Ṛtusaṃhāra

''Ṛtusaṃhāra'', often written ''Ritusamhara'', (Devanagari: ऋतुसंहार; ऋतु , "season"; संहार , "compilation") is a long poem or mini-epic in Sanskrit attributed to Kalidasa. The poem has six cantos for the six Indian seasons- (summer), (monsoon/rains), (autumn), (cool), (winter), and (spring).
It is considered to be Kalidasa's earliest work.

The word Ritu (seasons)with the word saṃhāra is used here in the sense of "coming together" or "group". Thus, Ritusamhara has been translated as ''Medley of Seasons'' or ''Garland of Seasons'', perhaps more aptly as the "Pageant of the Seasons",Ritusamhara Or The Peageant Of The Seasons, R. S. Pandit, https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.525197 but also mistranslated as "birth and death" of seasons, which arises from the alternate meaning of ''samhāra'' as ''destruction''.

The evocative poetry is in the popular Anustubh Chanda form of four line stanzas- a total of 144 stanzas. This was the first Sanskrit text to be printed and published in Calcutta (Kolkata)in 1792, and remains one of the popular classics of Kalidasa. The changing seasons are portrayed in acute details using the thematic backdrop of how lovers react differently to the changing landscapes- the two themes beautifully accentuating each other. This imbues the poem with distinctly amorous taste( shringara) rasa. The predominant emphasis on a single rasa has been criticized by some, however it showcases the latent virtuosity of the neophyte poet, as he explores the range of flavors (Svad) within the single rasa rasa- an exuberant exposition of joie de vivre, conveyed through the interplay of changing nature and steady romance.

Sometimes his authorship has been challenged on the grounds of weak poetic imagination. As an example, here is verse 1.4 of Grishma, where the lovers are struggling against the heat:
: To relieve their lovers of heat,
: Women make them lie
: On their girdled, round hips covered with silken robes, or
: On their sandal anointed breasts
: Heavy with ornaments.
: They seek help from fragrant flowers
: Set in coiffures after a bath,
: To intoxicate and delight their lovers.
Of these verses (4-9 of ''Grishma'' canto) the Mysore scholar K. Krishnamurthy says:
: The sensuality and cloying love depicted in these verses is such that it cannot bring fame to any poet.
However, others have cited the primacy of ''shringara rasa'' (considered as a primeval source for other rasas), and also the balance the poet seeks to achieve by setting the lovers against the background of nature, as redeeming features of the work.

Simple evocations of changing seasons intersperse the more colorful ones:

The summer scorched forest is thrilled with joy at the touch of new showers, A new pleasure sprouts on the Kadamba trees, and every branch shakes in a gaiety unexplained,. Every flower of Ketaki is blossomed
as if the forest has laughed. And peacocks dance with a precipitate joy(Canto 2)https://archive.org/details/ritusamharakalidasarangeyaraghav_202003_110_J/page/n9/mode/2up

Cooled by the touch of fresh drops of water,
And perfumed by the flower laden fragrant Lasak trees
Aye! scented sweet by the Ketaki pollen,
the pleasing wind enraptures the lovelorn women.(Canto 2).

Adaptations

Playwright and theatre director, Ratan Thiyam, stage his production based on the poem as closing production of 4th Bharat Rang Mahotsav in 2002.

Translations

''Ritusamhara'' was translated into English by R. S. Pandit, published in 1947
''Ritusamhara'' was translated into Tamil and published in 1950 by T. Sathasiva Iyer

''Ritusamhara'' has been translated into Marathi Poetry by Dhananjay Borkar and published by Varada Prakashan in 2012.It has also been translated to Kannada by Bannanje Govindacharya titled "Rutugala henige"

''Ritusmahara'' has been simultaneously translated into Hindi and English, as well as illustrated by Rangeya Raghav, published by Atmaram and Sons in 1973

See also

* Sanskrit literature
* Sanskrit drama

References

External links

Transliterated text
at GRETIL

Online literal translation
by Desiraju Hanumanta Rao


selected verses translated into English verse by Arthur W. Ryder

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rtusamhara
Works by Kalidasa
Sanskrit poetry
Ancient Indian poems