‘Prithviraj Raso’is a glory-singing epic, consisting the discription of the bravery, love, marriage and several wars of Maharaj Prithviraj. In this great epic there are two and fifty thousand pages. one million Chhandas and fifty nine ‘Samayaas’. Adiparva, Dilli-Killi katha, Akhet Kavir, Nahar Rai, Dillidaan, Shashivritta, Sanyogita-Samant, Varun-Katha, Chitrarekh, Kaimas Vadh, Hansawati Vyaha etc. are the main stories in this vast creation. Still today, the scholars keep different opinions about its being authentic, and they belong in four groups.
Its authenticity
- The first group accepts this poetical work authentic and with proof it grants it the real contemporary creation of Prithviraj. In this favour belong Shyam Sundar Das, Mathura Prasad Dikshit, Pt. Mohanlal Vishnulal Paandya, Mishra Bandhu and Motilal Menaria.
- The second group of critics like Kaviraj shyamaldas, Kaviraj Murariddin, Gaurichand Hira Chand Ojha, Dr. Wooler, Morison, Munshi Devi Prasad, Shri Amritlal ‘Sheel’ and Acharya Ramchandra Shukla say that this poetical work is not authentic.
- The third group of critics accept that a poet named ‘Chand’ belonged in the court of Prithviraj and he wrote ‘Prithviraj Raso’, and this work is unavailable now in its original form. Acharya Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, Dr. Suneet Kumar Chatterji, Dr. Dasharath Ojha, Agarchand Nahata belong in this group.
- The critics of the fourth group accept that Chand Vardaayi was the state poet of Prithiviraj, but he wrote Raso not as an epic but as in scattered verses so and so.
The text
Whatsoever historical face it has, and on which I need not spare any page, I ephatically take it granted that ‘Prithviraj Raso’ surely can be counted as one of the greatest epics of Hindi Literature. It fulfills all the conditions of a great epic. It’s aim is sublime. Love and battle – two main streams of the age, prevail profoundly in its sphere. The glory, the grace, the gravity, the grandeur, the greatness and the grasp that a noted emperor is need from, is so surely described in this work that the reader gets amazed. The several types of Chhandaas, the several series of Stories, the several marvellous natural scenery entice the reader. The imaginary power of Chand Vardaayi has a force and one is forced to grant it a great epic ignoring the historical discriminations.
The language
The language of poet Chand Bardai is very forceful. The words are used in accordance with the theme. Dr. Namvar Singh comments –
“Who have anxiousness to taste the beauty of language slim and smart, will ponder over Chand again and again.”
The matter in its broad sphere is praiseworthy, though the different and different decoration of language mars the flow. This leakage is true in some extent. The one reason for this unauthentic throbbing is obviously clear for I think many hands shared in the creation of this creation.
With ‘Veer’ and ‘Shringar’, other ‘Rasas’ as well play great part in it. Dr. Namavar Singh says that rhetoric and meters are noteworthy here. His appreciation goes on –
“Actually in Hindi, ‘Chand’ can be said the king of ‘Chhandas’…..The emotional flow of the theme taking swift changing shape of new meters looks like a flow of active stream presenting no hindrence at any curve. Nowhere we find the natural self-forgetting relief of Prithviraj Raso changing meters in comparison to this work.
With acute stress one can accept Chand Vardaayi, the greatest poet of this age, if considered with crirical unfavoured view of enjoyment.
