| Vasant Vijay | |
| Author: | Manishankar Ratnji Bhatt 'Kant' |
| Original Title: | વસંતવિજય |
| Original Title Lang: | gu |
| First: | Purvalap (1923) |
| Country: | British India |
| Language: | Gujarati |
| Form: | Khandakavya |
| Meter: | various Sanskrit meters |
Vasant Vijay (The Triumph of the Spring) is a narrative poem that was written by Indian poet Manishankar Ratnji Bhatt 'Kant' (1867–1923), who was popularly known as Kavi Kant.
Vasant Vijay includes a reference to Pandu, the mythical father of the five Pandavas in the Indian epic poem Mahabharata.[1] Vasant Vijay narrates an episode from the Adi Parva (The Book of the Beginning) of Mahabharata.[2]
Pandu kills a mating deer, for which he is cursed to undergo a similar death. Pandu tries to get rid of the curse by observing celibacy but under the profound influence of spring, he loses his self-control and has sex with his wife Madri, who is hesitant, knowing its fatal consequence.[1]
In Vasant Vijay, Kant narrates the episode in a dramatic manner in a classical, metrical style. The triumph of spring symbolises the triumph of lust and the destiny of the human predicament.[1]
According to Mansukhlal Jhaveri, Vasant Vijay, along with Kant's other poemsChakravak Mithuna and Devayani, is a remarkable example of the arts of Khandakavya that set up a standard of high poetical excellence in Gujarati.[3] [4] The poem is noted for its metrical pattern and the resulting sound effect, and for its emotional depth.[2]
. Sisir Kumar Das. History of Indian Literature: 1800–1920, Western Impact: Indian Response. 2005. Sahitya Akademi. New Delhi. 978-81-7201-006-5. 316.