Doha (Indian literature)

Dohais a lyrical verse-format which was extensively used byIndianpoetsandbardsof North India probably since the beginning of the 6th century AD. Dohas ofKabir,Tulsidas,Raskhan,Rahimand the dohas ofNanakcalled Sakhis are famous.SatasaiofHindipoet,Bihārī,contains many dohas. Dohas are written even now.

Background

Dohais a very old "verse-format" ofIndian poetry.It is an independent verse, acouplet,the meaning of which is complete in itself.As regards its origin,Hermann Jacobihad suggested that the origin ofdohacan be traced to the Greek Hexametre, that it is an amalgam of two hexametres in one line. This format had found favour with theAbhirasorAhirswho had greatly encouraged its use, the Abhiras belonged toGandhararegion now in Pakistan. Jacobi's theory rests on the premise that the Indians possessed a translation ofHomer's works as asserted byDio of Alexandria.Therefore, for a very long time the Doha verse-format was popularly used inGujarati,Rajasthani(Duha),Maithili,MarathiandHindifolk and modern literature ofNorth Indiaand inSindhi(Doho) literature ofPakistan.The wordDohais supposed to have derived from theSanskritwordsdogdhaka,dvipadi,dvipathakaordodhakathat are all Sanskrit couplet forms; it is also known asduhaviyainApabhraṃśato which the earliest reference is inVikramorvashiyamofKalidasa.Dohas have also been found written and cited in a stray manner in older languages such asPrakritandPali.They are quotations of worldly wisdom. InDuhasuktavaliit is said that doha should be quoted where talented persons have gathered.

Doha(Apabhraṃśa) is a particular kind of Apabhraṃśa metre of popular origin that was cultivated by many Apabhraṃśa saints – poets and bards owing to its lyrical qualities, and who gave birth to the Doha – sahitya i.e. Doha-literature. Dohas in Sant literature are known as Sakhis.A doha has two lines, each having 13+11 morae (6+4+3) + (6+4+1) and with its last words ending in a rhyme; it is one of the shortest quantitative metres of Hindi literature. This format has been employed freely since 6th century AD and are seen quoted by Svayambhudeva (circa 800 AD) in hisPaumachariuandHarivamshapuranaand byHemchandra(1088–1172) ofPatan, Gujaratin hisSiddhahema shabdanushashna,a work on grammar ofSanskrit,PrakritandApabhraṃśa.The great saint-poetGorakhnath(809–849) for hisGorakh-baniand the great poet Pushpadanta (959–972) ofManyakhetafor his epicsMahapurana,Nayakumara-chariu,Adipurana,Jaisahara-chariuandUttarapuranachose this particular format.

Compositions

There was a tradition of composing stray verses in Doha metre, more popular in North India it was popularised through contributions made by theJainas,theBrahminsand theMuslimsas is seen inepic,rasaanddidactictype of literature. Topics in this literature include eroticism, valour, quietude, morality, common life, eventful scenes, of nature, sayings and proverbs. Some main literary works of the period from the 8th to 13th centuries areSarasvatikanthabharanaandShringaraprakashaofBhoja,Kavyalankaraof Rudrta,Prakritavyakranaof Hemchandra,PrakritapaingalamandNeminathachariuofHaribhadra,Kumarapalapratibodhaof Somaprabha,Prabandhachintamaniof Merutanga,Sandeshrasakaof Abdul Rahman.

Religious doha-literature was composed by Buddhists, Jainas and Shaivas which was both, spiritual and moralist. The spiritual doha-literature is devoid of artificial style and is mystico-religious in which symbols are employed and importance of teacher-preacher is emphasised; its authors were saints first and poets afterwards. Its poetic value though not high was sincere in feelings and emotions.Natha,Santa,SahajiyaandVaishnavaschools were then very popular.

Buddhist contribution

It is traditionally held that Bauddha-dohas were composed by the eighty-four Bauddha Siddhas. Buddhist or bauddha-dohas ofSarahapa(760–806), Sabarapa, Luipa, Darikapa, Kanhapa andŚāntipa,all belonging to the period from the 8th to 12th centuries, are of two types – a) that which establishes and explains sectarian teachings and philosophy, and b) that which criticisesRituals,tantricismandmantravada;both represent two modes viz.,Vajrayana(thunder-bolt) describing spiritual states and experiences, andSahajayana(natural and easy) preaching purification of life and criticise Hindu and Jaina practices,

Jaina contribution

Jaina doha-literature mainly deals with spiritualism and the supreme self, internal purification, control of the mind and the senses and opposes external ritualism, charms, tantricism, worship of deities and scriptures. Some important Jaina works areParamātmaprakāśaandYogasaraof Joindu Yogindra,Pāhuḍadohaof Ramasimha,Vairagyasaraof Suprabhacharya andDohaprabhritaof Muni Mahachandra. Didactic dohas of Jainas preach the need to raise the moral standard of life, lay stress on duties and obligations, charity etc.,Shavakadharmadohaof Devasena ofDhar(9th century AD) andSanjama-manjariof Maheshvarasuri belong to this kind.

Brahmanical contribution

Brahmanical doha-literature is available inTantrasaraandPratrimshikavrritiofAbhinavaguptawhich are Sanskrit texts on Kashmiri Shaivism.

Hindi dohas

Hindi doha ismatrik-ardha-sama-chhandametre and have odd and even feet of the same rhythm but the attempt to find a proper identification of the rhythm is evident in all works fromChhandamalaof Keshavdas (1557–1637) toChhanda-prabhakaraof Jagannathprasad Bhanu (1859–1945). Hindi doha-literature is marked byPahur-dohaof the Jain-muni Ram Singh,Bhaviayatt-kahaof Dhanapala,Sandesha-rasakaof Abdul Rahman andPrithviraj RasoofChand Bardai,and later by works ofKhusro,Kabir,Tulsidas,Nanak,Dadu Dayal,Malukdas,Malik Mohammad Jayasi,RaskhanandAbdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana.Kabir and Tulsidas used the Maithili doha metre,and the great Chishti Sufi shaykh of the thirteenth century Baba Farid (Farid ud Din Ganj-i Shakar; d. 1265) is widely remembered today for his Punjabi dohas.

Sindhi dohos

Doha or Doho is an important part ofSindhi literature.M.Jotwani had traced the Arabic two-linedbaitto the likes ofdoha,baro doha sorathaandtunveri duho.The main strain of Sindhi literature has beenSufi-Vedanticpoetry in the form ofdohaorbeitthat could be sung.