Читать книгу The Rise of Wisdom Moon - Krishna mishra - Страница 44

introduction

One of these was Kirti·varman (Mitra 1977 [1958]: 189). It becomes possible to imagine, therefore, that “The Rise of Wisdom Moon,” in its leanings towards Vaishnavism, is primarily expressing an allegiance to the ruler in whose honor the play was written and produced.

We may press this point somewhat further. To mention our play and the famed temples of Khajuraho in a single breath may appear to be an incongruent pairing, for the great north Indian temple-complex, after all, is widely associated with the celebration of the erotic, while Krishna· mishra’s drama represents orthodox Vedanta, a philosophy that values detachment from worldly delights in favor of the inner realization of an immutable, transcendent self. But Khajuraho’s marvels and “The Rise of Wisdom Moon” both issued from the court of the Chandella monarchs, and the period during which our play was composed was not far removed from the height of development at Khajuraho.19 It is not difficult, in fact, to imagine that the play might have been performed among the temples and palaces there. While sexual frankness characterizes many of the scenes adorning the outer walls of Khajuraho’s temples, in the interior they are almost all dedicated to the great gods of the Hindu pantheon, in forms that arouse not the slightest hint of tantric transgressions.20 By the same token, “The Rise of Wisdom Moon,” though surely ridiculizing our erotic proclivities, also sees a place for them in the order of things and can hardly be considered as prudish in its treatment of sexual desire:

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