“Hence in the British period we see Buddha, and Buddhism staging a come back to India and the Indian intelligentsia. During the British period, it was Ramachandra Sukha, who was the first Hindi poet to take up singing the praises of the Buddha.”___________________________________
by D. Amarasiri Weeraratne
(March 18, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Buddha preached in the Magadhi language. Magadhi was the language of Magadhi (modern Bihar). It was the Pali language. Modern Hindi is derived from the ancient Magadhi or Pali language. The vocabulary and mellifluity of Hindi is derived from Pali — the Buddha language.
Indian intellectuals honour the Buddha greatly because was a son of India. Hindi poets while believing in Rama Krishna, Siva etc do not hesitate to sing the praises of the Buddha.
After the Muslim conquest Buddhism vanished from India. Buddha finds no place in Hindi literature until the British conquest, and access to English literature. Educated Indians read Edwin Arnold’s "Light of Asia" and were inspired by the Buddha and his life-story. India had forgotten the Buddha and thanks to the British and their opening of the windows to Buddhism through the Light of Asia, the Indian leaders came to know and appreciate the Buddha.
The voluminous Buddhist literature produced at Nalanda, Vallabhi, Somapura, Vickramasila and Odantapuri in Sanskrit were lost. They are available in Tibetan and Chinese translations. All the above mentioned five Buddhist universities were run and maintained by Buddhist monks with royal-patronage. Only their names, ruins are the Sanskrit literature they produced are available in Chinese translations.
Hence in the British period we see Buddha, and Buddhism staging a come back to India and the Indian intelligentsia. During the British period, it was Ramachandra Sukha, who was the first Hindi poet to take up singing the praises of the Buddha.
In 1922, he wrote a poem of several sections dealing with the life and teachings of the Buddha. Ramachandra was a celebrated writer and critic as well.
In 1937, Anup Sharma wrote his lengthy poem named Siddharta. It won the national award called "Deva - Puraskar". In it are found descriptions of seasons, cities, and similar features of classical Sanskrit poetry. Human life in its various stages are portrayed and depicted there. In his foreword to the book he says he selected the Buddha-Charita because it gave scope to portray life in its various facets and stages.
Maitali Sarana Gupta chose the story of Yasodara as the theme of his poem. The theme of Prince Siddarta’s renunciation and the sorrows of Yasodara on the parting and separation from her husband. This reminds us of the popular Sinhala poem Yasodara Vata its theme and emotional appeal.
Jaya Sankar Prasad, and Surya Kanth Tripati, Maha Devi Varma were poets who chose Buddha - panegyrics as the theme of their poetical works.
Prasad depicts the peaceful banks of the river Varuna at Isipatana.
O peaceful banks of Varuna river
Haunt of holy saints and hermits
Prince Siddarta came to thy banks
Leaving comforts and worldly
pleasures
And the solace of a devoted wife.
And the charms of a baby son
He sought the cause of suffering
To emancipate all beings
from Sansara
And to preach Dharma to hermits
The Buddha came to thy picturesque
scene.
The poet Nirala wrote his Bhagavan Buddha Ke-Prati Poem. He says the war torn strife ridden present world can find peace and harmony in the Dharma taught by the Buddha.
The light of truth spread all over,
All men became friends and brothers
Anagonisms were left behind
Men gradually took to kindly ways.
Mahatma Gandhi went to Noakali to settle Hindi-Muslim conflicts. Udaya Shankar Bhatta wrote on this theme, and therein said.
Two thousand five hundred years ago
One renounced home and worldly delusions
He renounced the corruption of power
On this very spot this sacred land
One who was a hero a noble Sage,
A man who was fearless and brave,
Shattered the veil of maya—illusions
Alone he came, peaceful in mind
He came to bring peace and calmness.
To a world torn with strife and delusion
Bringing peace and goodwill to men
Since then days and nights have gone
The ages and eras have rolled away.
The Buddha—praises sung by India’s foremost poet Ravindranath Tagore are too well—known and I need to venture to reproduce them here.
Ananda Kausalyayana produced a Hindi version of Ramachandra Bharati’s Bhakti Sataka - a Sanskrit classic of a century of Buddha hymns:- The author breaks into a rapture of devotion.
Worship thou my head the Buddha’s supreme form
Here thou my ear his ambrosial norm
Behold thou my eye the Buddha—image sweet
Kiss thou my nose the masters lotus feet.
Sing thou my tongue Buddha hymns in praise
In offerings to the Lord, thyself my hand do raise
Walk thou my feet to the Buddha’s holy shrine
Reflect thou my mind on the Buddha Urtues fine.
Lord neck deep submerged I lie,
In the sea of thy boundless love.
Thy perfect knowledge and passionlessness.
To divest my faith to another creed,
Will be an impossible feat.
Though a heretic king may impose his fine,
Though pagan scholars may laugh to scorn,
Though kinsmen discard and abandon me
My father Buddha, without thee I shall not live
- Sri Lanka Guardian
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