The Superb and the Awesome: Animals in Muna-Madan

 Padma Devkota


    From the earliest cave painting to the most recent human expressions, both real and fantasized animals have continued to haunt our memory and imagination. Such animals have found their metaphoric, symbolic or metonymic equivalents in our ways of thinking about culture and have largely populated all genres of literature including fables and allegories. They are today invariably tied to our thoughts, motivations and feelings in ways that demand our concern. While we have hunted them or captured and domesticated them for our use, we have also distanced them as inferior beings or stopped to question our own moral superiority over them. However, we have not stopped marveling at the variety and beauty of the animal kingdom with an emotional entanglement which transmutes the wild and dangerous into superb and awesome creations that fill us with wonder and respect. I aim to dwell upon this emotional entanglement to study how Laxmi Prasad Devkota populates his long narrative poem, Muna-Madan, with animals and, in the process, show how these animals reflect the delightful and the tragic mood of the poem.
    The non-human animal world in Muna-Madan presents two categories: the mythological and the real. In the first category, there are three examples. First, Madan addresses his wife as nagakannya or the daughter of a naga, which literally means any snake and, in particular, a cobra. But, these inhabitants of patal or the underworld in Hindu mythology were creatures with a human face and the tail of a serpent. Somewhat curiously, Muna is compared to a young female of patal and, accordingly, asked not to dare the difficult slopes of the high altitudes. The effect of this metaphor is further heightened by the immediately preceding simile. Muna has “feet like flowers” (39). Elsewhere, her heels are compared to “duck’s eggs” (414)— smooth, round and fragile. So, Madan says, “O nymph, do not dare the hills” (40). Second, in Muna’s complaint there is a reference to the simalchari which is a Nepali approximation of the Greek phoenix. Now convinced that her tears are powerless against Madan’s departure for Lhasa, she predicts her existence without him:
          Each moment of my life will burn, my dear.
          Reviving from the ashes, memory
          will sob every now and then. (92-4)
Just as the phoenix resurrects from its own ashes, Muna’s memory of her lover will revive over and again from the residual pain and suffering of separation. And, third, the tiger is also Kali’s mount, of which I will speak later on.
    In the second category, there are the reptile, the insectile, the vertebrate, the apian and the avian. These creatures appear in abundance throughout the narration and are either simply described through Madan’s eyes or used as symbols, images or metaphors with or without the cultural burden. Often, they are described as things of beauty. However, both their usefulness and their threat to life are clearly perceived. For example, in Muna-Madan, animal products are used as food, as clothes, as beds, as blankets, as curtains and as medicinal musk. Chyangba places Madan on “a bed of lamb’s soft wool” (656) and gives him a woolen blanket to cover himself with. He is fed “fine dried lamb soup and nuggets/ of yak’s milk” (338-9) on top of pure Yak’s milk (645) to give him strength to recover from his illness. On the way to Tibet, Madan imagines the city of Lhasa with its
          “Yak-tail curtains,
          golden statues of Buddha, images
          of lovely damsels carved into colored stones… (170-172)
Once in Lhasa, “he collected/ sacks of musk and sheelajit in abundance” (516-17) and “preserving/ the sacks of musk carefully” (526-27), he departs for home.  Thus, animals such as cows, yaks and sheep are both directly and indirectly securities against poverty, hunger and cold. This is why Chyangba raises yaks (688) and grows fruits to raise his family. Animals are domesticated because they provide humans with the essentials for survival.
    The above relationship between humans and animals remains somewhat pastoral and idyllic. Nepali Romanticism, unlike its British counterpart, is founded on an understanding of the cyclical nature of life and the world. Here, since the creator is also the maintainer and the destroyer, Nature gives life and takes it away too.
              In the shades where beautiful
          forms of robust and glossy life
          roam with pleasure, there in the deep forest
          lives some goddess like Kali
          exceedingly lovely, but red in tooth and claw,
          a very cyclone, awesome in dark anger. (260-65)
Shiva’s consort is personified eternal Nature who is often depicted as giving life with one hand and taking it with the other. According to this mythology, her mount is the tiger, which “feasts on the body of the deer” (252). This brings out the ferocious aspect of nature and points to the real world where animals are food not only to human beings but also to each other. Thus, the tiger’s aggressive nature is generalized to wild animals (32) that roam “the dusky shadows of the forest” (249) and “feed on holy cows” (32). In this way, the sanctity of the fearful tiger as Kali’s mount is tacitly implied even as the holiness of the gentle cow is explicitly stated because one takes life while the other gives life. Yet, by mythologizing such animals, we also raise them to a higher, supernatural level in an act of appreciation of their superior beauty, strength or skill.
    If awesome animals evoke the sublime, the peaceful, relaxed and joyous animal life in the wilderness touches upon the beautiful. When, one day, Madan recalls his “mother’s voice, Muna’s eyes, his sister’s sobs” (900), he turns to survey Chyangba’s front yard and observes, “what lovely children, what lovely lambs/ lost in wanton sport” (904-5). Since lambs are symbols of innocence, they refer to children who are like lambs or to the lambs themselves which are like children. They evoke fresh life, innocence and joyfulness as opposed to the gloom and sorrow in Madan’s home. This simple and beautiful equation of the animal and the human suggests another reality: human beings are animals who share the qualities of other animals and live among them.
Yet, a greater contrast between the tragic and the comic sides of life appears in the description of Buddha’s birth anniversary when nature around Chyangba’s dwelling abounds in birds and animals. The spring mood is easily evoked in the following passage which describes the beautiful side of sentient life.
                          It was April:
           emerald in shoots, a rich burst of colors
           in flowers, mellifluence in birds,
           a chorus in the evening, a cooing
           in the doves, restlessness in the pheasant,
           sweet speech in the cuckoo, ripples in the brook,
           brilliance in Himal, stirrings in the branches,
           style in the peacock, scratching in the stag,
               frolicking in the deer. (722-730)
April is the sweetest month, also because Buddha was born in this month. The animals, birds, brooks and branches seem to know this and feel it in their being. It is as if all sentient life shares the joy of Buddha’s presence. This reminds us of Madan’s upward journey through “[c]lusters of fragrant foliage” (266) that sway from the swing of Radha and Krishna. Here, too, in an amazingly ecstatic moment, Madan observes the “joyful, wanton form” (272) of a glossy, young deer in its “frisking infancy” (271). The young ones of all animals are apparently alike in their joyful innocence.
    In the above examples from descriptions of the way to or from Lhasa to Madan’s arrival in the city itself, human perception of animals switches from the aesthetic to the economic mode. In the aesthetic mode, humans perceive the silence and the songs of birds and animals; but these creatures disregard the human traveler. During his journey, Madan observes their minor discomfort, their playfulness, their stirrings, and their variety of forms and colors. But, in the economic mode, the animals become commodities valued for their monetary returns. This is an act of debasing the dignity of animals to establish human superiority over them. In Lhasa, the stag and the deer are now replaced by the economically advantageous musk-deer:
          It is a colorful land of bright gold,
          strange and bright, filled with the fragrance of musk,
          and heaps of gold. (481-83)
Madan journeys to this city to earn money, not to satisfy his aesthetic impulses. Unlike Chyangba’s abode in the high forests, the city, be it Lhasa or Kathmandu, is a place of lust, greed and toil.  
    Take lust for instance. In a line highly evocative of “The Sick Rose” by Robert Burns, Devkota writes,
                      The sweet rose
          born of its succulent roots is the worm’s food. (381-82)
Seeing lovely Muna at the window, a rogue of the city becomes infatuated with her and begins to loiter around her house like a worm at the roots of the rosebush. The poet affirms that “[t]he flower of the city is the rogue’s prey” (383) and laments how “humans scatter thorns where humans tread” (385). A somber mood is thus set as a reminder of what is yet to come. And one might say that the rose bush recognizes the worm. When Naini attempts to seduce Muna, she retorts with the power of a sati or a faithful wife: “Plentiful of city vermin are endowed/ with precious youth” (432-33). Once again the rogue is compared to a worm. However, when he writes a letter to Muna lying to her about the death of her husband, she dies of grief. At this point, the narrator exclaims,
          What misery! Can He above see such sorrow?
          If He does, how can He look at such a spectacle?
          The pen cannot record this.
          How could a heart be a black serpent?
          How could the city wretch fabricate
          a letter saying Madan was dead?
          In the serpent’s teeth is a poison sac;
          in man’s heart is halahal, a dark poison. (1070-77)
The invisible worm has now turned into a very visible serpent that vomits venom all over the protagonist’s life.
    Muna’s death, rather than being a sudden occurrence, has been suggested twice earlier in the narrative with the help of animals. First, in section VII, she relates her dream to her mother-in-law:
          “O, what a bad dream I had!
          A buffalo chased me. When I recall
          that buffalo, I tremble. It flung me down
          in the mud, mother. That buffalo chased me.” (529-32)
This black animal, though a provider of milk, is also a mount of Yamaraj, the god of death. Being chased by a buffalo in a dream augurs ill for the dreamer. On top of this dream, in section XIII, as Madan approaches his house, “A dog cries on the porch” (1049). The prevailing superstition held that a dog cries because it sees death approach the house of its owner. In the story, there are two people besides Madan who are going to die: Muna and her mother-in-law. In this way, Devkota makes use of dreams and superstitions to describe the life of simple folk.
    But, several times before this, we find cues to Muna’s tragic end. While the apian is used to build the foreboding gloom, the avian is used to signal the darkness of death. Unable to stop her husband from going to Lhasa without her, she compares herself to a bird and then to a lotus flower in this splendid passage:
          Now tearless, the bird shall die gulping tears
          as the day departs in the west
          leaving the golden field behind.
          The heart of the lotus shrivels up and dies.
          The bumble-bee’s desire is here entrapped.
          Gaping darkness gathers all around it.
          My body shivers in the cold, my love,
          suspicion chills my mind. (102-9)
When the sun sets, the golden field, the bird and the lotus in the pond are left behind. The bird shall die of sorrow. The heart of the lotus shall shrivel up and die. Should the bumble-bee, a symbol of lustful male desire which roams from flower to flower, long for this lotus which is Muna, a “[g]aping darkness” (107) of death will surround her in her lover’s absence.
    Men are like bumble-bees. This is a widely used image in Sanskrit literature. When Naini tries to seduce Muna saying, “A husband like a bumble-bee is not your worth” (425), she is quickly angered. However, when she begins to suspect the motive behind his long absence, she, too, reasons that “[t]he mind is/ like a bumble-bee” (853-54) and even questions the possibility of having faith in it (854). Of course, she is quick to repent such suspicion.
    Unlike the bumble-bee which stands for infidelity and deceit, the bees are sweet, little insects that swarm around flowers. Their presence is only suggested in Muna-Madan by the sound they make: “Light vines swung and bloomed and there was humming/ around the nectar” (731-2). They, too, represent the joys of spring. But birds cannot be left out of this festive season. Just as a cock crows “inviting daylight” (878), the cuckoo calls out, “’Spring is here! ‘Tis spring!’” (916) and flies excitedly among the flowers. As I have pointed out earlier, in April, there is not only “sweet speech in the cuckoo” (727), but generally “mellifluence in birds” (724). They are like good omen. When Madan sees a pigeon fly across the town (491) “[t]aking wings, his heart flew home” (492). It is about time it did! Having assured Muna that “[t]his love-bird will fly back to you” (20), he had told her,
                      The bird that flies
          beyond the hills will not forget its nest.
          Does not the soaring kite return when drawn
          by the thread of love, my dear? (140-143)
The pun on the word “kite” is important also because Madan’s heart—the kite—is now drawn by the thread of love. So, he now recalls his home from Chyangba’s abode and his “heart followed the flight/ of a bird over earth’s horizon” (719-20) in a straight and direct path to his house in Kathmandu where he imagines
          A small house beside this tree, at the window
          a songbird, his aged mother, his dear Muna— (897-98)
This is the “bird of imagination” (126) which, Madan tells Muna, “will not brush/ your heart of immortal love with its wings” (127-8). Thus, the songbird sweetens his memory while the pigeon takes him home in his imagination.
That night nostalgia for home robs him of his sleep. In his trance, “a cold blast grew intense” (499). Once out from his trance, he sees “the moon covered with lamb’s wool” (500). Then he realizes in the morning
          A hundred and twenty bright winged days
          having awakened in the Himal had now flown
          like birds across the western sea of gold. (506-8)
He has dallied long in Lhasa and his days have been bright.
     Muna’s longing for him, however, is of a distinctly different tone. In his absence, she knows she will feel like a “bird in the cage” (89) that pecks at the bars to fly away; but, unable to do so, she prophesizes that “this bird shall die gulping tears” (102). Such incapacity to fly away troubles Muna constantly because, “[w]ith no wings to fly away (835), she can only weep. And, in her deep sorrow, she comes close to bearing a death-wish, too. Her soul is “a bird in a cage” (840), which deplores its plight.
     Perhaps at the root of Muna’s incapacity to fly away lies a woman’s need for male support, which she confesses to her mother-in-law in section VII.
          Our weak frame, when its support is far away,
          trembles like a dry winter leaf
          in the cold breath of Himal and wilts away.
          The bird of the heart, afraid of shadows,
          flutters with fear in the boughs of life
          wondering whether to stay or to fly away. (566-71)
Her own hesitation leads to her continued imprisonment. Separated from her husband since many months ago, having heard nothing from him since his departure, she is worried for his well-being. And, she is also not free of suspicion that he might have been seduced by the “bulbul-throated” (79) girls of Lhasa.
    In section II, after we are told that “Dreams are sweeter/ than the waking state, feelings sweeter/ than reality” (189-91), Madan imagines the Queen of Lhasa bathing in milk and living a luxurious life. A description of a civilized Sherpa village follows. The journey is, nevertheless, very difficult because “the stones bite sharp/ upon the road” (246-47). Despite such hardship,
          The birds, wonderful voices of the wild,
          are more colorful than imagination;
          forest songs are sweeter than the city’s. (253-55)
Suddenly, the real world which is God’s creation becomes “more colorful than [Madan’s] imagination.” And “these dappled birds are superb creation/ in lovely forms” (259-60). This delightful aspect of nature suffuses the text of Muna-Madan. Even young children such as Fucha happily learn to imitate the “sounds/ of male and female birds and animals” (703-4).
    If the songs of birds delight us, their silence can appear sympathetic to our fate as when Madan falls sick on his return journey and is deserted by his friends in the middle of nowhere,
                      Faint twilight
          suffused the forest, the winds slept and birds
          stopped twittering. The nasty cold increased. (606-8)
Birds stop twittering in the growing darkness because they now retire for the night; but their songs would have sounded callous at this time. Madan had requested his friends not to leave him in the forest “a prey/ to cruel crows and vultures” (581-82), but human cruelty has now painted the whole world cruel.
                  Everything was cruel:
          the forest, the mountain, cruel the star,
          the whole world was barren and cruel. (609-11)
Although it may sound far-fetched, in another instance, too, a bird apparently disapproves of destruction. When the whole city appears to be mourning, a tree is snapped by a storm and an owl “fixes its round eyes on the young tree” (1057). The round, large eyes of the owl appear to show surprise at such destruction.
    And, although crows and vultures are shown to be ugly in their acts of feeding on dead bodies, the crows also have a brighter side to them. In Section XII, Madan sees a crow alight on a branch and caw. It then descends to the ground, comes nearer to him and caws again. He address it as a “sweet messenger, traveler in the sky” (1030) and requests it to carry a message to his mother and his wife. As a reward for this favor, he gives it permission to taste a persimmon from his orchard before returning to its nest. The crow flies away as if it understood what Madan said, but he knows that the two beloved women back at home “do not understand/ the language of birds” (1042-43). This is somewhat of a contrast to the Lama who is a “friend to birds and animals” (681) and lives in “joyful communion with the mysterious/ unseen” (681), “making all creatures happy/ with his generous heart” (692-93).
    The concluding lines of Muna-Madan ask readers to face the tribulations of the world bravely and to “flap our wings from earth/ towards the sky” (1293-94).  This is a request to rise from our merely animal nature of “eating and drinking” (1294) and to discover the boundary between animals and human beings by finding meaning in life and “hopes for the future” (1297). To flap the wings is to exert the body so that “the flame of the mind/ burns to create a serene heaven” (1300-1). In much of Devkota’s literary works, poets are compared to birds that fly on the wings of imagination. In Muna-Madan, too, the suggestion is that we use the human imagination to soar such heights as will lift us out of the bog of worldly tribulations. Worms that crawl or creep into holes are harmful like the city vermin and the snake in man’s heart. Animals that sport on the ground can delight us or be of use to us. Bees that fly not too high hum sweetly, but bumble-bees are still too close to the earthly lust and greed. Birds that fly in the sky sing like poets and delight the listener. The poet does not forget the duality of pleasure and pain, of life and death, of earthly and spiritual existence as he narrates a tragic love story which underscores the heart-ache of the Nepalese society of his time. In doing so, he finds in birds and animals a companionship which alleviates the pains of existence. They capture our minds with their beauty and we read our hopes and fears in them: hopes of surpassing them through imaginative flights, fears of losing our human potentials in the common herd.

Unteaching Hatred

 Padma Devkota

              The reality of present day existence raises serious doubts about the delivery of education in the humanities rather than about the inherent competence of serious literature or the arts to unteach hatred. I here use the term hatred to describe not only intense dislike or animosity of one group of people for another but also more systematized negative attitudes that are stacked carefully in our daily language and behavior. I understand unlearning hatred as learning love; unlearning greed as learning charity, learning to think of others through socialization; unlearning anger as learning tolerance through understanding of human fallibility; unlearning pride as learning to be meek and humble without sacrificing self-respect and human dignity. I believe it is possible to unteach hatred, greed, anger, and pride through liberal education in the humanities, especially through good literature. I believe education of the young should start with children's literature and bedtime stories. There can be little doubt that not learning to hate in the first place is better than unlearning to hate. And, if we have already developed this negative response towards a different group of people, it is probably because we have foolishly undermined both the significance of the humanities and the role of poets and artists in our society.

In addition, we may also ask ourselves where, how and why we have learnt this negative response. For example, is the Hindu-Muslim tension a result of some political accident or of an excess of uncritical faith and literal adherence to scriptural teachings? Have we perhaps learnt to hate a different group accidentally in school or at home? Has our community been promoting dislikes and differences through uncritical thought, language or behavior? Where has education gone wrong?

In Nepal, education in the humanities has been very unfortunately undermined as something less useful than that in the sciences or even in commerce and management, and is sought by many academically weaker students who nevertheless need a certificate to apply for a job. That also partly explains why the humanities in our universities subserve the political interests of the national players of the democracy game. Lack of serious academic concern on the part of the authorities is deplorable because it is indeed the humanities—literature, history, philosophy, religion, languages, etc.—that allows people to appreciate their connections to the past and to other cultures of the world. By demeaning the status of the humanities in our universities, we are promoting hatred and jealousies, opening wider the rift between science and the humanities, and giving a false message to the society that scientists are superior people.

I think that scientists and businesspersons alike should learn to experience the humanities. Every time we read an interesting book, watch a good movie, visit the art gallery, listen to a concert, or tell a bedtime story to our children, we are experiencing the humanities. Literature, and especially poetry, is a source of beauty that is born in the best dreams of the human mind and expressed in the most memorable language of the artist. As Mallarmé puts it, poetry is the purification of the language of the tribe. What it can do to enhance the quality of the mind is often beyond the grasp of mere literature degree holders who do not always have its equivalence in knowledge and training. This leads to many social problems.

And I will also repeat the obvious: technical and vocational skills are different from proper education in the humanities, which alone is capable of stabilizing the play of prudence, pleasure and power in human societies. Neither religious orthodoxy, nor guiding hedonism, nor boastful knowledge, nor even the residing deity at the end of the muzzle can create the peaceful world we desire. Only the humanities and fine arts have the desired effects upon the human heart, which awakens to compassion with a revival of sensibility that is almost absent in our age. Only poetry, the essence of compassion dressed in the best garb of human expression, can spread the desired effects in other human hearts that will then understand the power of love. This should prove to be the undoing of hatred.

Whenever a case of hatred erupts anywhere, civilization takes a step backwards. It is always at risk of collapse. Like a card-castle, it will topple down any moment with a gust of anger, a grunt of disapproval, or a singe of temper. Without restraint and control, the upper layers of the card-castle cannot be built. It is difficult to determine just how much will collapse when a world war or a civil war begins, when a holocaust starts, or when mosques and temples are havocked. Every unguarded moment when we allow a sneer, a jeer, a mockery, or a quarrel to surface will destroy a part of that noble monument of human endeavor to enhance the quality of life. As William Golding might put it, the varnish of civilization may peel off any time if sufficient control is not exerted on the baser drives and instincts of human beings by educating these in the right direction.

              Yet, history is full of such moments when desired responses have failed. And history is full of attempts to renovate the monument of civilization. Conscious poets and artists of all times have often not only denounced hatred and all negative attitudes in the process, they have actually actively participated in socio-political events in an attempt to correct these. To my mind, they have succeeded best where the human intellect and imagination have worked together towards revelation and enlightenment. Voltaire's intellectual attempt to contrast what ought to be with what actually is is still in keeping with his imaginative grasp of the necessity of God for human societies. And it is easy to agree with Voltaire when he says that faith in God creates repulsion for the ugly and the monstrous. The Age of Enlightenment found beauty in respect for human beings. It taught self-discovery, critical thinking, and exploration of human values.

Such beauty, however, is short-lived in the absence of myth. A society that is not sufficiently drenched in myth will blow like dry, infertile dust in the chaos of its own storm. Myth is proof of the fertility of human imagination. It also encourages prudence; but people easily tend to forget prudence in the race for power and pleasure. Prudence, by supporting systems, provides a strong base for civilization. There is no civilization without system, no system without order, no order without self-restraint. Self-restraint can be unconsciously learnt like language or consciously practiced. That is why imitation is part of our everyday education in the field of personal response to social requirements of conformation or rebellion. That is why we look up to our social ideals and utopias, to Ram Rajya, to Buddha, to Gandhi, to great literary personalities and so on. We create myths and legends around people we regard as our ideals. We desire to become like them. But, in our daily lives, we see the examples of our own leaders who err into deception or who corrupt into wealth. The fake glory and pomp, the abused expressions of power, and the decadent culture of glittering gold has misled many young hearts into counterfeit expressions of their souls with dreams of instant acclaim by the empire of the immortals. Promoted by the friendly press, demoted by the aggressive press, upheld as ideals by flatters, denounced by disappointed self-seekers, genuine writers have suffered greatly for lack of sober criticism in today's counterfeit culture where myth and the humanities are questioned with regard to their utilitarian values by a society powered by wealth and political connections.

As a result, I believe that anyone writing today has first to denounce this barbarism—this counterfeit culture of self-importance—that has raised its head in the name of the people, in the name of democracy, and in the name of faith. Adrienne Rich offers us an interesting example through her refusal of the National Medal for the Arts in the fall of 1997. She explains her refusal thus:

In my lifetime I have seen the space for the arts opened by movements for social justice, the power of art to break despair. Over the past two decades I have witnessed the increasingly brutal impact of racial and economic injustice in our country.

There is no simple formula for the relationship of art to justice. But I do know that art—in my own case the art of poetry—means nothing if it simply decorates the dinner table of power which holds it hostage…. I don't think we can separate art from overall human dignity and hope. My concern for my country is inextricable from my concerns as an artist.

And then, in the Book Section of Los Angeles Times of August 3, 1997, she explores the relationship between art and government:

Art is our human birthright, our most powerful means of access to our own and another's experience and imaginative life. In continually rediscovering and recovering the humanity of human beings, art is crucial to the democratic vision. A government tending further and further away from the search for democracy will see less and less "use" in encouraging artists, will see art as obscenity or hoax.

This leads us back to what I was trying to say about the humanities and government. A government that does not understand the social value of the humanities cannot pretend to be democratic.

Finally, I would like to underscore the concept of preserving the "humanity of human beings." This is what civilization is all about. If it is human to err, civilization must mean tolerance of human weaknesses. If it is human to weep, civilization must mean sympathy for the miserable. If it is human to desire, civilization must mean charity that understands the needs of others. This is why we need conscious and powerful writers to continually remind people of the benefits of civilization and to show them the strength of beauty through respect for human beings.

              Unfortunately, the reality of human existence is often marred by moral ugliness. Let us note one instance of recent ugliness. On August 31, 2004, twelve Nepalese were slaughtered in Iraq. The violent outburst of public emotion on September 1, 2004 led to the loss of more lives and property and also to the inception of Hindu hatred against Islam in a very tolerant Kathmandu. The attack on Jame Mosque situated in the heart of the capital did arouse reciprocal sentiments that have fortunately fizzled out by now. The scar, however, outlives the wound. We have understood how easily public sentiments can confuse political terrorism with religious fundamentalism, and, if we stretch it a bit further, with racial, national, and other differences too. This is why we crave for some more critical awareness in our everyday living.

        Differences instinctively arouse curiosity and suspicion. When differences also threaten life and personal happiness, there is enmity and hatred among the concerned parties. Such feelings are further fueled by hegemonic relationships as between social and economic classes or between nations. The dominant-subordinate relationship between a superpower and a weaker nation or between the center and the margin can never achieve a state of equality between each other despite good-willed diplomatic missions. Neither can attitudes between the haves and the have-nots be brought to equilibrium as long as the acquisition of private wealth continues as a showpiece culture of the decadent rich. Otherness is always a possible threat to identity; recognition of the other as a non-threat is the beginning of peace and harmony. This can come only with understanding of our differences in terms of sex, race, colour, gender, religion, nation, age, ethnicity, disability and the like. Stereotypical thought only promotes prejudice, thereby leading to segregations and other mistreatments of one group of people by another. Both education in the humanities and the power of poetry can correct attitudes. Sharing and understanding our cultural and mythological experiences offers itself as one of the best remedies to hatred. I think this is what a SAARC Writers' Conference is all about: basically a quest for cultural connectivity through sharing and caring for everyone who is willing to make this region a better place to live in.

My heart is with you all.

 

Devkota Sadan

Maitidevi

September 27, 2004

 

 A paper presented at the Eleventh SAARC Writers' Conference held in Delhi, India, on October 7, 2004.

 

 

महाकवि देवकोटाका महाकाव्यका उठान

 - पद्म देवकोटा

    महाकवि लक्ष्मीप्रसाद देवकोटाको महाकाव्य यात्रा २००० सालमा शारदा पत्रिकाबाट सुरु हुन्छ । यसमा सुषमालोचनका प्राथमिक अंश छापिए तापनि सत्याभास (वा बुद्धचरित) र भक्त प्रह्लाद जस्तै यो पनि अधूरै रहेको बुझिन्छ । संस्कृतमा सिकन्दर र अंग्रेजीमा प्रमिथस अन्बाउन्ड लेख्न सुरु गरेको जानकारीसम्म पाइन्छ भने संस्कृतमै रचिएको सुन्दरीजल महाकाव्य, जसको उहाँले नै नेपालीमा समेत रुपान्तरण गरेको भन्ने योगी नरहरीनाथले बताउनुभएको छ, हराएको अवस्थामा छ । संभव छ, उहाँ वनारसमा भएकै बेलामा थप दुइवटा महाकाव्य शुरु गर्नुभएको थियो जसमध्ये साम्यवादी महाकाव्यको प्रथम सर्गका चौवालीस श्लोक, द्वितीय सर्गका बासठ्ठी श्लोक, तृतीय सर्गका चौवन्न श्लोक, चतुर्थ सर्गका पचासी श्लोक र पंचम सर्गका चार श्लोक बचेका छन् । साथै हिन्दी भाषामा रचिएको तितली महाकाव्य पनि छ जसको दुइ सर्ग मात्र छन् । यी बाहेक नेपालीमा शाकुन्तल, सुलोचना, पृथ्वीराज चौहान, वन–कुसुम, महाराणा प्रताप, प्रमिथस र अंग्रेजीमा शकुन्तलासमेत गरी पन्ध्रवटा महाकाव्य देवकोटाको नामसँग गाँसिएका छन् । यीमध्ये उहाँका प्रकाशित सातवटा महाकाव्यका सुरुका केही श्लोकहरूका आधारमा यी महाकाव्यहरूका उठान कसरी भएका छन् भन्ने सामान्य जिज्ञासा लिएर कुनै निष्कर्षमा पुग्ने चेष्टा गरेको यस लेखमा कुनै पनि सिङ्गो महाकाव्यको वा सर्गकै पनि चर्चा वा व्याख्या गर्ने लक्ष राखिएको छैन । केवल यी महाकाव्यका उठानका तरीका एक तुलनात्मक हिसावले बुझ्ने चेष्टा मात्र गरिएको छ । साधारणतया संस्कृतमा महाकाव्य पद्य रचना मानिएको र सोही परंपराबाट नेपालीमा आउँदा उदात्त शैलीमा महान उद्देश्य लिएको गरिमामय विषयवस्तु र आदर्श चरित्र भएका मूल नायकका बारे लेखिएको उत्कृष्ठ काव्यलाई भामहले बताएझैं महाकाव्य मानिदै आएको साहित्यिक परंपरा छ । महाकाव्यको मङ्गलाचरणमा भगवानको नाम लिएको, प्रकृतिको वयान गरिएको र संपूर्ण कथावस्तु संक्षेपमा संकेत गरिएको हुनुपर्ने प्रचलन पनि छ ।

    नेपाली साहित्यमा देवकोटाले महाकाव्य लेखन परंपरालाई लगभग एक्काइसौं विक्रम शताब्दीको शुरुदेखि एउटा बेग दिंदै २००२ सालमा नेपाली शाकुन्तल जन्माए जसको उठान मेरो जानकारीमा सबैभन्दा बढी चर्चित र सफल छ । यस कृतिमा संस्कृत महाकाव्य परंपरामा आधारित पौराणीक कथाको प्रस्तुती महाकाव्य रचनाका नियमभित्र रहेर सुन्दर शैलीमा गरिएको छ । यसको प्रथम सर्गको प्रथम श्लोकमा भगवानको स्मरण गर्दै प्रकृतिको वर्णनका साथै सिङ्गो महाकाव्यको कथासार संक्षेपमा बताइएको छ । लामो समयसम्म तपस्यामा लीन रहेका शिवले आँखा खोलेर हेर्दा “सुन्दर तालले” हावामा नाचिरहेकी “फुलेकी लता” (अर्थात् प्रकृति जो गौरी पनि हुन्) देखेर पनि नचिनेको जस्तो गरेर “तिमी को व्हौ ?” भन्दै जिस्काएपछि गौरी आफ्नै पतिले आफूलाई चिनेनन् भन्ने ठानेर आत्तिन्छिन् र रुन थाल्छिन् । अनि शिवले मुसुक्क हाँस्दै उनीलाई फेरि फकाइफुल्याइ गरेर जसरी आफ्नी पत्नीउपर “कल्याणको चुम्वन” दिंदै प्रेमभाव वर्षाउँछन्, त्यसरी नै यिनै शिवले महाकाव्य लेख्न तम्सिएका कविउपर यस्तै आशीर्वाद वर्षाउन् भन्ने भाव व्यक्त भएको छ । गौरी र शिवको लिलामा नेपाली शाकुन्तलको संपूर्ण कथावस्तु अटाएको छ । पुरुष र प्रकृतिलाई एक सूत्रमा उन्दै र दुष्यन्तमा पुरुष र प्रकृतिका चराचुरुङ्गिद्वारा पालिएकी मेनकापुत्री शकुन्तलामा पनि प्रकृति देख्दै दुष्यन्तले शकुन्तलालाई औंठी हराएवापत दुर्वाशा ऋषीका श्रापले गर्दा बिर्सिएर र फेरि सोही औंठी देखेपछि स्मृति फर्किएर उनीलाई आफ्नो दरबारमा स्वागत गरेको पौराणिक कथा कविले यस महाकाव्यमा हालेका छन् । यसरी यो श्रृङ्गारप्रधान महाकाव्य प्रकृतिमय बनेको छ । ईश्वर, मानिस र प्रकृतिको मिलन यसको मूल कथासार हो । यहाँ देवता र प्रकृति अथवा पुरुष र प्रकृतिको पौराणीक र प्रतीकात्मक संगमबाट पैदा भएकी प्रकृतिपुत्री शकुन्तला र दुष्यन्तको मिलन र त्यसबाट उत्पन्न भरत तथा भारतवर्षसम्मको उल्लेख छ । 

    यसरी मङ्गलाचरण चार हरफमै सकेका महाकविले तुरुन्तै शिवपार्वतीको यस्तो लिलाको “स्वर्णकाल महिमा” (श्लोक २) भारतवर्षको आकासमा चम्किएको स्मरण गराउँदै यस्ता मिठा कथा आफूलाई किन मन पर्छ भन्ने दशवटा कारण श्लोक ५ मा यसरी बताउँछन् –

आफैंलाई चिनाउने, रस दिने, प्राचीन सम्झाउने ।

मीठा व्यञ्जन ल्याउने, धन हुने, संसार व्युँझाउने ।।

चिन्ता दूर भगाउने, समयनै स्वर्णाभ फर्काउने ।

ज्ञानीले पनि गाउने प्रियकथा आनन्द वर्षाउने ।।

यस श्लोकले विषयवस्तु छनौटका यथेष्ठ र उचित कारण प्रस्तुत गरेको छ । 

    नेपाली शाकुन्तल महाकवि देवकोटाको पहिलो महाकाव्य भएकोले होला स्वीकारोक्तिको स्वरमा कविले छैँटौँ श्लोकमा गुनासो गरेको जस्तो पनि गर्छन् । एउटा गहन विषयवस्तुउपर महाकाव्य लेख्ने इच्छा त कविले गरे, तर “चल्थ्यो हात कहाँ कठ्याङ्ग्रिन गयो अज्ञानका रातमा” (श्लोक ६) । महाकाव्य लेख्नकालागि इच्छा गरेर मात्र पुग्दैन । यस्तो कार्यकालागि ईश्वरको कृपाका साथै कवि स्वयंको क्षमतासमेत आवश्यक पर्छ । कविको क्षमता रहेछ भन्ने कुरा आज हामीलाई थाहा छ । “नेपाली महाकाव्य आइसल्याण्डको सर्प जस्तो थियो” भनेर “वक्तव्य” सुरु गर्ने महाकविले अलि तल पाठकको यस महाकाव्यलाई ग्रहण गर्न सक्ने क्षमताउपर प्रश्न उठाउँदै लेख्छन्, “बुझेर पढिदिने एक हातको औंलामा गन्न पाए काफी छ ।” वास्तवमा विषयवस्तु र प्रस्तुतिका कारणले यस महाकाव्यको प्रथम सर्ग धेरै गहिरो छ । तर यसको उठानले पाठकलाई महाकाव्यको जटिलतातर्फ पर्याप्त मात्रामा सतर्क गराएको मात्र छैन, आफ््नो पनाको वीजयामतर्फ ध्यान दिएर आनन्दसँग रमाउनसमेत निम्त्याएको छ ।

    पाठकालागि अलि सजिलो पार्ने उद्देश्यले पनि होला, २००२ सालमा रचिएको दोस्रो महाकाव्य सुलोचनाले शाकुन्तलको जस्तो संस्कृतमय क्लिष्टता त्याग्दै र पौराणिक गाथाबाट समकालीन जगत्मा अवतरण गर्दै भाषा र शैली पनि बढि सहज र सरल लिएर उपस्थित भएको अनुभव दिलाउँछ । यसको दोस्रो सर्गदेखि संस्कृत शब्दको प्रयोग धेरै मात्रामा घटेको भए तापनि प्रथम सर्गको उठान संस्कृतमय छँदैछ । यसको बाइस श्लोकमा टुङ्गिएको प्रथम सर्गमा कविले हातमा वीणा लिएकी मुर्खताको अन्धकार नाश गर्ने काव्यजननी सरस्वतीसँग मिठा सुरहरू झन्कार्दै विश्वलाई नै व्युँझाउन र नयाँ युगको आभा यस महाकाव्यमा चम्काउन अनुरोध गरेका छन् । यस सर्गमा “नव” शब्द १६ पटक, “नौलो” एक पटक र “नव्य” एक पटक गरी “नयाँ”का पर्यायवाची शब्द अठ्ठार पटक प्रयोग गरिएका छन् जसको कारण यस्तो हुन सम्भव छ – सुलोचना राणा शासनकालमै पुष्कर शंसेरलाई हाँक दिंदै दश दिनमा एउटा महाकाव्य रच्न सक्छु भनेर अफिसको समयमा लेख्न सुरु गरिएको त्यो कृति हो जुन शास्त्रीयताको आधारमा पनि मान्य हुनुपर्ने थियो भने शास्त्रीयताकै आडमा बसेकाहरूका लागि केही चस्काचस्कीसमेत आवश्यक थियो । राणाकालीन इतिहासखण्ड अल्पस्वतन्त्र, दाशत्व मनोवृत्तीप्रधान र परम्परासमर्थक युग थियो । यसको अन्धकारबाट सचेत जनताले प्रजातन्त्र र शिक्षाको प्रकाशकालागि ठुलो कामना गरिरहेका थिए । त्यसैले “प्रथम प्रभाति/समुदित तारा–/सरि नवयुगकी/छौ छविधारा” (श्लोक १) भन्दै “तिमीर विनाशी” (श्लोक २) लाई युगको निन्द्रा पर गर्दै दिव्य मुस्कानको प्रकाशमा नयाँ फूलहरू फुलाउन आव्हान गरिएको छ । नेपाली शाकुन्तलमा “प्राचीन संसारको” (श्लोक ३) भारतवर्षीय आकासमा चम्किएको “स्वर्णकाल महिमा” (श्लोक २) संझिएर कविदिल न्यास्रिएको छ भने सुलोचनामा खोजेको नयाँ युगको छवि भविष्यमुखी रहेको छ । तेस्रो श्लोकमा शिव (“शशधर धर्ने”), चौथोमा गणेश (“गजमुखा”), पाँचौँमा राधा र कृष्ण (“मधुऋतुधारी”) का साथै जमुना (“रवि–तनया”), तेस्रो र सातौंमा गंगा, दशौंमा अनङ्ग (“मदन–शिखाका/शरहरू राम्रा”), आदि धेरै देवीदेवता तथा प्रकृतिको स्मरण गरिएको छ । सबै देवीदेवतासँग केही अपेक्षा गर्दै आफूले चाहेको कुरा कविले प्रकृतिको वर्णन गर्ने क्रममा बताउँदै जान्छन् । आफ्नो दिल मात्र हैन कि नेपालको आकास नै पनि उज्यालोले भरियोस्, निन्द्रा पर होस्, नयाँ युग सुहाउँदो नयाँ गाना पहाडी ह्दयबाट पानीझैं बगोस्, ताराहरूले लय भरुन्, कविता नदीझैं वनतिर बगोस्, यसको चमकमा आँखाहरू खुलुन्, यस नवनिर्मित काव्यमा “शहरहरूका/सुन्दर सार” (श्लोक २०) खुलोस् र “दुखमय विपना/सुखमय सपना” अर्थात् जीवनको वास्तविकता पनि प्रष्टियोस् भन्ने इच्छा कविले राखेका छन् । अनि बाइसौं श्लोकमा गएर कविता पनि पानी जस्तै कल्कलाएर नाच्दै र सागर भज्दै अगाडि बढ्ने यस्तो संकेत पाइन्छ –

छन्द छ चल्दो

कलकल पानी ।

सागर भज्ने 

कोमल वाणी ।।

सिर्जनका छन् 

जो लय तारा ।

सुन्दर नाच्छन्

ती पद सारा ।। (श्लोक २२) 

यसरी सुलोचनाको उठानमा कवि प्रकृतिमा आफ्ना रूपक, विम्ब र उपमाका डालाहरू बोकेर लहडिएका छन् भने शाकुन्तलको प्रथम सर्गमा शास्त्रीय उडानमै आफ्ना विद्वतासमेत प्रकाशित पार्दै गहन विषयवस्तुको चर्चामा जुटेका पाइन्छन् । सुलोचनामा कथावस्तुको संक्षेप अघिल्लो महाकाव्यमा जस्तै प्रष्टसँग नमिल्नुको कारण यो हुनसक्छ कि प्रथम सर्गको अन्त्यमा बताए झैं आफ्नै बाटो पहिल्याउँदै र लहडिंदै अगाडि बढ्दा महाकाव्य रच्न सुरु गर्ने बेलामा कविलाई कथावस्तु प्रष्ट थिएन होला । लेखिने क्रममा कथा बन्दै गएको हुनुपर्छ । 

    तेस्रो महाकाव्य पृथ्वीराज चौहान को रचनाकाल २००३ सालतिर भएको बुझिन्छ । २००२ देखि २००३ साल महाकाव्य लेखनको हिसावले देवकोटाको उर्वर समय भएको तथ्य ती ताका लेखिएका महाकाव्यले बताउँछन् । संस्कृतमा सिकन्दर र नेपालीमा सत्याभास अथवा बुद्धचरित लेख्न थालेको जानकारी पाइन्छ भने भक्त प्रह्लाद महाकाव्य अधूरो छ । पूरा र प्रकाशित महाकाव्यमा भने पौराणीकताबाट समकालीन सामाजिक कथावस्तुसम्म आएर त्यहाँबाट अब इतिहासतर्फ देवकोटा लम्किन सुरु गरेको पाइन्छ ।

    शैली र उठानको सन्दर्भमा भन्नुपर्दा पृथ्वीराज चौहानले महाकाव्य लेखनशैलीमै नवीनता खोजेको छ । सर्वप्रथम, यो झ्याउरे छन्द र लयको प्रथम नेपाली महाकाव्य हो जसले मुना–मदनको सफलताको याद दिलाउँछ र लोकलयमा लेखिएकै कारणले पनि भाषा सरल र सुबोध छ । अनि, यसले ईश्वरको नामोच्चारणबाट हैन कि प्रथम श्लोकदेखि नै “भाइ बहिनी” लाई सम्बोधन गर्दै ५७ श्लोक लामो सर्गको पुच्छारमा “सुनिदेऊ भाइ/सुनिदेऊ बहिनी” (श्लोक ५६) भन्दै लोक कथा टुङ्ग्याउने पाराले आफ्ना श्रोतालाई सुनको माला लगाइदिन तयार भएको अनुभव दिलाउँछ । साथै, ईश्वरकै नामोच्चारण खोज्दा “वृष्णि” (श्लोक ८), “ईश्वरको सत्य” (श्लोक ३०) र “रामका प्यारा” (श्लोक ४०) जस्ता उदाहरण पाइए तापनि यी उदाहरण मङ्गलाचरणमा हुनुपर्ने झैं सम्बोधन वा आव्हान नभएर प्रशङ्गवश प्रयोग हुनगएका देवत्ववाचक संज्ञा मात्र हुन् । बरु सिङ्गो सर्गमा वीरता, सत्य र प्रेमउपर लामा लामा चर्चा गरिएका पाइन्छन् । “वीरका आत्मा” (श्लोक ३,४) ले संसारकै भलो चाहान्छ, पृथ्वी र स्वर्ग आफ्नो त्याग र बलिदानले गाँस्छ । कविले श्लोक ४ देखि ९ सम्म सत्ययुगमा सत्यको विजय हुने गरेको र “जल्दा र जीता / नीडर दिलका” (श्लोक ४) वीरहरू भएका कुरा स्मरण गराउँदै ती वीरले वलिदानको क्षण चिनेका हुनाले उनिहरू भावनात्मक हिसावले सत्य र प्रकृतिसँग गाँसिएका थिए र आफूलाई जितेर सत्यको सहारा लिएकै कारणले पनि उनिहरूले आफ्नो सुगन्ध संसारमा छोडेर जान सकेका हुन् भन्छन् । श्लोक १० देखि १५ सम्म कविले आफ्नो जीवनको मूल्य माटो बराबर सम्झिएर काल मात्र काटिरहेकाहरूलाई संवेदनशील हुन र असत्यको पछाडि नलाग्न सुझाव दिन्छन् । अनि श्लोक १६ मा यी कुरा बुझ्नेहरू जति उडेर गए, तर नबुझ्नेहरू जति “क्षणीक धनको चिन्ता र पीरमा” (श्लोक १६) बसिरहेछौं भन्छन् । यसरी वीरहरू कस्ता हुन्छन्, यीनका स्वभाव कस्तो हुन्छ, त्याग के हो र त्यसबाट सौन्दर्य कसरी जन्मिन्छ भन्ने कुराको चर्चा गर्दै र सौन्दर्यलाई सत्यसँग गाँस्दै देवकोटा मानव जीवनको लक्ष उपर चिन्तन गर्ने सिलसिलामा यस्ता सुन्दर प्राकृतिक विम्बमा काव्य बुन्दै जान्छन् –

विश्वका सुन्दर सारले बुनी

साँझ र उषाका रङ्ग उनी

किरणबाट इन्द्रेणी चुनी

कोमल–सूती कुसुम–नाभा

जीवनको कपडा । (श्लोक २०)

फूलको पत्तीमा “सत्यको सुन्दर मोहनी झल्काई” (श्लोक २१) आफ्नो सुगन्ध पछिको निम्ति छोडेर आफू भने झरेर जाने फूलसँग वीरलाई दाँजेर पृथ्वीराज चौहान यस्तै वीर थिए भनी कविले बताएका छन् । यस्ता वीरले “मावन जाति” (श्लोक ३१) ले राति रोएर उदय खोज्दा दिनको नवकिरणका साथै “सत्यको सुन्दर रुनझुन गाना” (श्लोक ३४) चराहरूले झैं सुनाउँदै “प्रेमको ज्योति” (श्लोक ४३) बनेर बस्छन् । यस्ता पराक्रमी वीरका उदाहरण पृथ्वीराज चौहानलाई “धन्य है रजपूत” (श्लोक ५०) भन्दै यस्तै वीरका कथा, जो “भारतको व्यथा” (श्लोक ५०) पनि हो, हाल्न बसेको संकेत कविले गर्दा हामीले यही वीरता, सत्य र प्रेमलाई कथावस्तुको संक्षेप मान्नुपर्छ । यही कथा सुन्न हामीलाई आह्वान गरिएको छ । आखिरमा पृथ्वीराज चौहान त इतिहास नै हुन्, वीरात्माका ज्वलन्त उदाहरण । त्यसैले वीरको चरित्र वर्णनमा नै एक किसिमले यी वीरका कथासार आइसकेको बुझ्नुपर्छ ।

    देवकोटाको २००३ सालतिर लेखिएको चौथो महाकाव्य वन–कुसुम पौराणिक कथामा नभएर सुलोचना जस्तै काल्पनिक कथामा आधारित छ । दरवारका षढयन्त्र, प्रकृति–प्रेम र प्रेमीबीचका मधुर सम्बन्ध जस्ता विषयलाई एकै सूत्रमा उन्दै कथा आफ्नै मौलिक गतिमा अगाडि बढेको छ । यसका शार्दुलविक्रिडित छन्दमा रचिएका प्रथम छ श्लोकमा स्रष्टा र सृष्टिका कुरा छन् । प्रथम श्लोकमा कविले विश्वलाई रसको असीम सागरसँग दाँज्दै यसको संचालनको निम्ति अनेकौं रूप र रंग जुटेका बताउँछन् । यही विश्वको संगीत टिपी शान्त वनको एकान्तमा गाउने संगीतकी स्रष्टा सरस्वतीलाई आमा भनी सम्बोधन गर्दै संसार पगाल्ने लयमा बीन बजाउन आह्वान गरिएको छ । श्लोक २ मा सृष्टिको प्रारम्भमा ॐकार झल्किंदै विस्तारै ताराहरूको ताँती बनेर सद्कल्पनामा उदाएको र यो फुल्दै गएर जीवनको उदय भएको कुरा बताउँछन् । अनि ब्रह्मसँग शब्दबाट लयमा उदाउन पाऊँ भनी पुकार्छन् । मङ्गलोचारणमा सृष्टिकर्तालाई पहिले सरस्वती (श्लोक १), त्यसपछि “ब्रह्म” (श्लोक २), अनि “विश्व विराट् महाकवि” (श्लोक ३) भन्दै र आह्वान गर्दै कविलाई उससँग र कविको सृष्टिलाई उसको सृष्टिसँग दाँज्दै महाकाव्यले उडान लिन्छ । “विश्वविराट् महाकवि”लाई सम्बोधन गर्दै कविले मनकै सामग्री लिएर रित्तो महाशून्यबाट रंग र आकार दिंदै जसरी उसले दृश्य र जीवन खडा गर्दछ त्यसरी नै साहित्यको लावण्यमा फिल्मी दृश्य र नाटक खडा गर्न सकूँ भनी पुकार्छन् । श्लोक ४ मा कविले मनकै सामग्री र सद्कल्पना लिएर आफ्नो ह्दयभित्र यौटा यस्तो वस्ती बसाउँन चाहन्छन् जुन वस्तीमा जो आउन् तिनले संसारभन्दा पर सुखको देशमा थोरै समय आफ्ना दर्द भुलेर आनन्दमा रमाउन पाउने छन् । श्लोक ५ मा यो हाम्रो जगत्भन्दा रसिलो जगत्मा ह्दयका इच्छा पूरा हुन्छन्, यस जगत्का नाप र मोल ह्दयको जगत्ले उल्लङ्घन गर्छ भन्ने काव्यीक सत्य प्रस्ताव गर्छन् । यसरी  सिर्जिएको काव्यीक जगत्मा मानवता र सौन्दर्य बढी हुने भएकैले आफूलाई यस्तो नयाँ जगत् रच्न इच्छा लागेको कुरा पनि स्वीकार्छन् । सौखीन् सुखी भएर यहाँ बसून् भन्ने कविको भाव छ । श्लोक ६ मा यस्तो जगत्को सिर्जना गर्दा महासुख हुन्छ र स्वर्गको विलास पाइन्छ भन्दै यस्तो विचित्रको जगत्मा रंग र प्रकाश थप्दै नयाँ र नौला कुरा थप्दै जाँदा ब्रह्माले कविमा एउटा सानो अल्प रूप लिएको अनुभव हुन्छ भन्छन् । 

    माथिका भनाईमा काव्य–रचनाको सारगर्भित र महत्त्वपूर्ण उद्देश्य झल्किन गएको छ । ब्रह्म शब्द हो, लय सृष्टि । कवि ब्रह्मको झिल्को । उसको सृष्टिमा दु:ख र सुख दुवै छ । कविको उद्देश्य पाठकलाई छोटै समयकालागि भए पनि आनन्द दिएर भलो गर्नु हो भन्ने तर्क गर्दै कविले कविताका लागि वकालती समेत गरेका छन् । प्रकृतिको संसार र कविको सिर्जना यसै कारणले पनि यौटै होइन । तर यस्तै सृष्टि गर्नकालागि भए पनि कविलाई विराट् महाकविको आशीर्वाद आवश्यक पर्दछ । अनि आजको कलीयुगी जगत्को नाप, तौल र मोल विश्वकै सृष्टिको स्वर्णकालको भन्दा धेरै फरक छ जसले गर्दा त्यही स्वर्णआभातिर कविको मन फेरि फरि फर्किन्छ । यसरी पूर्ण चैत्यन्य र त्यसको झिल्को बीचको सम्बन्ध गंभीर सिर्जनशीलताको आधारमा अझ प्रगाढ हुने तथ्यउपर यस महाकाव्यको उठानले दावी गरेको छ । 

    पाँचौँ महाकाव्य महाराणा प्रताप संभवत् २००३ वा २००४ सालतिर रचिएको हुनसक्ने कुरा समालोचकहरूले बताएका छन् । यसको विषयवस्तु पृथ्वीराज चौहानको जस्तै विदेशी आक्रमणबाट आर्य सभ्यता नाश हुन नदिन वीर योद्धाहरूले यसको संरक्षणका लागि गरेका बलिदान हो जसले भारतको स्वतन्त्रताको सिलसिलामा नेपालले चाहेको स्वतन्त्रताको लागि चलिरहेको संघर्षलाई पनि एकै पटक लक्षित गरेझैं बुझिन्छ । त्यसैले पनि यो वीररसप्रधान महाकाव्यले मेवाडका राजा महाराणा प्रतापसिंहको देश र आर्य सभ्यताको प्रेमको सन्दर्भमा ज्वलन्त वीरता र बलिदानको इतिहास बोलेको पाइन्छ जुन कुराको संकेत “ग्रन्थका सम्बन्धमा” लेख्ने कञ्चन पुडासैनीले भने झैं “ग्रन्थको प्रथम श्लोकमा चियाउनेबित्तिकै पूर्ण ग्रन्थको संकेत” पाइन्छ । अर्थात्, मङ्गलाचरणमा संपूर्ण कथाको संक्षिप्त वर्णन पाइन्छ । प्रथम सर्गको पहिलो चार हरफमा यस्तो भाव खुलेको छ – पाण्डवहरूका बाघ जस्ता सुरा र भयानक भीमसेन जो शत्रुहरूका छाति आफ्नो क्रोधको आगो राख्ने भाँडो हो भन्ने सम्झिएर धप्धपाएको सूर्य जस्तो बन्दै शत्रुहरूका छातिमाथि तांडव नृत्य गर्दै टाउको र गिंड छुट्टयाउँथे, तिनै भीमसेनले विघ्नबाधा हाल्ने कीचकलाई मारेझैं कविताका खण्डहरूमा बाधा ल्याउने जतिका विरुद्ध साँढेझैं जाइलागुन् । यसरी महाकविले सत्य, न्याय, बल र वीरताका प्रतीक भीमसेनको स्मरण यस महाकाव्यको मङ्गलाचरणमा गरेका छन् । यसो गर्ने सिलसिलामा शिवलाई “तांडव” शब्दद्वारा संकेत गरिएको छ भने “रुंड र मुंड शत्रुहरू”को विम्बले शुंभ र निशुंभ बधगर्ने कालीको समेत स्मरण गराएको छ । अनि दोस्रो श्लोकमा काली, तेस्रोमा “गरुड” द्वारा विष्णु, चौथोमा “कपि” शब्दद्वारा राम, सुग्रीव र लंका ध्वस्त पार्ने हनुमान, पाँचौँमा शिव, छैँटौँमा सूर्य हुँदै मानौ यिनै वीरहरूको कोटीमा परेझैं यस महाकाव्यका मूल नायक प्रतापसिंहको नामोच्चारण हुन गएको छ । 

    यसको अतिरिक्त पृथ्वीराज चौहानमा प्रकृतिका र कृतिका स्रष्टा बीच तुनला गरेका देवकोटाले यस महाकाव्यमा मानौ सिर्जनशील लेखन कुनै होम, यज्ञ वा तपस्यासमान भएकोले यसमा बिघ्नबाधा नआओस् भन्ने हेतुले देवताको स्मरण गर्दै आशीर्वादसमेतै इच्छाएझैं शैलीमा प्रथम छ श्लोक लेखेका छन् । भीमले कीचकलाई तहलगाएझैं काव्यसिर्जनाको क्रममा उत्पन्न हुनसक्ने बाधक तत्त्वउपर साँढेझैं भएर तिनलाई लगारेर निर्बिघ्न सिर्जना अगाडि बढाउन सहायता गरुन् । कालीले पिएको शत्रुको रगतको रङ्गको गुलावी मसीमा तरवाररूपी कलम चोपिएर लेखन तेजिलो बनोस् । विष्णुका वाहन गरुडको बेगमा कालो बादल फार्दै उसको चुच्चो अर्थात् कविको कलमको कागज माथिको घर्षणले विजुली चम्काओस् र घनघटाबाट महासागर वैरियोस् । कल्पनाको रुखको हाँगा भाँचेर र त्यसलाई तिखारेर हनुमानले राम्रा सुनौला अक्षरहरू लेखुन् । यही बेला गणेश पनि बिघ्नबाधा नाश गर्न अगिल्तिर बसुन् । अनि शिवले आफ्नो त्रिशुलले पहाडमा हानेर फोडेका ठाऊँबाट बगेकी गंगाझैं कविता झर्ना बनेर झरोस् । सूर्य सुनौला गोला बनेर काव्यलाई भव्यता र नव्यता प्रदान गरुन् । भारती अर्थात् सरस्वतीले वीणाको सुरले नेपालका पहाडलाई झर्नाले झैं प्रहार गरी संगीतको सार फैलाउन् । र यस्तो बेलामा

पोखी लाल सपत्नरक्त रणमा फारी अँधेरीकन

वीरात्मा प्रबल ‘प्रताप’ नभमा टेक्छन् उँचा टाकुरा । (श्लोक ७)

यसरी मंगलाचरणको उपमा–श्रृङ्खलाको अन्त्यमा महाराणा प्रतापको सूर्यको झैँ टाकुरामा उदय भएको विम्ब प्रस्तुत छ । यसबाट मूल नायकको महानता र औचित्य स्थापित हुन गएको छ । 

    छैठौँ प्रमिथस महाकाव्य २००७ सालमा रच्न थालेको बुझिन्छ । नेपालीको प्रजातन्त्रको खोजमा सहायता पुर्‍याउन २००४–२००६ सम्म वनारसमा बिताएर फर्किएका कविले यस वीररसप्रधान महाकाव्यमा मानव जातकै अन्धकारबाट उज्यालोतर्फको यात्रामा सहयोग गर्ने प्रमिथसलाई सम्झिएर उसको गाथा गाउन बसेका छन् । यस कृतिमा महाकविले शास्त्रीय बन्धनबाट मुक्त बन्दै गद्यमा महाकाव्य रच्न पुगेका छन् । महाकाव्यमा सबभन्दा पहिला भाषा अधिष्ठात्री अर्थात् सरस्वतीको स्मरण गरिएको छ भने उनको उत्पति शिवको जटा झट्कार्दा भएको संकेत पनि कविले दिएका छन् । तर महाकविले सरस्वतीलाई “यूनानी शारदे” भन्दै प्राचीन ग्रीस अर्थात् आइयोनियाकी वाक्देवीसँग जोड्न पुगेका छन् । वास्तवमा “अमर–वर्मिणी” (श्लोक १) र “वीरानुरागिणी” (श्लोक २) जस्ता वर्णनले यी देवी “वीणपुस्तकधारिणी” वा “वीणावादिनी” (श्लोक २) मात्र नभएर ग्रीसकी प्यालस अथिनी र रोमकी मिनर्भा पनि हुन भन्ने संकेत दिइरहेको छ । यस प्रकारको मिथकको संमिश्रणले निम्न कार्यहरू गरेको छ । सर्वप्रथम, ग्रीसेली, रोमन र भारतवर्षीय मिथकका आधारमा विश्वलाई एकै सूत्रमा उन्ने प्रयास भएको देखिन्छ । त्यसपछि, जहाँसम्म प्रकृतिपूजक धर्मको कुरा छ, मानिसले आराध्य संझिएको कुनै पनि देवीदेवता सम पूजनीय छन् भन्ने धारणा अघिसारेको छ । अन्त्यमा, वीर रस प्रधान महाकाव्यमा आवश्यक वीर र उदात्त चरित्र भएको मूल पात्रको कथा सुनाउन “वीरानुरागिणी द्वितीयलोचनी” (श्लोक १) कै आवश्यकता ठम्याइएको छ । 

    यसरी प्रथम श्लोकमै युद्धकी देवीको रूपमा प्रस्तुत भएकी देवी दोस्रो श्लोकमा गएर “वीणावादिनी”को रूपमा प्रस्तुत छन् । यस प्रकारले सुरुका प्रथम तीन श्लोकमा सरस्वतीको स्मरण गर्दै उनीलाई बोल्न आव्हान गरिएको छ । यस महाकाव्यको एउटा विशेषता स्वरूप जननी अर्थात् ग्रीसेली, रोमन तथा हिन्दु संस्कृतिका भाषा, कला र साहित्यकी देवीलाई प्रथम सर्गको तेस्रो श्लोकको अन्त्यदेखि बोल्न जो आव्हान गरिएको छ, त्यो प्रथम सर्गको श्लोक ४ मा (“बोल रे भाषा अधिष्ठात्री”), श्लोक १२ मा (“ए ! जननी ! भन”), १५ मा (“तब भन जननी”), २७ मा (“जननी ! अवभासिनी ! तिम्रो आव्हान !”), २९ मा (“मातर् !” र “माँ ! आऊ !”) ३४ मा (“तर जननी”), ३५ मा (“तब भन वीणावादिनि !”) र ४३ मा (“भन माँ”) गरी दश पटक आव्हान गरिएको पाइन्छ । आव्हान मात्र नभएर संबोधनको स्वरमा “माँ” वा “माता” वा “भन जननी” भन्दै यिनै देवीसँग सोधेझैँ वा बोलेझैँ गर्दै कविले आफ्नो कथा अगाडि बढाउँछन् । जस्तो कि श्लोक ४–६ मा कविले भाषाअधिष्ठात्रीलाई यूनानको ज्ञान छ भन्दै ग्रीसको भौगोलिक परिवेशको वयान गर्छन् । अनि तिनै स्थानका प्रभात र प्राकृतिक सौन्दर्यको वयान श्लोक ७–८ मा आउँछ । श्लोक ९–१० मा ज्वालामुखी फुट्ने डाँडाभन्दा पर जुपिटरको दरवारका साथै त्यसभित्रका देवता र सुररमणीहरूको नृत्य र विलाशको वर्णन छ भने श्लोक ११ मा तीभन्दा सरस्वती कसरी फरक र अलग्ग छन् भन्ने प्रशङ्ग ल्याउँदै श्लोक १२–१३ मा सरस्वतीको वरदानले काव्यीक प्रेरणा कसरी बन्छ भन्ने कुरा बताइएको पाइन्छ । “मदिरोन्मत्त” शब्द श्लोक २ र १० मा बेग्लाबेग्लै अर्थमा प्रयोग गरिएको छ । पहिलो पटक यो “दिव्य संगीतमा, मदिरोन्मत्त” भएकी जननीको संगीत सुरा प्रभावित अवस्थाको वयान हो भने दोस्रो पटकको प्रयोगमा “मदिरा, मदिरोन्मत्ता लाल कपोल” अर्थात् तरुणीहरूका मदिरासेवनको प्रभावले रातो भएका गालाको वर्णनको सन्दर्भमा आएको छ । एउटा साहित्य, संगीत, कलाका सिर्जनशील क्षणले ल्याएको उन्माद हो भने अर्को इन्द्रियभोगकै उन्मादसँग सम्बन्धित छ । यी दुइटामा कविले पहिलोलाई श्रेय ठानेको कुरा प्रष्ट छ र त्यही सिर्जनशीलताको उन्माद अनुभव गर्दै कवि भन्छन्, 

ए ! जननी ! भन । कहाँ छ त्यो 

त्वरित विद्युत तुरग पिगासस् ? (१२)

जसरी महत्त्वाकांक्षी बेलेरोफोनले आफ्नो जीवनको अन्त्यतिर पिगासस् चढेर देहसहितै स्वर्गमा गएर अमर बन्ने असफल चाहना राखे, कवि पनि सिर्जनाको क्षेत्रमा त्यस्तै तर सफल बन्ने चाहना राख्दै भन्छन्, 

आज म चढ्दछु त्यसमा जननी !

आकाश–मार्ग, अभ्रहरूका मालामा । (१२)

मदिरोन्मत्तता जस्तै अमरत्वको चाहना पनि दुइथरी पाइन्छन् – बेलेरोफोनको जस्तो देहसहित स्वर्गारोहण गरी देवताजस्तो अमर बन्ने र कविको जस्तो कल्पनाको बेगले स्वर्ग हाँक्दै अमर बन्ने । यहाँ कविले काव्यद्वारा अमरत्व प्राप्त गर्ने चाहनाको वकालती गरेको पाइन्छ । यसरी प्रमिथसको उठान एक स्रष्टाको कल्पनाको उडानसँग गाँसिएर आएको छ । 

    अब सातौँ अंग्रेजीमा लेखिएको Shakuntala (शकुन्तला) महाकाव्य हेरौँ । यो कृति महाकाव्य लेखनका नियमहरू पालना गरेर लेखिएका छन् होला भन्ने पाठकको निर्दोष अनुमान स्वाभाविक छ । अंग्रेजी साहित्यमा महाकाव्य लेखनका मान्यताहरू अनुसार कृति कथावस्तुको मध्य भागतिरबाट सुरु भएको, नवदेवीमध्ये कुनै एकको काव्यीक आह्वान गरिएको, सक्दो व्यापक स्थानमा घटना घटेको, महाकाव्यको उद्देश्य अथवा लक्ष प्रष्टसँग खुलेको, लामा र विशिष्ठ प्रवचनहरू भएको, मानिसको जीवनमा देवीदेवताका हस्तक्षेप भएको, सभ्यताको प्रतिनिधित्व गर्ने उदात्त नायक भएको र सो नायकको त्रासदीपूर्ण जीवनमा पाताल वा नर्कको यात्रासमेत गरिएको हुनुपर्छ । तर यी मान्यताहरू अंग्रेजी साहित्यका सबै महाकाव्यहरूले नै पनि पालना गरेका छैनन् । महाकवि देवकोटाले खासगरी संस्कृत परंपरालाई नेपालीकरण गर्ने अभियान चाल्दै महाकाव्य लेखनमै पनि आफ्नै बाटो खोस्रिंदै अगाडि बढेको सन्दर्भमा कुनै गरिमामय वस्तुलाई उदात्त शैलीमा महान् उद्देश्यले अनुप्राणित गर्दै राष्ट्र वा जातिकै स्वाभिमानको प्रतिनिधित्व गर्ने आदर्श मूल नायकको महत्त्वपूर्ण कथासार शैलीगत हिसावले पनि परिष्कृत र परिमार्जित उत्कृष्ठ महाकाव्य रच्ने अभियान चलाएका हुन् । उनीलाई दण्डीले वा भामहले के भन्छन् भन्ने विषयमा त्यति चासो छैन जति कि उनको आफ्नै ह्दयले के भन्न खोजिरहेको छ भन्ने बारे ज्ञान छ ।

    अनि, जहाँसम्म अंग्रेजी शकुन्तलाको कुरा छ, यो नौ सर्गमा रचिएको महाकाव्यको उठानको मात्र नभएर यसको लिन्डल क्लफद्वारा नेपाल सांस्कृतिक संघले गर्न लगाइएको भाषीक परिमार्जन बारे समेत यहाँ थोरै चर्चा आवश्यक ठान्दछु । यस महाकाव्यका नौ सर्गबाहेक सुरुमै एउटा “Address to the Reader” (“पाठकलाई सम्बोधन”) पनि छ जसमा आजको आधुनिक जगत्को कोलाहलबाट त्यस प्राचीन युग जहाँ ईश्वरको शासन कायम छ, जहाँ मानिसबाट स्वर्ग टाढा छैन र जहाँ जीवन प्रकृतिले राम्ररी उनेको छ, त्यहाँ प्रवेश गर्न पाठक निम्त्याइएको छ ।

God rules the world. Far is not heaven for man.

Nature is intimately woven into life.  

तर महाकाव्यको उठान भने प्रथम सर्गबाटै भएको छ । प्राचीन भारतको संझना गर्दै, पूर्वको प्रथम ज्योतिले ऋषीमुनीलाई पूजाको प्रथम दीप प्रज्वलन गर्न सिकाएको काल्पनिक यथार्थबाट अगाडि बढ्दै र सेतो वस्त्र लगाएकी हंसवाहनी सरस्वतीको वयान गर्दै उनैलाई गाउन आह्वान गरिएको छ । आजका मानिसका यथास्थितिको वयान नेपाली शाकुन्तल महाकाव्यमा र शकुन्तलामा धेरै मिल्न जान्छ ।

बिर्सेका पुरुखा रुखा ह्दयका सुख्खा झिना सन्तति ।

हामी दुर्बल रुग्ण खाडल खनी हाल्दा सबै सम्पति ।

फालेका कलिकालकल्मष बली गर्दा सधैं खल्बली ।

श्रद्धाभक्तिविहीन भै मुटु जली लाग्यौं नि ! जानै ढली ।। (श्लोक ४)

O sing!

For we have lost our noble heritage:

Lost souls blind, errants from the path of Truth,

Dwarf children of the ancients, leanly live,

Deaf to the distant voices of the past,

Lethargic slaves of sad inertia,

We doubt ourselves, our gods, our noble faith. 

यहाँसम्म हामी नेपाली शाकुन्तलको अंग्रेजी रूप देखिरहेका छौं । लिन्डन क्लफले सच्चाएको अंग्रेजी महाकाव्यमा सोही रूपमा तेस्रो श्लोक बढ्छ, 

Then sing, O Indian goddess wise,

Of him who gave our Fatherland its name

र उनन्तीस हरफमा दुष्यन्त र शकुन्तलाको कथाको सारसंक्षेप प्रस्तुत गरिएको छ । यसको निम्ति नेपाली शाकुन्तलमा ४ हरफको एउटा श्लोकले भ्याएको थियो । संभव छ, देवकेटाले आङ्ग्लभाषी श्रोतालाई ध्यानमा राखेर कथासार विस्तृत रूपमा बताएका हुन् । यस महाकाव्यमा भने प्रथम श्लोकमा प्रकृति वर्णन र प्रकृतिको मानिसउपर प्रभाव, दोस्रो श्लोकमा सरस्वतीलाई आह्वान र यस महाकाव्य लेख्नको उद्देश्य र तेस्रोमा कथावस्तुको संक्षेपमा कथन पाइन्छ । 

    अनि लिन्डन क्लफले चलाउनु अगाडिको अंग्रेजी शकुन्तलामा देवकोटाले सरस्वतीलाई प्रष्टैसँग प्यालस अथिनी र मिनर्भासँग दाँजेर ग्रीसेली, रोमन र नेपाली विद्याकी अधिष्ठात्रीलाई एकै कोटीमा राखेर मिथकद्वारा विश्वमानवलाई गाँस्ने अभियान सुरु गरेको पाइन्छ । भाषा, शैली तथा महाकाव्यको थालनीका कुरा जहाँसम्म आउँछन्, देवकोटाले जन मिल्टनको प्याराडाइज लस्टको प्रभाव आफ्ना लामा वाक्यमा प्रदर्शन गर्दै सो वाक्यको बीचतिर क्रियापद राखेर घटिरहेको वर्तमानको वर्णन गर्ने शैलीमा महाकाव्य रचेका छन् । तर लिन्डन क्लफले भाषा संशोधन गर्ने क्रममा छोटा र सरल तथा बढी आधुनिक अंग्रेजी वाक्यका प्रयोगलाई अपनाएपछि देवकोटाको मौलिकता नै नासिएको अवस्था छ । यस प्रकारले पैसा तिरेर महाकवि देवकोटाको भाषा सुधार्ने काम गराउने नेपाल सांस्कृतिक संघले आफूले गल्ति गरेको कुरा कुनै दिन स्वीकार्नै पर्नेछ । भाग्यवश हामीसँग देवकोटाले लेखेको मौलिक रचनाको टाइप गरिएको प्रति जोगिएको छ । 

    सातवटै प्रकाशित महाकाव्यको उठानको यस अवलोकन पछाडि हामी भन्न सक्छौं कि महाकाव्यको मङ्गलाचरणमा आवश्यक पर्ने तीनवटा कुरामध्ये प्रकृतिको वर्णन सातवटै महाकाव्यमा पाइन्छ, तर देवताकै नाम र कथावस्तुको सार संक्षेप सबैमा नहुँदा वा प्रष्ट नहुँदा मङ्गलाचरणको शास्त्रीय आवश्यकता उपर देवकोटाले त्यति ध्यान सँधै नदिएको बुझिन्छ । जहाँ देवताको नामोच्चारण भएको छ, त्यहाँ सबैभन्दा बढी सरस्वतीको र त्यसपछि शीवको संझना गरिएको छ । पृथ्वीराज चौहानमा त ईश्वरको नाम लिन छाडेर “भाइ बहिनी” लाई सम्बोधन गरिएको छ र कथावस्तुको संक्षेप पनि त्यति प्रष्ट नभएकोले गर्दा शास्त्रीय हिसावले यसमा मङ्गलाचरण छ कि छैन भन्ने कुरा विवादास्पद छ । अनि यसै गरेर कथाको सारसंक्षेप सुलोचना र वन–कुसुममा पनि छैन नै भने महाराणा प्रतापमा पनि छ भन्न सजिलो छैन । त्यसो त संस्कृत परंपराका महाकाव्यमा आवश्यक उदात्त पात्रका रूपमा वन–कुसुमका उत्तम (वा नरेन्द्र) लाई लिन राजकुमार भएकाले मात्र मिल्छ भने सुलोचनाका अनङ्गलाई लिन अझ मुस्किल छ । अनि, यी सबै कुरा विचार गरील्याउँदा संस्कृतमा महाकाव्यको परिभाषाले मागेका बुँदा नेपाली महाकाव्यमा सबै नअटाएका देखिन्छन् । महाकवि देवकोटाकालागि महाकाव्य भनेको के थियो ? नेपाली साहित्यमा महाकाव्यको अलग परिभाषा संभव छ कि छैन ? खण्डकाव्य वा उपन्यासबाट यो कसरी अलग बन्न पुग्यो ? गद्यमै पनि रचिईंदो रहेछ । सामान्य नायक पनि हुँदा रहेछन् । (बालकृष्ण समले चिसो चुल्होमा निम्नवर्गीय मूलपात्रको प्रयोग गरेकै छन् ।) कविले देवतालाई नसंझिएर आफ्ना मूल पात्रका पूर्व आदर्श पात्र संझिए पुग्दो रहेछ । तसर्थ महाकवि देवकोटाकालागि नेपाली महाकाव्य मोटामोटी संस्कृत शास्त्रीय नियमले बताएका लक्षणहरूमध्ये लेख्नेक्रममा आवश्यकताले वा विषयवस्तुले मागे अनुसार प्रयोग गरेर खण्डकाव्यको भन्दा व्यापक कथावस्तुको काव्यात्मक श्रेष्ठता प्रदर्शन गर्न मिल्ने विधा बन्न गएको देखिन्छ । 

    यसरी आजसम्म प्रकाशित सातवटा महाकाव्यका थालनी मात्र सर्सर्ती निहाल्दा हामी केही यस्ता निष्कर्षमा पुग्नसक्छौं । शास्त्रीय मापदण्ड अनुसार रचिएको नेपाली शाकुन्तलपछि देवकोटाले महाकाव्य विधाद्वारा नेपाली पाठकलाई सामाजिक यथार्थ, ऐतिहासिक गौरव, जनह्दयको बोली, मिथकीय सूत्रमा बाँधिएको मानव ऐक्यको यथार्थ र यि सबैभित्र रहेको एउटा अमर र बलवाल बन्धन, जसलाई प्रेम भनिन्छ, यसले कसरी विश्वलाई नै गाँसेको छ भन्ने काल्पनिक सत्यको संचार गर्ने अभियान थालेका छन् । मङ्गलाचरणकै आधारमा मात्र क्रमश: नेपाली शाकुन्तल, वन–कुसुम, महाराणा प्रताप र प्रमिथसका उठानले शास्त्रीयताका र सिर्जनशीलताका आधारमा उत्कृष्ठ स्थान ओगटेका छन् । अनि, २००७ सालको आसपासमा स्वतन्त्रताको निम्ति लडिरहेका नेपालीका रानजीतिक अभियानका संकेतहरू पनि वीरता र सत्यका प्रशंसाका सिलसिलामा लक्षित छन् । साथै, देवकोटाले नविनताको खोजको क्रममा प्रत्येक महाकाव्य फरक ढङ्गले रच्ने लक्ष राखेको पाठकको अनुभव उल्लेखनिय छ । मङ्गलाचरणमा देवीदेवताको नामोच्चारणको ठाऊँमा भीमसेन र आफ्ना कृतिका पाठकका नामोच्चारण गरिएको पनि छ । यसै क्रममा महाकाव्यमा शास्त्रीय छन्दको आवश्यकतालाई नकार्दै झ्याउरे र गद्य कविताका गेयात्मक र लयात्मक मिठासमा समेत उनी रमाउन पुगेका छन् भने नेपाली भाषाभन्दा पर गएर अंग्रेजीभाषीको विश्वको निम्ति समेत सफल महाकाव्य रच्न पुगेका छन् । कालीदासको प्रभावदेखि रोमान्टिक धाराको प्रस्फुटनसम्म समेटेका यी महाकाव्यहरूले नेपाली साहित्यको इतिहासमै यौटा नयाँ महाकाव्य युगको थालनी गरेका छन् । 

(रचना पूस–माघ २०७८ पूर्णाङ्क १७४ पृष्ठ ३९–५२ मा प्रकाशित ।)