Vamsavriksha, Madhorubhagan and Niyoga

It has been 50 years since S.L.Bhyrappa’s ‘Vamsavriksha’ was published, The Hindu reminisced and a friend posted the write up on Facebook. She commented that while she recalled the time it was published and also controversy surrounding the book ‘Madhorubhagan’ by Perumal Murugan surprised the former didn’t meet the same amount of opposition. For both deal with Niyoga was her point.

I had not read ‘Vamsavriksha’, and sadly got to know of an author called Bhyrappa only 10-years ago on a chance picking up an old and dusty copy of ‘Parva’ at the Sahitya Akademi exhibition in Mumbai. I was so taken by ‘Parva’ I went online to know more about the author and his books. Since then I have followed him and was so shaken when I read his ‘Avarana’ in Tamil translation couple of years ago.

But, I vaguely remembered ‘Vamsavriksha’ from the Telugu movie, and couldn’t relate it to ‘Madhorubhagan’. My friend ofcourse stood her ground supporting it is all in perception.

I have no objection to either a ‘Vamsavriksha’ or to ‘Madhorubhagan’, for who am I to say which is right, which has the right to exist and all that. As a reader it is just what I go through when I read something, what I carry with me while I have finished it that is important.

Since ‘Madhorubhagan’ is still fresh in my memory can say what appealed to me – that it introduced a new landscape to me. I have never been to Thiruchengode and the Ardhanariswara temple, so the hill, temple and the agrarian landscape was there for me to know.

Beyond that, I couldn’t see it as a path breaking Tamil novel. I has problems with the fact that a grant was taken to write history of the town, which later transformed into fiction and blurring the territory between fact and fiction. I had written about that in the previous blog. Here, I wanted to just stay on the aspect of Niyoga.

Vamsavriksha, after those comments on facebook, I found the Kannada movie online and watched it at one go on a quiet afternoon. An intense, thought provoking movie, as much as any of Bhyrappa’s works.

But, it definitely is not about Niyoga. Nor does ‘Madhorubhagan’ about Niyoga.

While the former is about the purity of a lineage, having a male progeny who does pithru karmas is what ‘Vamsavriksha’ is about, and on the climax when Shrotri learns about his father - isn't it more about misuse of the concept of Niyoga for personal greed. I would want to read to grasp what Bhyrappa wants to convey. ‘Madhorubhagan’ too is not about Niyoga, it is a confused view on surrogacy.

I started writing this sometime in July and left it incomplete and unpublished. Then in last week of August, there was lecture at K.R.Cama Institute about “Surrogacy In The Mahābhārata” by Dr Madhavi Bhaskar Kolhatkar.

That picked my curiosity – the lecture was very short, and just basic outlines she presented. The story she focussed was on the Madhavi in Mahabharata more than Vyasa. In her own, quite assertive way Dr.Madhavi made it clear that Mahabharata Madhavi should not be looked at as a victim, to be pitied, no more than Vyasa.

One point she emphasized, that in those days parents had right over their children, the children did what was ordained, not like what it is now. The aspect of “duty” if understood well, perhaps may lead us to proper understanding the context of such practices.

I asked Prof.Madhavi, if Niyoga was a common practice, allowed for all, just to have kids, or for the sake of inheriting property etc., She said no, only for progeny to rule to the kingdom. Second, I asked her if the consent of man and woman involved in Niyoga was an essential condition. She said no to that as well.

She also explained how it was strictly for the purpose of progeny, and the man and woman involved in Niyoga will not derive sensual pleasure. Example, she said was the case of Vidura’s birth. It was against the rules of Niyoga as Vidura’s mother unlike the mothers of Pandu and Dhritarashtra enjoyed herself in the process.

I wish those who make sweeping statements that Niyoga existed forever, ‘Madhorubhagan’ is Niyoga etc., would dwell deeper into it. I am not an expert or well read person, but I focussed my thinking on the issue when in an astrological magazine someone had raised the issue of not being able to conceive and if they can go for surrogacy. I respect Astrologer A.M.Rajagoplan always for his wise words, and he replied that our elders had made a provision of adoption, and  better to stick to it and not attempt surrogacy.

I have not read Dharmashastras, except for a cursory knowledge I have gained from attending annual Dharmashastra seminars conducted by The Asiatic Society, Mumbai. My friend Anuradha says every Dharmashastra has a chapter on Niyoga. Here again, I would like to go with the lines P.V.Kane gives in his introduction to Dharmashastras.

“Niyoga: Great divergence of views about the origin and purpose of this practice. Stringent conditions were laid down by smṛtikāras before niyoga could be resorted to. Breach of the conditions severely condemned and made punishable. Some even very ancient writers on dharma did not allow this practice…Niyoga forbidden in the Kali age by Brhaspati and other smṛti writers.”