Indian Kavya Literature, Volume 3Volume III in this series presents some of the most celebrated classical writers of India, including Sudraka, Visnusarman, Kalidasa, Pravarasena, Amaruka, Bharavi, Subandhu and Visakhadatta. A new analysis and appreciation of their poetry, drama and fiction is offered, in the light of Indian literary criticism, especially of the important critical works only recently recovered from scattered manuscripts. During the disastrous later middle ages (about the thirteenth century and later), most of the earlier literature was destroyed by invading fanatics and plunderers. In order to offer a more complete picture of the early medieval literature, an effort has been made here to resurrect, from the critics and elsewhere, such once famous writers as Sarvasena, Candragomin, Matrgupta, Mentha and Brahmayasas, together with what is known of the mysterious `Vikramaditya`. To provide some social background to such aspects of criticism as trends in the characterisation of heroes, the history of the period (+200 to +600) is briefly touched on at the beginning of some of the chapters. The sculpture photographed on the dust jacket, courtesy of the National Museum, New Delhi, is believed to represent a scene from the Toy Cart, though it seems more likely to be from some earlier play. |
Common terms and phrases
abduction Abhinavagupta Abhira action aesthetic experience Agnimitra Amaruka Anandavardhana appears Arjuna Arjunavarman ascetic asceticism Bāņa Bharavi Bhasa's Bhoja brahman Buddhist Caṇakya Candra Candragupta canto Carudatta Chapter character conjunction critics Daṇḍin demon described Dhanika drama Draupadi elephant emotion emperor enemy epic example figure flowers geisha girl gives gods Guṇacandra Gupta Hayagriva Hayagrivavadha hero heroine illustrate India Indra Jaina jester Kālidāsa kavis kāvya killed king Kirāta Kuntaka Lakṣmaṇa limb lotus lover lyric Madalasă Magadha Malayaketu Manicuḍa meaning Mentha metre minister mountain nāṭaka Natyadarpaṇa Natyaśāstra noted novel nymphs Pañcatantra parasite perhaps play poem poet Pradyota Pravarasena Purūravas qualities Queen quotes Raghavan Rākṣasa Rāma Rama's Rāmāyaṇa rasa Rāvaṇa recension references Sagaranandin Śaka ŚAKĀRA Sanskrit Satavahana says scene seems Sītā Śiva speech Śṛngāraprakāśa story style Subandhu Śūdraka suggests Sugrīva Syamilaka tion Toy Cart tradition Udayana Ujjayini Urvasi Vākāṭaka Vasantasenā Vasavadatta verse Vikramaditya whilst words yakṣa Yudhisthira