Malik Muhammad Jayasi was a sufi poet. The Islamic mysticism is called ‘Sufism’ and mystics ‘Sufis’. Their philosophy is called ‘Tasawuff’ also. The epic ‘Padmavat‘ is unparalleled in its presenting Sufi mythology and Sufi faith, composed in Hijri 947, Christian year 1540, and unsecond of its type.
The Story
The lovely touching love story of a Hindu lover and beloved has been made the basis dipped in historical and imaginative mixture of sensation. The daughter of King Gandharvasen, the king of Singhal Dweep is the most beautiful girl of this world. Her name is Padmavati. Her parrot ‘Hiraman’ is very clever and learned bird.
The father of Padmavati decides to kill it when the bird is ready to make search for a good husband, but is rescued on request. One day it flies, It is captured, sold and again bought by King Ratnasen, the king of Chittore.
It describes the beauty of the precious girl Padmavati. Ratnasen gets lunatic to get her, starts to Singhal Dweep with 16 thousand princes. Hiraman as a guide helps him. Crossing several oceans Ratnasen stays in Shiva Temple. Hiraman goes to Padmavati and narrates King’s temple approach. On ‘Vasant Panchami’ she comes there.
Ratnasen gets fainted seeing her charming beauty. She writes on his breast with sandal pase – Yogi, you learnt not the ‘Yoga’ of an ability to get alms. You slept while the time of acceptance came knocking at your door. Ratnasen awoke with a sudden alarm will furiousness to suicide. Shiva and Parvati gave him ‘Siddha Gulika’. Any way, by grace of God, he got married with Padmavati.
The first queen ‘Nagmati’s viyog for the king is on extreme. The story gets deepness and greatness when the Muslim King ‘Alauddin’ attacks on Chittore to get Padmavati. Ratnasen is killed and both queens burn their body and be ‘Sati’.
Symbolism in Padmavat
This love is the ‘Sadhana’ of Sufis. The story is symbolical. Padmavati is the symbol of God. Ratnasen is ‘Sadhak’ devoted love-dipped penance is the way. The symbolic mystery he himself explains :
“तन चितउर, मन राजा कीन्हा
हिय सिंघल बुधु पद्मिनि चीन्हा ।
गुरु सुवा जे पन्थ दिखावा
बिनु गुरु जगत को निर्गुन पावा ।
नागमती यह दुनिया धन्धा
बांचा सोइ न एहि चित बन्धा ।
राघव इत सोई शैतानू
माया अलाउदीन सुल्तानू ।”
The ‘Barahmasa’ of Nagmati is unparallel in literature. Acharya Ram Chandra Shukla comments that this Barahmasa of Jayasi is most precious jewel of Hindi Literature. The whole creation is wet in the tears of Nagmati. Dr. Jayadev in his research work on Jayasi says that this is a sweet epic of noted value where life in its different dimensions is depicted. Truly on each step the spiritual indications increase its worth. The historical event has been a practical proceeding forever in its touch and clutch.
Like other Saint-poets the language of Jayasi is not flexible in order and arrangement. ‘Awadhi’ is grandly used. ‘Doha’ ‘Chaupai’ and ‘Soratha’ are well balanced in his works.
Really, Malik Muhammad Jayasi was representative poet of ‘Premashrayi’ Shakha of ‘Nirgun Sampraday’ . His popularity is proved by this that his ‘Padmavat’ has been translated in English, French, Bengali, Pasto, Persian and Urdu.