Arjunawijaya A Kakawin of Mpu Tantular Vol. II: Translation
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A late 13th century stone relief from Trawulan, East Java, (no. 2560 from the collection of the "Archeological Survey of Indonesia", copies of which are in the Instituut Kern, Leiden) with a landscape resembling those in passages of the Arjunawijaya (cf. Canto 11,1; 22,11 and 24,1).
ARJUNAWIJAYA
BIBLIOTHECA INDONESICA published by the KONINKLIJK INSTITUUT VOOR TAAL-, LAND- EN VOLKENKUNDE
14
ARJUNAWIJAYA A KAKAWIN OF MPU TANTULAR
Edited and translated
by S. SUPOMO
VOL. II: TRANSLATION
SPRINGER-SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.V. 1977
ISBN 978-90-247-1937-2 ISBN 978-94-017-4961-9 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-4961-9
TRANSLATION The mangala (Canto 1) May there be no hindrance! 1 Hail! To the god Parwatariija, the life of all the vital spirits of the world;* Who is the very image of Buddha, the supreme reality, who is firmly held in meditation by the perfect yogins; Who is like the nectar to wise souls, but poison to great sinners; Who passes unhindered throughout the world as [the radiance of] the sun passes through clear water. 2 The purpose of my praise to the Lord is to implore Him to pay heed to the reverential homage of one who devotes himself to poetry, so that the carrier of the dark coloured case may achieve the perfect goal he sets himself in writing, - this is what I implore, as I build my temple of language on my writing leaf; it is the welfare of the kings of Java and its princes and princesses that I have in mind,* long may they live, san Parnekas-in-Tuf?ta first of all, may they be secure in their palaces. 3 The reason that I have the audacity to attempt to write a lengthy story * - even though, compared to those who are as the moon in the art of poetry, I am only a little star - * is that I hope it may serve to repay the debt that the king's kindness has imposed upon me, a poet.* It is sr'i Ranamangala alone who condescends to allow me to enter his presence.*
Note: An asterisk at the side of the English translation indicates that the line (or the stanza) in question is discussed either in the Notes to the Translations or in the Introduction.
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4 Now, he is the son of the brother of Lord Wekas-nin-Sukha,* and furthermore he has now become the son-in-law of the younger sister of the King of kings.* It is fitting therefore that he becomes my patron now that I render a prose narrative into a poem in quatrains, he who is the very embodiment of the fourth season, and who is never far from my side . Episode 1: The birth of Rawa1Ja 5 This is the beginning of the story, so let those who wish to enjoy the art of poetry listen.* In fonner times there was a king who belonged to the family of the king of demons, a descendant of the god Padmayoni, grandson of Pulastya, and a son of sage Wisrawa; his name was Rawat].a, and he was renowned throughout the world for his prowess and power in battle.
6 The world lay in ruins, all creatures trembled in fear, and all the deities were in disarray, because the wicked demon king, whose power was without equal, was on the rampage [throughout the worl
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