Smaradahana facts for kids
| An Old Javanese poem (kakawin) | |
.jpg)
The scenes from the Smaradahana depicted in Balinese painting made by I Ketut Gedé c. 1890
|
|
| Original title | Asmaradhana |
|---|---|
| Country | Indonesia |
| Language | Old Javanese (Kawi) |
Smaradahana is an ancient Old Javanese poem, also known as a kakawin. It was written by a poet named Mpu Dharmaja in the early 1100s. This poem was created to praise King Kameçvara of the Kediri Kingdom in East Java, Indonesia.
The Smaradahana tells the story of Kamajaya, the Hindu god of love, and his wife Kamaratih, the Hindu goddess of love. They disappear from the gods' realm, called Svargaloka. This happens after a powerful fire from the third eye of Lord Shiva burns them. Their spirits then come to Earth. Here, they inspire feelings of love in people's hearts.
Contents
What Does Smaradahana Mean?
The name Smaradahana comes from two Sanskrit words: smara and dahana. Smara means "love." Dahana means "fire." So, Smaradahana can be understood as "the fire of love."
Sometimes, it's also linked to the word dhana, which means "thirst" or "yearning." In this case, it could mean "the thirst for love" or "the desire for love." The themes of Smaradahana have inspired many artworks, stories, and love songs in Indonesia.
The Story of Kamajaya and Kamaratih
The poem begins with the goddess Parvati feeling lonely. She misses her husband, Lord Shiva, who is meditating on a sacred mountain. Parvati decides to send Kamajaya, a god of love, to find Shiva. Kamajaya's job is to make Shiva feel love for his wife again.
Kamajaya uses his special bow and arrow, tipped with a flower, to shoot Shiva. Suddenly, Shiva feels a strong desire to see Parvati. His heart fills with memories of their past affection, and he stops his meditation. However, when Shiva opens his eyes, he sees Kamajaya hiding nearby.
Shiva becomes angry that Kamajaya dared to disturb his meditation. A powerful fire bursts from Shiva's third eye, burning Kamajaya to ashes. Kamajaya's wife, Kamaratih, loves him deeply. Out of loyalty, she jumps into Shiva's fire to join her husband. Both of them die in the flames and vanish from the gods' realm.
The spirits of Kamajaya and Kamaratih, the divine lovers, fall to Earth. They are often reborn as human lovers, always searching for each other. Their spirits represent the strong feelings of love, desire, and yearning that all lovers on Earth experience.
History of the Poem
Mpu Dharmaja wrote Smaradahana during the time of King Kameçvara. He was the second king of the Kediri Kingdom in the early 12th century. Historians believe Dharmaja wanted to share the Hindu story of Kamadeva being burned by Shiva. This story is also found in the Sanskrit poem Kumārasambhava.
The poem also aimed to explain what love and desire mean to people. Many think the poem was a special tribute to King Kameçvara. Smaradahana described King Kameçvara as very handsome. His queen, Çri Kirana, was known for her amazing beauty.
The poem said the king was an incarnation, or human form, of Kamajaya, the god of love. It also stated that his capital city, Dahana (or Daha), was admired worldwide. King Kameçvara's wife, Çri Kirana, was celebrated as the incarnation of Kamaratih, the goddess of love and strong feelings.
The Smaradahana poem helped inspire the famous Panji cycle tales. In these stories, Prince Raden Inu Kertapati (also called Panji Asmoro Bangun) is seen as the incarnation of Kamajaya. Princess Dewi Chandra Kirana (or Sekartaji) is shown as the incarnation of Kamaratih. The Panji tales became very popular and spread across Southeast Asia.
Images for kids
-
Kama being burnt by Shiva. From the cover of a book released by the Balinese Education Council.
