Sandeśarāsaka
Apabhraṃśa epic by Addahamāṇa
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The Sandēśarāsaka, also known by its Apabhraṃśa name Saṁnēharāsaya, (Sanskrit: सन्देशरासक, Apabhraṃśa: संनेहरासय) is an epic poem written around 1000–1100 by Addahamāṇa (the Apabhraṃśa form of the name Abdur Rahman), a Multani poet,[1] in Apabhramsha.[2][3][4] Its language is considered to be a version of Apabhraṃśa, the language that gave rise to modern Northwestern Indo-Aryan languages like Punjabi and Sindhi.[5]
The manuscripts of the book were discovered in Jain libraries by Muni Jinavijaya. According to Muni Jinavijaya, the work was written before the conquest by Ghiyath al-Din Muhammad Ghori in 1192, when Multan was still a major Hindu pilgrimage centre.[6] The manuscripts include Sanskrit explanations by a Jain scholar in Vikram Samvat 1465 (circa 1408–09 C.E.).
Theme
This epic poem is inspired by Meghaduta of Kalidasa.[7]
The author invoked God using an expression that combines Hindu and Muslim perspectives:[8]
- माणुस्सदुव्वविज्जाहरेहिं णहमग्गि सूर ससि बिंबे।
- आएहिं जो णमिज्जइ तं णयरे णमह कत्तारं।
- māṇussaduvvavijjāharēhiṃ ṇahamaggi sūra sasi biṃbē.
- āēhiṃ jō ṇamijjai taṃ ṇayarē ṇamaha kattāraṃ.
In Shahmukhi,
- مَاݨُسَّدُوَّوِجَّاہَریہِں ݨَہَمَگِّ سُورَ سَسِ بِن٘بے ۔
- آئیہِں جو ݨَمِجَّئِ تَں ݨَیَرے ݨَمَہَ کَتَّارَں ۔
In Gurmukhi,
- ਮਾਣੁੱਸਦੁੱਵਵਿੱਜਾਹਰੇਹਿੰ ਣਹਮੱਗਿ ਸੂਰ ਸਸਿ ਬਿੰਬੇ।
- ਆਏਹਿੰ ਜੋ ਣਮਿੱਜਇ ਤੰ ਣਯਰੇ ਣਮਹ ਕੱਤਾਰੰ।
Translation,
- O citizens, salute the creator who is saluted by men, gods, vidyadharas, the sun and the moon.
Cultural influence
It is the only work by a Muslim in Apabhramsha,[9] and it is a precursor of Baba Farid and books like Padmavat of Malik Muhammad Jayasi.
It is the first book that refers to a vernacular work based on the Ramayana.[10]
Two of the verses were quoted by Acharya Hemachandra (1088-1173).[11]