Kundamāla of Dinnāga, is based on the Uttara Kāṇḍa of the Rāmāyaṇa. The play tells the story of Sīta’s exile by Rāma and her subsequent journey to give birth to their children in the forest. In the play, Sīta takes a vow to give a garland, called Kundamāla , to the river goddess, Bhagirathi hoping for a safe birth of her children. Sīta gives birth to twins, Lava and Kuśa, who grow up in the forest and eventually learn the story of their father, Rāma, and the Rāmāyaṇa. Eventually the garland named Kundamāla gets identified by Lord Ram, who follows the trail to reach Sītā and her children, Lava-Kuśa. The twins then perform the Rāmāyaṇa in front of Rāma and his court, which leads to the reunion of Rāma and Sīta .The Rāma is a powerful exploration of the themes of love, loyalty, and devotion, and it remains an important work of classical Sanskrit literature to this day.
Kundamāla is a ‘psychological reconciliation between Rāma and Sītā which is preliminary to their union’ Though the messages had been mutually exchanged, it is a fact that Sīta remained far from permanently reconciled to the injustice of Rāma’s action. This is clearly borne out by many passages which effusively proclaim her righteous anger against the wrong done to her. The main part of the plot of the Kundamāla , is borrowed from Vālmīki’s Rāmāyaṇa. But the poet has deviated from the Rāmāyaṇa in numerous places in order to heighten the Rāma tic effect. The poet has represented his characters skilfully, Rāma and Sīta are fully developed, Lakṣmaṇa and Vālmīki are also effectively sketched. Of Kuśa, Lava and Vēdāvati, we have only a few glimpses. Other characters present nothing noteworthy.
The main part of the plot of the Kundamāla , though borrowed from Valmiki, the poet has deviated from the Rāmāyaṇa in numerous places in order to heighten the Rāma tic effect. Whether the author of the Rāma Kundamāla is identified with Dinnāga, the celebrated Buddhist logician, or not, it seems probable that he roused the jealousy of that ‘‘Prince among poets” and this is ample vindication of his greatness. Dinnāga is admirably simple and, therefore, easily intelligible. In lucidity he generally surpasses even Bhāsa. His prose, which is generally free from cumbersome and long compounds, moves easily and freely and contributes greatly to the directness and rapidity of his action. He is singularly free from the artifices which are the bane of the later Kāvya style.
Kundamāla , when widely known, is sure to find an honoured place amongst the great Rāma s of Sanskrit language. The charming simplicity of its language, the natural elegance of its style, the human touch that permeates throughout its plot are qualities rarely to be met with in the works of this class. The author so far known to us only as a famous Buddhist logician and a skilled debater, was believed to be a contemporary of Kāḷidāsa. The plot of his work is woven round a theme, which was later seized upon by the great Bhavabhuti as basis of the best masterpiece of his genius.
1. ऋषीणां लोकपालानामार्यस्य मम चाग्रतः। अग्नौ शुद्धिं गता देवी किन्तु लोको निरङ्कुशः॥ (कुन्दमाला - प्रथमोङ्कः – १३ ) [Though] In the presence of the sages, the rulers of the worlds, and of the noble one [Brother Rama] and of me, goddess [Sītā] was purified in the fire but the world is tyrannical.