Classical Indian Literature in Translation

Assignment #3

Submitted By: Wasim Khan Pathan
10001020

RESEARCH OUTLINE FOR FINAL PAPER

1. General Topic:

Kalidasa Poetic Works: Meghaduta



2. Specific Question:

Emotions behind works like Meghduta (lyric poem by Kalidas) and Hamsa Sandesha
(love poem by Vedanta Desika depicting Ramas love for Sita) and how well they are
able to convey their message to the reader?



3. Three Supporting Sections:


a. Meghduta by Kalidasa written in 5
th
century, falls under the category of sandesh
kavya meaning messenger poems which are artistic works of aesthetic love and a
similar work by Vedanta Desika in 13
th
Century, depicting the way how Ram
sends his message via a swan to his wife who has been abducted and is far away
from him, can be correlated.
Both the poems have been splendidly written giving a fair idea of what writer
wants to convey and they succeed to get you in trance where you can actually feel
the scenery poet describes the cloud and swan are going to cross in their way.

b. Passion of love as described by Kalidasa passes through ten stages and the lover
has four solaces in separation, so how well do they interconnect to one another
and to delve into the meaning these emotions convey. Description of Ujjain and
Himalayas in this poem is also wonderful, so we can also go for analysis of the
same.

c. Excerpts of Meghduta by Kalidasa have also been quoted in well acclaimed
movies like Water by Deepa Mehta. What actually was the motive behind
considering this lyrical poem to be of that worth to be showcased in modern
movies like this one and does adding such excerpts really adds to the story plot of
the movie.

4. Primary Literature: Textual Quote

The poem Meghduta by Kalidas is the topic that I shall be scrutinizing and the poem is an
aesthetic masterpiece and one of the best works of Kalidas. Poem describes the love one
person has for his wife who is far away from him and how he directs a cloud to carry his
message for his beloved.

Great Cloud. Please help me. I am away from my beloved and miss her very much.
Please go to the city called Alaka where my beloved lives in our moonlit house.
Lonely women brush their hair away from their eyes and look up to greet you. Because
you bring cool rain. And with the rains return their loved ones. Who wouldnt rather be
with their Loves in this romantic season except the unfortunate ones like me who just
cannot be there?

The way he conveys his message and how he succeeds to create a crystal clear picture of
the scenes in the way of cloud to the destination of his message is just worth praising.
The poem totally is able to take you in a trance which is worth experiencing.

Hamsa-Sandesha by Vedanta Desika is a similar kind of work where Rama pleads a
Hamsa-Bird to carry his message for Sita describing sights along the journey. So a
comparison needs to be made here.

5. Close Reading Analysis of Text

Meghaduta (meaning cloud messenger) is a lyric poem written by Kalidasa, he is considered to
be one of the greatest Sanskrit poets in India. It is basically a short poem comprising of only 111
stanzas and it is known to be one of Kalidasa`s most illustrious works.

Meghaduta poem is intrinsically divided into two parts Purvamegha (meaning Former cloud)
and Uttaramegha (meaning Latter cloud). According to the poem Kubera, who is treasurer to the
Gods, possesses a band of celestial attendees working for him, who are namely the Yakshas.

One of these Yakshas was so infatuated and preoccupied with his wife that he absolutely
disregarded his duties. As a consequence, he was cursed and forcefully banished into the
thickness of deep forests. Wholly demoralized, he still kept thinking about his wife and started
feeling her absence terribly.

At the end of the summer, after having languished for months away from his Love and losing
much weight, he saw a large cloud crossing a mountain peak in the sky. That particular sight
reminded him how he wanted to hold her close to his heart. He held his tears back and stood there
quietly. The monsoons were approaching. May be the cloud can take my message to her, he
thought and he decided to suck up to the cloud.

How a cloud, which is nothing but water vapor, can carry a message? But when you are
heartbroken and sick with desire, you are just ready try anything.
Great Cloud. Please help me. I am away from my beloved and miss her very much.
Please go to the city called Alaka where my beloved lives in our moonlit house. His faithful wife
also kept reminiscing about him all day and all night. The way poem scrutinizes the affection he
has for his beloved aesthetically.


6. Bibliography (at least two books and at least journal articles)



a. Kalidasas Meghduta or Cloud Messenger with commentary of literal English
translation By K.B.Pathak 2
nd
Edition 1916

b. Kalidass Meghduta with the commentary of Vallabhadeva By E. Hultzsch, Royal
Asiatic Society

c. The Meghaduta or cloud messenger by Kalidasa translation By Colonel H. A.
Ouvry, C.B. Williams and Norgate


d. A City in a Khatoakvya: Ujjain in the Meghadta of Klidsa By Arvind
Sharma, Journal of South Asian Literature Vol. 25 No.1

e. Exhaustive Notes on The Meghaduta of Kalidasa By D.V. Sadhale & Co. Indian
Printing Press 1895