The Sandeśarāsaka, also known by its Apabhraṃśa name Saṃneharāsaya, (Sanskrit: सन्देशरासक, Apabhraṃśa: संनेहरासय) is an epic poem written around 1000–1100 by Addahamāṇa (thought be the Apabhraṃśa form of the name Abdur Rahman) in Apabhramsha.[1][2][3] Its language is considered to be a version of Apabhramsha, the language that gave rise to modern Northwestern Indo-Aryan languages like Punjabi and Sindhi.[4]

The manuscripts of the book were discovered in Jain libraries by Muni Jinavijaya. According to Muni Jinavijaya, the work was written before the conquest by Ghori in 1192, when Multan was still a major Hindu pilgrimage center.[5] The manuscripts include Sanskrit explanations by a Jain scholar in Sam. 1465.

Theme

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This epic poem is inspired by Meghaduta of Kalidasa.[6]

The author invoked God using an expression that combines Hindu and Muslim perspectives:[7]

माणुस्सदुव्वविज्जाहरेहिं णहमग्गि सूर ससि बिंबे।
आएहिं जो णमिज्जइ तं णयरे णमह कत्तारं।
māṇussaduvvavijjāharehiṃ ṇahamaggi sūra sasi biṃbe.
āehiṃ jo ṇamijjai taṃ ṇayare ṇamaha kattāraṃ.

O citizens, salute the creator who is saluted by men, gods, vidyadharas, the sun and the moon.

Cultural influence

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It is the only work by a Muslim in Apabhramsha,[8] and it is a precursor of Baba Farid and books like Padmavat of Jayasi.

It is the first book that refers to a vernacular work based on Ramayana.[9]

Two of the verses were quoted by Acharya Hemachandra (1088-1173).[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ सन्देशरासक (Sandeś Rāsak) : संस्कृत-टिप्पनक-अवचूरिकादिसमेत अपभ्रंश मूलग्रन्थ तथा आंग्लभाषानुवाद-विस्तृत प्रस्तावना-टिप्पणी-शब्दकोषादि समन्वित अब्दुल रहमान-कृत ; संपादक, जिनविजय मुनि (Editor: Jinavijaya Muni), तथा हरि वल्लभ भायाणी, सिंघी जैन ग्रन्थमाला (Singhi Jain Granthamala), भारतीय विद्या भवन (Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan), 1945
  2. ^ हिन्दी साहित्य में रासो काव्य परम्परा, सन्देश रासक, Ajay Kumar
  3. ^ Sandesh Rasak, Hazari Prasad Dwiwedi, Rajkamal Prakashan Pvt Ltd, 2003, p. 12-13 (Google Books.)
  4. ^ Panjab Past and Present, Volume 29, Part 1, Issue 57 – Part 2, Issue 58, Punjabi University. Dept. of Punjab Historical Studies, 1995 p. 56
  5. ^ The Felt Community: Commonalty and Mentality Before the Emergence of Indian Nationalism, Rajat Kanta Ray, Oxford University Press, 2003p. 189
  6. ^ Studies in Punjab History & Culture, Gurcharan Singh, Enkay Publishers, 1990 p. 29-30
  7. ^ हिंदी साहित्य को मुस्लिम साहित्यकारों का योगदान (1200 ई0 से 1850 ई0 तक) प्रोफ़ेसर शैलेश ज़ैदी, श्री नटराज प्रकाशन, ए-507/12, करतार नगर,बाबा श्यामगिरी मार्ग, साऊथ गामडी एक्सटेंशन, दिल्ली-53 (Blog.)
  8. ^ Influence of Islam on Hindi Literature, Volume 47 of IAD oriental original series: Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Delli, Saiyada Asad Alī, Idarah-i-Adabiyat-i Delli, 2000, p. 12-13, 195
  9. ^ Indian Horizons, Volumes 48-49, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, 2001 p. 100
  10. ^ Origin and development of Hindi/Urdu literature, Madan Gopal, 1996, Page 3