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24
 
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occasionally, as we shall see, there is a skilful touch of the

sensuous, without in any way rousing a sense of revulsion

in the minds of the readers as being incongruous to the

setting of the whole poem.

A poet,
who indulges in
descriptions inappropriate to the characteristics of his

who indulges in
descriptions inappropriate to the characteristics of his
hero, justly lays himself open to the charge of being

wanting in the sense of proportion.

The few sensuous

touches in the Hamsasandesa are necessitated by the

situation. The hero, Sri Rama, is a separated lover and

he is in the midst of his preparation for a gigantic expedi-

tion against his deadly foe, Ravana, from whose base

hands he is anxious to rescue in time his loving Sita.

During moments of respite, he allows his mind to dwell

on his Sita and her sufferings, or on those happy times he

passed in her company before her captivity. His mind is,

therefore, temporarily attuned to the sensuous on occasions.

Hence the few touches like स्तोकोन्मन्नस्फुरितपुलिनां त्वन्निवासेच्छयेव

enhance the beauty of the poem as a whole.
 
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As one who has drunk deep of Valmiki'&apos;s Epic,

Venkatanatha has, in his Hamsasandesa, undertaken to

present us what he considers to be the sweetest of the

thoughts of that hoary sage. And for this he has chosen a

vehicle on the model of Kalidasa'&apos;s. He has of necessity

to adjust himself to the two master-minds, without at the
same time effecting a complete effacement of his own

same time effecting a complete effacement of his own
individuality. His self-imposed task has therefore become

doubly difficult. And, if under such limitations, he has yet

been able to make his poem appeal to us, his title to

respect at our hands stands certainly on an unshakeable

foundation.
 
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