‘Victims of circumstances’
V. N. VEDANTA DESIKAN
REVISITING THE PANCHA KANYAS: Pradip Bhattacharya — Editor; Pub. by Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, ‘Aikatan’ IA 290, Sector 3, Salt Lake City, Kolkata-700097. Rs. 325.
An age-old Hindu tradition tends to harp on one’s redemption from sins — however heinous they might be — by, what the modern observers might consider far too trivial, expiatory acts, Recitation of prescribed verses is one such, deceptive it might appear to one in modern times with enormous scepticism.
A verse remembering five ‘Kanyas’ (sic) namely, Ahalya, Draupadi, Kunti, Tara and Mandodari, is said to have been prescribed in ancient scriptures, according to Ahnika Sutravali (1895). A variation of this verse, replaci
ng Kunti by Sita is, however, cited by the reputed Apte’s Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
The term ‘Kanya’ has been treated as meaning a ‘kamaneeya’ damsel. It would then imply a woman, beautiful and lovable. Though Tara and Mandodari are wives, respectively of Vali and Ravana, who after being widowed, married the brother of the husband, there might be nothing revolting.
The three earlier cases would however present some embarrassment, since they were all women who had cohabited with more than one, at some time or the other.
Cultural study
How intriguing is the verse and its import? A discussion of the various aspects of the verse and the so-called virtue of the ‘Pancha Kanyas’, was held in a national seminar organised in Kolkata, under the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, under the central Ministry of Culture.
Scholars in Indology, mythology, sociology and Sanskrit participated in the lively deliberations. Dance of the Mahari branch, peculiar to Orissa, added special flavour, as it pertained to the central theme of ‘Pancha Kanyas’.
Deification
Notions on virtue, chastity and virginity may be subject to change with time. Draupadi could not have suffered any stigma because of what we might regard as polyandry, but she was subjected to so much dishonour on that score by the opposite camp, namely, of Duryodhana.
Indeed the national bard of India, Subramaniya Bharathi, wrote an inspiring Tamil play, called Panchali Sabatham, which defends and praises her character. He was the one to declare that the rule of chastity was equally strict for both sexes. Given that the five ‘Kanyas’ were to be remembered every day for one’s release from sins that would drown one in a hell of misery, one might be provoked to raise a query: “They were themselves offenders in a sense. How could their names redeem us?”
The answer is that they were not sinners; they were victims of circumstances. And they had had a brush with Godhead, in Rama/Krishna incarnation. Indeed Draupadi has been deified and worshipped in parts of Tamil Nadu.
This is an altogether an impressive and intellectually satisfying publication. Well-documented, and enriched with art drawings and dance photographs, the editor deserves praise.
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