মনসমঙগল কবয কষমত, জঞন এব পরতরধ: ফকর আলক পঠ

This article reinterprets the medieval Bengali epic Manasamangal through the theoretical framework of Michel Foucault's concept of power, moving beyond its conventional reading as a religious conflict between the goddess Manasa and the merchant Chand Sadagar.Instead, the study argues that the narrative exemplifies Foucault's idea of the micro-physics of power, where power operates as a fluid, relational, and decentralized force rather than a fixed possession.The conflict in Manasamangal is analysed as a clash between competing regimes of truth.Chand Sadagar represents the dominant Shaivite discourse sustained by social authority and economic prestige, while Manasa embodies an emergent, subaltern power striving for symbolic and institutional legitimacy.Chand's refusal to worship Manasa is interpreted not as mere obstinacy but as a strategic defense of an established power-knowledge structure.The article further examines the shift from sovereign power to disciplinary power.Manasa initially exercises sovereign authority through overt acts of punishment, including the destruction of Chand's wealth and the death of his sons.However, the narrative later emphasizes subtler mechanisms of control.Chand's construction of the iron chamber (lauha-basarghar) is read as an attempt at spatial discipline and security, paralleling the logic of the Panopticon.This effort fails as Manasa's serpents function as agents of omnipresent surveillance, revealing the inescapability of power relations.Finally, the article focuses on Foucault's assertion that power always produces resistance.Chand's final act of worship-offering a flower with his left hand while averting his gaze-is interpreted as a tactical compromise that acknowledges authority without complete ideological submission.The article concludes that Manasamangal offers a nuanced literary representation of power, resistance, and negotiation, anticipating key Foucauldian insights.