Sandeśarāsaka

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 Sammat 1465 (circa 1408–09 C.E.).

Theme

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.

In Shahmukhi,

مَاݨُسَّدُوَّوِجَّاہَریہِں ݨَہَمَگِّ سُورَ سَسِ بِن٘بے ۔

آئیہِں جو ݨَمِجَّئِ تَں ݨَیَرے ݨَمَہَ کَتَّارَں ۔

In Gurmukhi,

ਮਾਣੁੱਸਦੁੱਵਵਿੱਜਾਹਰੇਹਿੰ ਣਹਮੱਗਿ ਸੂਰ ਸਸਿ ਬਿੰਬੇ।

ਆਏਹਿੰ ਜੋ ਣਮਿੱਜਇ ਤੰ ਣਯਰੇ ਣਮਹ ਕੱਤਾਰੰ।

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

Cultural influence

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

• Padmavat