Modern Sanskrit Literature : ‘MĀTRIGĪTIKĀÑJALIH’ Gīti-kāvya
*मातृगीतिकाञ्जलिः (आधुनिक-संस्कृत-गीतिकाव्यम्)
रचयिता : डॉ. हरेकृष्ण-मेहेरः
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Comments of some distinguished writers, poets and
critics
on Mātrigītikāñjalih - Kāvya of Harekrishna Meher :
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“ I think, Harekrishna Meher possesses the impression of poetic genius from heredity. His grandfather Manohar Meher was a poet renowned for his sweet literary compositions and father Narayan Meher also a poet of extraordinary merit. Some people do not consider the power of poetic genius to be the impression acquired from heredity. They accept that an unseen power due to some divine grace is the cause of poetic genius and thus arises the impression. Whatever it may be, in both the cases, the impression is in Poet Harekrishna Meher. Resorted to the divine language Sanskrit, he presents his ‘Mātrigītikāñjalih’ - kavya attainable through scholarly proficiency with much practice in poetic sphere. * *I do expect, with the blessings of Goddess of Speech, compositions of Harekrishna Meher in the poetic garden will gradually shine with more and more beauty.”
Prof. Shriniwas Rath,
Former Professor and Head,
School of Studies in Sanskrit, Vikram University, Ujjain
and Ex-Director, Kalidasa Academy, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
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“ Similarities can be observed in the opinions of the two great poets Kālidāsa and Śūdraka regarding Gīti. Kālidāsa says : ‘Rāga-parivāhinī Gītih’ (Gīti has the overflow of Rāga) and Śūdraka opines : ‘Raktam Gītam’ (Song is set with Rāga). Kālidāsa shows ‘attractiveness’ (Hāritva) of Gīti in his statement ‘Gīta-rāgena hārinā’, while Śūdraka says : ‘Manoharam Gitam’ (Song is attractive to the mind). In Kālidāsa’s opinion, Gīti is composed with some special words (Virachita-pada), while Śūdraka describes it as ‘full of emotions’ (Bhāvānvita). With the words ‘madhura’ (sweet), ‘lalita’ (graceful), ‘sama’ (balanced) and ‘sphuta’ (distinct), though Śūdraka wants to explain some thing more, yet all these attributes such as sweetness etc. merge within the very specialities of Gīti expounded by Kālidāsa. * * * The Gīti-kāvya ‘Mātrigītikāñjalih’ comprises twenty-five lyrics that are very graceful and based on various topics. Mind of the connoisseur gets extremely exhilarated with sentiments by reading these lyrics again and again.* * Composed with very simple lucid words capable of expressing exact emotions, these lyrics are verily endowed with the above-mentioned significant lyric-specialities that are ‘geyatva’, ‘manohāritva’, ‘lālitya’ and ‘bhāvānvitatva’. The noble-minded connoisseurs are real judges in this regard. Almost all the lyrics are marked with original thinkings. * *
For the learned litterateurs of Sanskrit, it is a matter of great pleasure that Poet Harekrishna Meher uses the words with grammatical propriety. I firmly believe, the treasure of Goddess of Learning will certainly be rich with the lyrics of this ‘Mātrigītikāñjalih’- kāvya. * * I expect, this kāvya-jewel will attain commendable appreciation in the modern circle of connoisseurs and that appreciation indeed will be the literary award for the poet. ”
Prof. Dr. Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra ['Triveni Kavi']
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
Ex-Vice Chancellor,
Sampurnananda Sanskrit University, Varanasi.
For the learned litterateurs of Sanskrit, it is a matter of great pleasure that Poet Harekrishna Meher uses the words with grammatical propriety. I firmly believe, the treasure of Goddess of Learning will certainly be rich with the lyrics of this ‘Mātrigītikāñjalih’- kāvya. * * I expect, this kāvya-jewel will attain commendable appreciation in the modern circle of connoisseurs and that appreciation indeed will be the literary award for the poet. ”
Prof. Dr. Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra ['Triveni Kavi']
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
Ex-Vice Chancellor,
Sampurnananda Sanskrit University, Varanasi.
For more details, please see the Article of Prof. Mishra:
“ I have received ‘Mātrigītikāñjalih’ – kāvya’ authored by you and have got quite satisfaction by reading it. Flow of your language is simple and replete with sentiments. The arrangement of words is very much graceful and is endowed with gravity of meaning. You really deserve thankful appreciations for writing this gem-like book.”
Prof. Dr. Satya Vrata Shastri, New Delhi,
(Ex-Vice Chancellor, Jagannath Sanskrit University, Puri
and Winner of Jnanapeeth Award).
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“ I have received the book ‘Mātrigītikāñjalih’, the anthology of your lyric poems. I have gladly accepted it. Orissa Province is the prime source of Sanskrit lyric poems. Here ‘Gīta-Govindam’ of the great poet Jayadeva, which can be regarded as the First Gīti-kāvya in Sanskrit Literature, was composed and was endearingly dedicated to the Supreme Lord Sri Jagannātha. * *
Your Sanskrit writing is simple, fraught with sentiments, endowed with ‘alankāras’ and bears the beautiful figure of golden letters. Your Kāvya has been composed with proper grammatical rules and therefore reigns with excellence. Several gīti-kāvyas which are written in Sanskrit by the poets of the modern age, are generally filled with the lapses of grammar. Your Kāvya is free from such lapses and deserves appreciations. You also especially deserve congratulations for this composition.”
Your Sanskrit writing is simple, fraught with sentiments, endowed with ‘alankāras’ and bears the beautiful figure of golden letters. Your Kāvya has been composed with proper grammatical rules and therefore reigns with excellence. Several gīti-kāvyas which are written in Sanskrit by the poets of the modern age, are generally filled with the lapses of grammar. Your Kāvya is free from such lapses and deserves appreciations. You also especially deserve congratulations for this composition.”
Sri S. Sundararajan, Retired I.A.S.
Renowned Sanskrit Poet, Bhubaneswar.
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“ I have received your kāvya ‘Mātrigītikāñjalih’. It is a matter of great pleasure for me that this ‘Añjali’ filled with the fragrance of feelings undoubtedly enhances the beauty of literature. The setting of musical ‘rāga’ of this ‘Añjali’ will surely spread ‘anurāga’ (love) of the wise litterateurs, just like ‘parāga’ (pollen) of flowers. I am very much confident that in the coming days, this project of poems authored by you will prove its own originality and speciality among many Gīti-kāvyas. ”
Prof. Dr. Ichchharam Dwivedi ['Pranava']
Renowned Poet, Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh.
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" In Modern Sanskrit Literature, nowadays, creation of lyric poems is very much established and popular. New new lyric poems are being composed by the leading Sanskrit poets like Dr. Rajendra Mishra, Shrinivas Rath, Haridatta Sharma, Radhavallabha Tripathy, Pushpa Dikshit, Ramakant Shukla, Harshdev Madhav, Bhaskaracharya Tripathy and Ichchharam Dwivedi. Sri Harekrishna Meher also is a proficient poet and knower of music, in composing new lyric poems. His ‘Mātrigītikāñjalih’- kavya, an anthology of twenty five lyrics not only presents the songs based on new new themes, but also wins the minds of its readers. Very sweet feelings emerge herein from various topics such as devotion, faith, love, worship, literature, makers of literature, praise to gods, universe, woman, human life and the like. Here the poetic expression is naturally delicate and replete with sweetness of flow of sentiments, * * Poetic genius scintillates in his simple words, and thoughts also emanate, as in the verse : 'Sañchara dharme karmani yoge / Kiñchanāpi mani-kāñchana-yoge / Kuru nava-navamudbhāvanam / Jīvanam sundaram, Sundaram tanu-tapovanam //' Musical essence has been preserved by the poet in these lyrical compositions."
Dr. Harsh Dev Madhav,
Renowned Poet and Critic,
Chandkheda, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
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“ Of ‘Mātrigītikāñjalih’- kāvya, the simplicity of language, unique adeptness in arranging words, musical sweetness and the subtle craft of poetic grandeur make even a common reader like me oblivious of self by oscillating in the swing of sentiments. Artistic affinity of spirituality with philosophical trend has made the poems filled with gravity of emotions. If poem is a portrait of experiences, then the figure heightened with sentiments is observed herein. You are born-poet. Your birth has been endowed with the inherent quality and genius of poet. For realizing this inner sense, in this country and abroad, there will be no scarcity of readers who verily know the sentiments.”
Dr. Hemant Kumar Das,
Famous Writer and Critic, Cuttack, Orissa.
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Dr. Hemant Kumar Das,
Famous Writer and Critic, Cuttack, Orissa.
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“ In Modern Sanskrit Gītikāvya ‘Mātrigītikāñjalih’, Dr. Harekrishna Meher presents twenty five songs with fine arrangements of ‘antyānuprāsa’. To sing these songs, musical modes, ‘tāla’ and ‘laya’, have been indicated by him in brackets at the end of the lyrics. Among these songs, the first one expresses praise for the Goddess of Speech. The second lyric depicts the worship of the Motherland Bhārata and bears the title ‘Mātri-gītikā’. In this song the word ‘Mātri’ has been used. For example, ‘Eka-Mātuh sutāh sarve bhrātri-sāmyam satkritam / Vijayatām no vandanīyam sundaram dhāmāmritam / Bhavya-bhuvanam Bhāratam’ //.I think, the title of this kāvya is based on the name of the second song. Further, it is also understood by ‘vyañjanā’ that all the lyrics are composed with ‘Mātrā’-Chhanda. In the lyrics of this kāvya, Glory of Mother India, Power of Woman, Worship of Three-eyed God Śiva, Song for Gāyatrī, Excellence of Poets and Artists and such other matters can be observed.”
Dr. Ramakant Shukla, Chief Editor, ‘Arvācheena-Sanskritam’
Deva Vani Parishad, New Delhi.
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“ Harekrishna Meher is a successful poet in creating a distinct glorious place for himself in the tradition of Modern Sanskrit Gīti-kāvyas. In composing ‘Mātrigītikāñjalih’, his own style is different from the styles of other poets. There is no reason for perplexity in this matter. This anthology of poetry is adorned with various beautiful songs composed with the usage of his innovated new original mātrika metres based on tradition. These lyrics endowed with different musical modes, ‘tāla’ and ‘laya’, are apt to be presented in the style of classical and light music.
It is remarkable that Poet Meher himself is a lyricist and composer of tuning. The sweet words of Mātrigītikāñjalih bear ‘Vaidarbhī’- Rīti with ‘Prasāda’- Guna. This lovely Gīti-kāvya is far away from the complexities and difficulties for understanding the meaning. The unique wonderfulness emerging from the setting of very graceful dictions conducive to the emotional feelings, blended with the sweetness of music, is capable of easily attracting, captivating and gladdening the readers.”
Dr. Banamali Biswal,
Editor, ‘Drik’, Drig-Bharati, Jhusi, Allahabad.
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“ Mātrigītikāñjalih is composed by Harekrishna Meher, one of the modern Sanskrit lyricists, who is renowned for his numerous literary writings, research articles and translations of some famous literary works. Here in this gīti-kāvya, the distinct qualities are simplicity in meaning, flow of language and loveliness in arrangement of words. Beauty elucidated in ‘Jīvana-Gītikā’ of this kāvya really has some distinct feature. * *
The purpose of composing this kāvya is to enhance the popularization of Sanskrit, which is obvious from its verse ‘Pravardhanāya lokeshu samskritasya samādriteh.’ Here figures of speech, ‘alankāra’ such as Upamā, Anuprāsa, Arthāntaranyāsa and others express literary beauty in each word. This book has propensity towards Oriental phenomena. Hope, this Gīti-kāvya bearing beautiful deliberations of the poet will earn popularity among the noble-minded readers. "
Dr. Sunil Kumar Pradhan,
Critic, ‘Aranyakam’, Arrah, Bihar.
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References:
* ‘Abhimatam’
of Prof. Shriniwas Rath and ‘Bhumika’ of Prof. A. Rajendra Mishra
placed in ‘Matrigitikanjalih’ Kavya Book;
* ‘Mitam cha Saaram cha :
Harekrishna Meher Ki Matrigitikanjalih : Vidvaanon Ki
Saarasvat Pratikriyaa’ (Drik-17th Issue,
2007, pages 129-131, Drig Bharati, Allahabad).
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Related Links :
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‘Matrigitikanjalih’ Kavya Complete : Link :
‘Prastavikam’ of ‘Matrigitikanjalih’ Kavya :
*‘Matrigitikanjalih’ Kavya Complete : Link :
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Contributions of Harekrishna
Meher to Sanskrit Literature :
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