Kamayani: A Jaishankar Prasad’s Magnum Opus – Book Review

Last Updated: November 27, 2023

Welcome to a captivating literary exploration with “Kamayani Book Review,” inviting you to dive into the profound world of “Kamayani,” the magnum opus of Hindi literature penned by the great poet Jaishankar Prasad Ji. In this comprehensive review, we embark on a journey that delves into the intricate layers of “Kamayani,” unraveling its importance and meaning. Are you curious to explore the poetic brilliance within its verses? Join us as we delve into the heart of Kamayani. Let’s imbibe its nectar together.

Kamayani Book Review

Importance of “Kamayani”

“Kamayani” is a unique poetry-book of Hindi literature. It is the last and the fabulous work of Jaishankar Prasad Ji. It was published in 1937. Prasad Ji had taken nine years to complete it.

“Kamayani” is the celebrated creation of chhayavaad (the golden age of modern Hindi literature, 1918 to 1936). When it was called the best epic poetry of Hindi literature after  Ramcharitmanas, many critics have shown their disagreement. But today it is universally accepted that Kamayani is one of the few achievements of humans.

Meaning of “Kamayani”

In one sense, “Kamayani” is the story of the Holocaust and the subsequent development of the Human being. Destruction of the deity-culture in the deluge, the union of the last deity’s son Manu and Gandharva’s (heavenly musician) daughter Shraddha and their marriage-life, leaving of pregnant Shraddha by Manu and conquering the region of Saraswat with the help of Ida, the rebellion of the people of Saraswat, injury of Manu in battle, and treatment of unconscious Manu by Shraddha are the main events of “Kamayani.”

In the second sense, the order of the chapters of “Kamayani” indicates the steps of a person becoming a full-fledged human being. A full-fledged human being is in a state of absolute ecstasy. Different chapters of this poetry book are different phases of life. The ecstatic phase of life is the yogic phase when everything looks equal, though it is living or non-living. All are beautiful by their own art. This is a state where ecstasy is unbroken dense. Jaishankar Prasad Ji has illustrated it in the last stanza of this epic :

समरस थे जड़ या चेतन
सुन्दर साकार बना था,
चेतनता एक विलसती
आनंद अखंड घना था।

samras the jad ya chetan
sundar sakar bna tha,
chetnta ek vilsati
anand akhand ghana tha.

Unified were the inert and sentient,
A beautiful form emerged,
Consciousness, a shimmering dance,
Bliss immeasurable, an unbroken expanse.

“Kamayani” can only be drunk, you should imbibe this unique poetry book once in your life.

Works Cited

1. The feature image used in this post was created on Photopea.com on November 26, 2023 by Preeti Bhandari.