासो काव्य परम्परा, सन्देश रासक, Ajay Kumar
  5. ↑ Sandesh Rasak, Hazari Prasad Dwiwedi, Rajkamal Prakashan Pvt Ltd, 2003, p. 12-13 (Google Books.)
  6. ↑ Panjab Past and Present, Volume 29, Part 1, Issue 57 – Part 2, Issue 58, Punjabi University. Dept. of Punjab Historical Studies, 1995 p. 56
  7. ↑ The Felt Community: Commonalty and Mentality Before the Emergence of Indian Nationalism, Rajat Kanta Ray, Oxford University Press, 2003p. 189
  8. ↑ Bhardwaj, Mangat (25 August 2016). "1 Panjabi Language, Scripts and Grammar: A Spatio-temporal Perspective". Panjabi: A Comprehensive Grammar. Routledge. p. 5. ISBN 9781317643265.
  9. ↑ Roberts, John T. (translator). 1999. "The Message" - A Tale in Song. Addahamana's Sandesa Rasaka (12th Century AD). Charlottesville, VA: Papercraft Printing.
  10. 1 2 3 Asif, Manan Ahmed (19 September 2016). A Book of Conquest: The Chachnama and Muslim Origins in South Asia. Harvard University Press. pp. 71–73. ISBN 9780674660113.
  11. ↑ Flood, Finbarr Barry (12 July 2022). Objects of Translation: Material Culture and Medieval "Hindu-Muslim" Encounter. Princeton University Press. p. 42. ISBN 9781400833245.
  12. ↑ Ollett, Andrew (June 2017). "Sandeśarāsaka - Instructions". Github. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  13. ↑ Dhariwal, Mansi (June 2022). "Jaina Libraries of the Sādhumārgī Tradition: An Overview" (PDF). CoJS Newsletter (17). Centre for Jaina Studies: 49 – via jainastudies.soas.ac.uk.
  14. ↑ Studies in Punjab History & Culture, Gurcharan Singh, Enkay Publishers, 1990 p. 29-30
  15. ↑ हिंदी साहित्य को मुस्लिम साहित्यकारों का योगदान (1200 ई0 से 1850 ई0 तक) प्रोफ़ेसर शैलेश ज़ैदी, श्री नटराज प्रकाशन, ए-507/12, करतार नगर,बाबा श्यामगिरी मार्ग, साऊथ गामडी एक्सटेंशन, दिल्ली-53 (Blog.)
  16. ↑ Influence of Islam on Hindi Literature, Volume 47 of IAD oriental original series: Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Delli, Saiyada Asad Alī, Idarah-i-Adabiyat-i Delli, 2000, p. 12-13, 195
  17. ↑ Indian Horizons, Volumes 48-49, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, 2001 p. 100
  18. ↑ Origin and development of Hindi/Urdu literature, Madan Gopal, 1996, Page 3
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