A queen dies repeatedly performing the tapas she hopes will garner her a son, but comes back to life each time. A rebuffed woman drowns her infant son in a well, and later, the hero restores his life. What is Ruparama saying about living and dying with such plot turns? And why does that matter?
Paper long abstract:
Death, and hence embodiment, is an ephemeral concept in Ruparama Cakravarti's mid-17th century Dharma-mangala. One main character dies repeatedly performing the tapas she hopes will garner her a son, and immediately comes back to life each time. The hero slays a royal elephant and completely pulverizes its body, but later, the elephant comes back to life. An evil woman drowns her infant son in a well when our hero refuses her advances, and later, that hero restores the baby's life. And in the epic's climactic battle nearly everyone dies, but all the "good guys" are returned to life in the grand finale. What techniques render these deaths not permanent? Who can effectively make use of such techniques? What is Ruparama saying about living and dying with such unbelievable plot turns? And why does that matter?