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| Wednesday, 4 February 2004 |
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Some aspects of Selalihini Sandeshaya by Somapala Arandara According to "Sandesha" genre, Selalihini Sandeshaya too, opens with an invocation and a eulogy to the messenger, Selalihiniya. All other stanzas are composed in 'Samudraghosa', metre imitating the rhythm of sea-waves. Selalihini Sandeshaya is peculiar for its concise, lucid and spontaneous accounts of courier, people, places and nature. The courier is portrayed thus: "Lapa noma wan sanda men somi guna gihini "You are immaculately modest like a spotless moon, fair-complexioned like a helmeli blossom with a radiant body and pleasant speech. The sight of you alone is a gratification to us!" Thereafter, with a message to God Vibhishana, Selalihiniya makes for Jayawardenepura. Then ensue descriptions of places: Pohosaddana aethi thunu ruwana baethi pema Historical event Friend, recognize Jayawardenapura which is named after its victories, which outshines the heaven's glory with wealthy and ardent followers of the Triple Gem. Diyawanna Hoya girdling this city is a hallmark of the Sandesha tradition of a moat around a city. "Raendi rala ralaethi hoya Diyawanna namaeti "The sheen of canal's water is like the resplendent silk shawl". The poet unfolds a historical event connected to a Buddha statue thus: "Peradala nindu diya kanda rata bim galatha "A tidal wave began to ravage the land infuriated by Kin Kelanatissa's crime of killing an Arahant dipped in a cauldron of boiling oil..." The poet directs the courier to worship another sacred pagoda thus: "Aha sin awith mini ak nayindu yaedumata "At Naga King, Mani Akkhika's request, Lord Buddha preached the Dhamma, seated on a gem-studded chair at Kelaniya where a Dagoba was built to a height of sixty cubits. You'd better worship that Dagoba. The poet's serene and tranquil mood displayed here as distinguished from that of portraying lascivious maidens by Kelani river is sufficient testimony to his outstanding diction. Natural beauty The poet's mastery of describing natural beauty is noteworthy: "Aga pipi mal maligiya liya kaeleya This is a really vivid sylvan scene strewn with 'Idda' flowers, with swan - infested lakes brightened with flowers and wide tracts of sand covered with pollen from faded blossoms, Selalihiniya is to fly over them. Rahula Thera's poetic majesty freely emerges here. The following stanza depicts natural bountifulness: "Nimal sanda pahan waeni waeli pita udula Selalihiniya is to enjoy the cool shade of sal trees, admiring the tender nymphs along the sandy tracts on the way. The following lines offer a marvellous spectacle of peace and plenty in the countryside: "Awata supipi sapu dunuke salalana - "All around there are full-blossomed trees like Sapu, Dunuke and Sora and with trilling Wilikulu and Kirala birds here and there. 'Rath Hael' paddy is pregnant with grain. Follow that route down Mahaweliyaya. The effective use of alliteration particularly with sibilants like 's' in harmony with dentals such as 't', 'd', 'n', labials like 'p', gutturals like 'k' and fricatives like 'r' is marvellous and evokes lulling sounds enhancing rural charm. Portrayal of people has much to do with the excellent poetry of Rahula Thera. The following stanza is oft - quoted for its universal appeal: Sisi wana wuwana inga sunga gatha haeki mitina Fairies The women of this city are enticingly round-faced, tactilely slender-waisted, gracefully wide and shapely - hipped, plump-breasted and ivory-complexioned. They are fairies but for their blinking eyes. Poets say fairies do not blink their eye lids. Although the first three lines contain poetic cliche's, the contrast in the last line is an innovation. King Parakramabahu is pretty well described as follows: "Riwibimba yuru rivi kula kamalakara King Parakramabahu gave succour to Surya dynasty as the sun activates a lake of lotuses. He was prosperous. Beneficent Stanzas 95 and 96 extol Minister Nannuruthunaya's adorable qualities and says he had a message for God Vibhishana. He was handsome like the Cupid in his former self. The courier is to collect his message. "Oh, My Lord, may you give ear to that entreaty"! Here the poet's spontaneous reverence to God Vibhishana manifests. Quadruplets 100-102 present a portrait of Ulakudayadevi, King Parakramabahu's daughter. She is beneficent, generous, wise and popular with the masses:' "Sithumina wan yaedi yaedi hata danin dena She is sincere to associates, sympathetic to servants and loyal to husband. Moreover she is soft-spoken, adept in poetry, devoted to religion and observes Eight Precepts every Poya Day. Let her be blessed with an illustrious son: ("Puth ruwanak sonda duna maenawi...." Sri Rahula Thera devotes 15 stanzas to portraying God Vibhisana. He showed boundless reverence to Vibhisana, unusual for a Buddhist monk following the Triple Gem. A masterpiece amidst Sinhala Sandesa Poems, Selalihiniya embodies excellent descriptions of the journey from Kotte to Kelaniya in a day. Redundancy is totally absent. Martin Wickremasinghe appreciates Rahula Thera's poetic talent but criticizes his obsequiouesnes to Vibhisana: Sri Rahula Thera thought of God Vibhisana with great awe coupled with fear. Every interesting description in Selalihiniya has been done freely and with ease. The description of God Vibhisana on the contrary, has been fondly but very hardly wrought. Some of the stanzas so tantly wrought display his over devotion". The epilogue - stanzas 109 - 111 - indicates that Ulakudayadevi pregnant as entreated by the poet, bore forth a son and Selalihini Sandeshaya was composed by the great scholar and Head of Vijayaba Pirivena. **** Back **** |
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