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802
SAHRDAYĀLOKA
The poet should also describe the opponent of the hero in like fashion advancing without thinking towards the hero, the poet may describe the besieging of the (enemy's) city also. The poet should describe messages to soldiers suggesting that they have to fight in the morning and suggesting also their death (in the fight) and therefore invitations to drinking bouts with ladies by night. XVI. 18 says that in the end the poet should describe the rise of the hero after facing great difficulty and fighting of both (i.e. the hero and his enemy and their armies) causing wonder and forming a plan or a military array, after making all preparations :
"sannahya krta-vyūham sa-vismayam yudhyamanayor ubhayo krcchreņa sādhu kuryād
abhyudayam nāyakasya ante.” (XVI. 18) Rudrața suggests (XVI. 19) that the construction of this major poem has to be one in chapters called 'sargas', with properly related junctures on account of their inter-relation.
It seems Rudrata gives greater details concerning accidential events to be woven in the main theme of a mahākāvya with original story. Perhaps he had a vaster literature and also a number of alamkāra-granthas before him to seek guidance from
Then Rudrața turns to kathā, or mahā-kathā. The (XVI. 20) concepts seem to be modelled on available famous compositions of Bana and others. Rudrata observes that in a major prose composition, i.e. in a mahākathā, the poet pays homage to his personal deities and preceptors in the beginning in some verses and then describes, as an author, his own lineage and himself in brief :
"ślokair mahākathāyām istān devān gurūn namaskrtya, samksepena nijam kulam
abhidadhyāt svam ca kartặtayā.” (XVI. 20) By 'ca' after 'svam', observes Namisādhu, (pp. 419, ibid) the untold details are covered. "svam ca iti 'ca'kāro'nukta-samuccaye. tena sujana-khala-stuti-nindā"dikam ca abhidaddhyād iti sūcyate." It is thereby suggested that such matter as praise of people of merit, and censure of the evil-minded etc. should be woven by the poet.
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