|
520
|
#
|
#
|
$a BISMA WARRIOR PRIEST OF THE MAHABHARATAThe Mahabhrata and Ramayana epics came to Java with Hinduism some time around the fourth century A.D., from an India where they had already been in a written form for a thousand years. In the following centuries, they were grafted onto ancient local Javanese mythology. In the ninth century, the_epics were translated into the ancient Javanese language, kawi, by poet at the court of King Dyah Balitung, ruler of Central and East Java. Ovei the next thousand years, the process of "Javanisation " continued and the storiesdeveloped a life and character of their own to become a vital part of the dramatic and artistic essence of Javanese culture. The Javanese have a particular affection for the Mahabharata, with its wonderful cast of passionate flesh-and-blood characters. The details of the story and its major characters are less well known in the West, although most educated Westerners have heard of the Bhagavad Gita - even if they have no idea of its context within the Mahabharata. Yet the Bhagavad Gita, the famous theological and philosophical conversation between Arjuna and Krishna, who e4pounds a metaphysical and ethical system to inteipret the universe and to explain the role and duties of humankind within it, is only a fragment of the overall epic. The central story of the epic deals with the conflict between two branches of a family descended from the supreme Gods of Hinduism. Onebranch of the family, thel(orawa, usurps the throne from the rightful heirs, the Pandawa.The dispute can only be resolved by war, a bloody fratricidal battle which tests the loyalties and conscieoces of several generations of the family. Finally the Pandarya brothers prevail, a victoryfor justice and the concept of Right. Despite the more recent introduction of Islam to Java, the philosophical and behavioural values espoused in the Mahabharata remain an important part of the social fabric and attitude to life in Java today. The Jivanese readily identify with the humanity, the conflicts of conscience and even the failings of the Mahabharata characters. They have their favourites, such as Arjuna, the famous Pandawa warrior-lover who is also the essence of the Javanese concept of nobility. Indeed, the Javanese kings sought to enhance their legitimacy by claiming direct descent from Arjuna, and through hiback to the Gods of Hinduism. They admire the scholarly wisdom and honesty of the eldest Pandawa, Yudhistira, and the great physical strength and moral will-power of the second eldest, Bimasena. Many Javanese have a particular affection for Bisma Dewabratq the central character in this book who plays a major role throughout the epic. Bisma was born a royal prince of the kesatrya or warrior caste. His great lsxrning earned him the title of Resi, or Sage. As warrior and priest, Bisma represents the totallyselfless manwho used his almost supernatural knowledge to serve the public good. His entire life was lived in sacrifice of his own interests to uphold the principles of honour and duty. On Java and Bali, the ancient epics have exercised a dominant influence over traditional art forms. They are performed as costumed drama (noyong wong), masked dance drama (wayang topeng), three dimensional wooden puppet theatre (wayang golek) and the two dimensional leather shadow puppet theatre (wayang kulit) Each has developed its own highly refined and stylised features. Nowadays,wayang stories are televised or broadcaston the radio. They are popularised in comics and national newspapers devote columns to excerpts and to philosophical discussions of them. The Mahabharata is performed in the Javanese puppet theatre in episodes or lakon, presenting one particular incident from the epic. Alakon usually focuses on the adventures (and misadventures) of only a handful of the central characters. While the dalang,or puppet eer, of away yang performance will narrate the essential background of this or that character as he enters the action, no one lakon is devoted to the entire life of a major figure from the Mahabharata. That is little comfort to the Westerner seeking to understand what his Indonesian friends are talking about when they refer in conversation to characters from the epic. Performances, of course, are in the local Javanese languages, beyond the comprehension of most foreigners still trying to come to grips with the Indonesian national language. The well-known creative Indonesian writer, Satyagraha Hurip, himself a Javanese and devotee of thewryang,has portrayed for us in a singls volume the mythological life of one of the more interesting charactersrnthe Mahabharata epic, Bisma Dewabrata. Written in literary Indonesian for the wider national audience, the book relates the story from the viewpoint of one of the principal exponents of the value system espoused in the Mahabharata. It is thus an excellent introduction to the overall epic, as well as portraying the epic s human conflicts between passion and duty, honour and emotion. The conflicts of conscience faced by Bisma are a fundamental and driving element within the epic. Hurip wrote his story of Bisma in the mid-1960 s, a period of some turbulence in Indonesia. At the time, he and many other devotees of the Javanese wayang were worried that the invasion of western cultural and Santanu, Bisma s father, is a noble and benevolent king. Mary Javanese dalangs prefer to characterise Santanu as a hot-tempered man who killed his first wife, Dewi Gan gga, and usurped from King Parasara both his Queen and the Kingdom of Hastina. However, the small dilferences do not detract from the value of this book as an easy introduction to a very complex epic. I have deliberately sought to make this a very free translation, occasionally addig in for the benefit of the English-speaking reader what need not be further explained to an Indonesian familiar with the epic. In the interests of readability, I have not flagged these in the text. They are, however, acceptable to Hurip.I have also taken some other liberties with the text, particularly in an effort to convey a flavour of the different levels of speech - in a sense caste-based - which are characteristic of the Mahabharata and, indeed, of the traditional Javanese language. It has been a great pleasure to translate an interesting storywhich introduced me to the fascination of the Mahabharata and its Javanese variations. I am grateful for the assistance I have been given by many Indonesian friends who have shared with me their wisdom about and love for classical Javanese wayang. The contagious enthusiasm of Pak Budiardjo, a patriot who has devoted his life to the service of his countryin manyhigh positions and who is now determined to ensure the preservation of this vital aspect of Javanese culture, has been a source of inspiration. Pak Pranoto, himself a dalong, has spent many hours ensuring thai the text more closely reflects reflects the Javanese values of the wayang. Particular thanks must go to the Management of PTf, sthmans of Pall Mall Indonesia, a company iU.n belevesihat foreign businesses in Indonesia should contributrio tiaer understanding of the country and people whose gUests and partners they are. The suppoit of P.T Rothmans has made the publication of this translation possible. The illustrations of.wayangkulit characters throughout the text, which are mainlyin the Solo style, were drawn byPak Sugiri, a gifted wayang puppet-maker and artist. Finall I should like to thank Satyagraha Hurip. In translatiog his boolq I have fou`d a gentle Javanese friend with a truly noble spirit. by iwn.
|
