Studies in Jain Literature

SR No.: 001868
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

Page 496

478 STUDIES IN JAIN LITERATURE the alamkarikas (literary thinkers) made no difference between Sanskrit and Prakrit literatures. They studied and appreciated both. Some of them wrote in both Sanskrit and Prakrit. Anandavardhana, the author of the far-famed Dhvanyaloka has written a Prakrit poem, called Visamabanalita and Rajasekhara, the author of Kavyamimamsa, a unique work on Sanskrit Poetics, (which does not directly concern itself with the exposition of rasas, gunas, or alamkaras, and is rather in the nature of a siksagrantha) has written, among other plays, Karpuramanjari entirely in Prakrit which is cited as a model of the type of plays called Sattaka. Anandavardhana and all the later alamkarikas freely cite Sanskrit as well as Prakrit passages to illustrate various points of poetics. The norms laid down in their works were equally applicable to both and, indeed, till recently to literatures even in modern Indian languages like Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi, and so on. Even a scholar of the eminence of Acarya Hemacandra, who has to his credit books on Prakrit grammar and prosody did not feel the necessity of preparing a treatise on Prakrit Poetics. The fact, however, remains that the Sanskrit critical thought took little note of some of the interesting and peculiar aspects of the vast and varied literature in Prakrit. The alamkarikas, generally speaking, contented themselves merely with quoting Prakrit passages for illustrative purposes or alluding to certain works for illustrating the types of composition. 11. Influence of Prakrit Poetry on Sanskrit poeticians : Although we do not find Prakrit illustrations in the early works on Poetics like Bhamaha's Kavyalamkara, Dandi's Kavyadarsa, etc., they clearly state the fact of the existence of Prakrit literature along with Sanskrit and Apabhramsa literature. The absence of Prakrit quotations in their works is due to the practice of composing their own examples instead of quoting examples from the works of other authors. The few Prakrit examples we come across in Rudrata are his own compositions. The fact that over two thousand and eight hundred verses from Prakrit works are cited by later alaskarikas beginning with Anandavardhana is a clear and definite proof of the great influence of Prakrit poetry. Of all the writers on Sanskrit Poetics it is Anandavardhana who is considerably influenced by the Setubandha and the Gaudavaho. He and Kuntaka, the author of Vakroktijivita, frequently use the expression bandhacchaya (beauty of composition) in expounding their poetical theories68. Anandavardhana refers to the objectives of 'bandhacchaya' and 'ahinava atthagai' (Sk abhinava arthagatih, a new range of meaning or the novelty of ideas) mentioned by Pravarasena in his Setubandha in almost identical language : "Novelty of ideas as