1019. Lotus born in Lotus.....!

Indeed Bhojaraja Vikramaditya was blessed to have the nine gems in his court.   

Kalidasa: Kalidasa was a famous Sanskrit writer and poet.

Varahamihira: Varahamihira was an Indian astronomer, astrologer and mathematician.

Amarasimha: Amarasimha was the author of Amarakosha

Vetala Bhatta : Vetala Bhatta wrote “Nitipradipa” .

Vararuci: Vararuchi was a great grammarian and Sanskrit scholar who authored Prakrit Prakasha first grammar of Prakrit Basha. 

Dhanvantari : Dhanvantari is regarded as one of the world’s first surgeons and medical practitioner.

Kshapanika : Kshapanika wrote a book called Jyothisyashastra.

Shanku: Sanku a great scholar and author of Shilpashastra.

Harisena:  Harisena is known to have composed the Prayag Prasasti.

In the year 1983 when I was 16 and had just toddled into the college, “Kaviratna Kalidasa” a Kannada movie was released. Our matinee idol Dr. Raj Kumar had eased the role of Kalidasa. The movie was made excellently. I do remember one of the scenes where Dindima, a scholar from the neighbouring land barges into the court of Bhojaraja and presents a riddle to the King and his scholars to solve. 

The riddle goes like this:

Kamale Kamlotpattihi shruyate na tu drushyate. 

(Lotus born in Lotus, neither heard nor seen)

Dindima gives time for the wise men in the court to solve the riddle, promising to come back after a weeks time to know if the riddle is solved. None of the scholars in the court are capable of solving the riddle and Kalidasa is away from the Kingdom. Bhojaraja announces a reward of half of his Kingdom to anyone who can solve the riddle.

The Royal Courtesan in the Kingdom gets to know about the riddle and wishes to solve it. Kalidasa used to visit her daily and she puts the riddle before him. Kalidasa who became a Vikata Kavi (Jester Poet) by the grace of Maa Kali immediately looked at the glowing face of the dancer and said:

Balee tava mukhambhoje katham Indeevaradwayam?
(How is it there are two lotuses in your lotus face?)

The Royal Courtesan joins both the sentences and it reads thus:

 
Kamale Kamlotpattihi shruyate na tu drushyate. Balee tava mukhambhoje katham Indeevaradwayam?

(Lotus born in Lotus, neither heard nor seen. How is it there are two lotuses in your lotus face?)

Ambhuja is lotus and Indeevara is also lotus.....

Kalidasa uses one lotus in Mukhambhoja and the other two in Indeevara Dwayam.

Kalidasa praising her beauty says, “What is so special about one Lotus being born in another Lotus? Right now I am able to see two Lotus (eyes) in one Lotus (face), forget about one in one, here it is two in one!

The beauty of the incidence is that solving the riddle using the Prasa (Rhetoric) which is the blessings given to Kalidasa by Her. We were fortunate to read Abhijnana Shakuntalam and Raghuvamsam by Kalidasa while in college.  

There is a saying in Kannada “Ravi Kanadanna Kavi Kanda” (A poet can see things not seen even by the Sun).  Kalidasa is immortal through his amazing works.