This is not of modern times. So, may be considered old by some. It belongs
to the time of 1706-1732. It is typical chandO poetry. The writer is not a
female, but there is an important 'female' character, who argues for
herself (through the poet) probably, which may be explosive even by present
day standards. Unlike many feel, the poems inspite of being chandO-formed,
are not of rigid sanskritized telugu words. If not the meaning of all the
words, an average telugu reader can very easily get the essence of the poem
without a dictionary.
The story is an old subject of mythological origin, but a 'highly
controversial one', even by today's standards. Many poets earlier also
picked this story either briefly or elaboratedly. However, this poet seemed
to have caused much more furore amongst many people (not necessarily the
contemporaries), of one is Late Sri veerESa lingam. Along with a few of
that type of 'kaavyaas', this book was banned for sometime by the then
Govt. and brought back by the efforts of Sri Late vaaviLLa venkaTEsvara
Saastri during the prakaaSam Govt. time.
The kaavya is 'SaSaanka vijayamu' (taaraa SaSaankamu) and the poet is
'SEshamu vEnkaTapati'. According to Sri veerESa lingam, the poet expressed
his own views through 'taara' and didn't make any attempt to emphasize
ethics'. He seemed to have commented like this: 'rasavantamaina kavitvamu,
drakshaa paakamu. kaanee, cakkera mettina vishamu valE, neetimaalina
katha. yuvakulanu paaDucEya galadu.' As everyone knows the story, 'taara',
the wife of bRhaspati: the dEvaguru falls in love with her husband's
disciple 'candra'. When she expresses her love, candra tries to discourage
her quoting ethics. Following which, she counter-argues. Here are a few
poems from that context.
candra says
vikala caritruDaina, mudi vengali aina, kurUpi ainanun
trikaraNa Suddhigaa magaDe dEvuDaTancani niScayinci, yon
Doka DeTuvanTi vaaDaina noppadu kOraga ninti, yiTle run
gaka madi dappenEni kala kanni rayambu rayambunan ganun
kOpamu valadeevE, ee
paapamunaku joccinan prapamcamuna, nin
kE polati magani yoddan
kaapura monarincu? valadu kaapatha maninan
taara replies
magani natikramincuTalu maaninikin tagadanTi voppitin
magaDu maganDa nanga madi makkuva yunDi, kanTi kim
pagu nataDevvaDO yataDe, yaatani gaadani yanyu gUDu Tan
tagadadi, kaamukee janula dharmamu, marmamu nE nerungudun
She critisizes 'puraaNa' characters
kanna kUtu raTancu nennaka bhaaratee
taruNi gUDaDe, nee pitaamahunDu?
mEnatta yanupEra meeri raadhika tODa
nenayaDE ninna, nee yanugu baava?
vadina yancu yokinta vaavi lEkaye jyEshTu
nelatanu bondaDE, nee gurunDu?
muni patni yana kahalyanu baTTaDE, needu
saha paaThi aU paaka Saasa nunDu?
.............
Finally, she lambasts in an explosive way,
lOkamu lOna konda rabalul satulan taniyimpalEka, ya
stOka maneesha nanya purushul tama kaantala nanTa kunDa, taa
Taakula lOna vraasiri 'paraangana gUDina paapa' mancu, na
yyaakula paaTu jUci, yipu Daakulapaa Tenayanga nETikin?
With regards,
Prabhakar Vissavajjhala