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________________ HEMACANDRA'S TREATMENT OF THE.... 189 and briefly answers it, basing his arguments on Jayantabhatta's famous Nyayamanjari which was composed about two centuries before Kavyanusasana. This relevant discussion, though somewhat long, deserves to be reproduced at least partially : "Before the advent of Aksapada who was there to establish the validity of the Vedas ? But it is a feeble objection. Who has interpreted the Vedas before Jaimini ? Who has given the analysis of words before Panini ? Who has made a study of metres before Pingala ? From the dawn of creation these sciences are in vogue on earth like the Vedas. (The so-called authors do not invent the sciences but) they treat the existent or old subjectmatters either in an elaborate manner or in an abridged form; and from that point of view only they are called their authors."2 In the same vein Hemacandra says : "These vidyas (sciences or disciplines) are without a beginning; they become new from the point of view of abridgment (samksepa) and/or detailed description (or amplification vistara) and are said to be composed by the concerned authors."3 Now, in Medieval India we find many writers of compendiums in alamkarasastra. The Kavyaprakasa of Mammata, the most important and most popular work on poetics is a compendium. It epitomizes all the important theories of poetics that were developed before him. Topics which were treated by his predecessors in different works were for the first time brought together and systematised by him in this work. The orderly and concise treatment of the main issues of poetics mark off his compendium from other compendiums as a splendid and marvellous achievement. The fact, however, remains that it is a compendium only and that it does not present any new theory or doctrine of poetics. Hemacandra on the other hand treats of the topics of his predecessors elaborately presenting them as far as possible in their own form instead of summarising or paraphrasing or describing in his own language. His capacity to select choicest passages from his authorities and to organise them into a homogeneous and organic whole is supreme. It is indeed surprising that such a scholarly, carefully designed and well organised work on poetics should have remained almost entirely unacknowledged. Hemacandra's invaluable services Hemacandra's Kavyanusasana is one of the authentic and most valuable sources for obtaining better or correct or original readings for scores and scores of passages in Abhinavabharati, Dhvanyalokalocana, Vakroktijivita, Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org
| SR No. | 001868 |
| Book Title | Studies in Jain Literature |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | V M Kulkarni |
| Publisher | Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre |
| Publication Year | 2001 |
| Total Pages | 114 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English, Literature, & Story |
| File Size | 14 MB |