हंससंदेशः /20
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and of the external manifestations of the sorrow. Perhaps
in one or two places Venkatanatha's efforts are marred by
the introduction of orthodox dogmas as in stanza 13, and
by over-doing the description of Sita's delicacy of
frame and her manifestation of sorrow, as in stanzas 15
and 17; the Sita of Valmiki is a womanly woman and
yet a heroic Kshatriya lady, and it is only when all hope
seems to be lost and when she sees the hideous forms of
the Rakshasis approaching her almost determined to tear
her to pieces that she धैर्यमुत्सृज्य रोदिति.
Coming to the style of the poem, it is easily seen
that Kalidasa easily surpasses our author. The easy flow
of words in his Sandesa, the music of his word combina-
tions, the comparative simplicity of his similes and des-
criptions, gradually gave place to the heavier and more
laboured style of his successors; and the style of
Venkatanatha is further burdened with far-fetched com-
parisons and round-about expressions of thought, which
had become, in his days, objects of admiration among
Pandits. Added to these, there is the cramping influence
of orthodox notions and the introduction of too much of
religion and philosophy in a lyric poem.
Allowing for these defects, which were the fashion
of his age, Venkatanatha's Hamsasandesa yet deserves a
high place among the Sandesa poems.
S. NARAYANA IYENGAR, B.A., L.T.
and of the external manifestations of the sorrow. Perhaps
in one or two places Venkatanatha's efforts are marred by
the introduction of orthodox dogmas as in stanza 13, and
by over-doing the description of Sita's delicacy of
frame and her manifestation of sorrow, as in stanzas 15
and 17; the Sita of Valmiki is a womanly woman and
yet a heroic Kshatriya lady, and it is only when all hope
seems to be lost and when she sees the hideous forms of
the Rakshasis approaching her almost determined to tear
her to pieces that she धैर्यमुत्सृज्य रोदिति.
Coming to the style of the poem, it is easily seen
that Kalidasa easily surpasses our author. The easy flow
of words in his Sandesa, the music of his word combina-
tions, the comparative simplicity of his similes and des-
criptions, gradually gave place to the heavier and more
laboured style of his successors; and the style of
Venkatanatha is further burdened with far-fetched com-
parisons and round-about expressions of thought, which
had become, in his days, objects of admiration among
Pandits. Added to these, there is the cramping influence
of orthodox notions and the introduction of too much of
religion and philosophy in a lyric poem.
Allowing for these defects, which were the fashion
of his age, Venkatanatha's Hamsasandesa yet deserves a
high place among the Sandesa poems.
S. NARAYANA IYENGAR, B.A., L.T.