Hello readers,
Harindra Dave's Madhva Kayay Naiti depicts the anguish of Devarshi Narada, who is sitting in awe of Krishna. From Krishna's childhood till his death, despite Krishna's quest to meet Krishna, Narada does not meet him. Harindra Dave has done a heart touching presentation of it. The focal point of the novel is Narada's urgent desire to find Krishna and Narada's feelings towards Krishna despite not being found.
It's fascinating how the narrator shapes the perspective of the story. I've read "Krushnayan" by Kajal Oza Vaidya, "Shyam Ekvar Avone Angne" by Dinkar Joshi, and "Dawarikano Suryast" by Dinkar Joshi. One interesting aspect is that each book tells the same story but from different angles. It highlights the diversity in interpretation and how the narrative voice influences our understanding of Krishna's life.
We had the poetry 'Vaslithi Vikhuto' by Harindra Dave in our school syllabus. Since that day, I have been eager to read it. One interesting aspect of this book is that Krishna doesn't physically appear throughout its pages, yet his presence is felt on every page, in the words of every character, in nature, and within the hearts of the characters.
Narad's longing to meet Krishna was so intense that just one glimpse of him turned Narad into a wanderer. He traverses from one place to another in search of Krishna, asking people, trees, roads, flowers, cows, the Yamuna River, and Mathura, 'Have you seen Krishna?' His agony for not meeting Krishna deeply touches the hearts of readers. As Aristotle stated in 'Poetics,' there should be emotions of pity and fear, and Narad indeed evokes these emotions, leading readers to a sense of purgation or catharsis.
There's a philosophical question underlying the narrative: whom are we truly seeking? At first glance, Narad is seeking Krishna, but upon closer examination, we uncover a deeper meaning—Narad is seeking himself in the guise of Krishna. He's on a quest to discover his own identity, his true self.
Furthermore, in the novel, every character who encounters Krishna describes him. These characters act as 'telling' personas, shaping Krishna's character. However, they all experience a sense of alienation because Krishna is no longer a part of their lives.
The character of Kansh emerges as a grey shade. He exists neither as entirely good nor entirely bad but is merely the victim of chance and a truly tragic hero. On the other hand, all the villainous characters are painted in shades of grey, showcasing the Poetic License the writer used within the narrative.
Harindra Dave beautifully brings nature to life, portraying it as mourning the loss of Krishna. It's natural for living beings to plunge into misery upon Krishna's departure. Unfortunately, Narad arrives at every place just after Krishna has left, highlighting his incapability to reach the truth. Each of his attempts creates an atmosphere of despair, evoking fear in readers—what if we were Narad?
Starting from Krishna's childhood place, Mathura, Narad travels to Hastinapur, Kurukshetra, Indraprastha, questioning Arjun, Draupadi, Duryodhan, and everyone he meets, asking, 'Where is he?' His journey takes him to Dwarka, and finally to Prabhas Patan, where he discovers only ashes of Krishna in the river.
The characters' feelings of being deceived by Krishna and his persuasive conversational skills are reflected in their language. In the end, Narad realizes that Krishna has merged with the earth, having departed, fulfilling his lifelong desire because he discovers Krishna within his own soul.
Harindra Dave ingeniously crafted the sentence, "દેવોમાં હું નારદ છું" shaping the entire novel around this premise. Pain and suffering resonate on every page, and Narad's poignant monologues compel us to pause and reflect. Undoubtedly, it makes for an intriguing and thought-provoking reading experience.
Poetry Vashlithi Vikhoto:
Thank you.
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