Alankar Sutra

Author(s): K Sambashiv Shastri
Publisher: Government of Travancore

Page 5

PREFACE.
This volume is the second edition of Alankārasútra of Rājānaka Sri Ruyyaka, formerly published as the 40th number of the Trivandrum Sanskrit Series, along with the Vrtti of Sri Mankhuka called Alankārasarvasva and a commentary on the latter by Samudrabandha.
There are two wellknown Alankārasūtrās, one by Vāmanāchārya called Kāvyā lankārasūtra, another in Kārika form by the Buddhist monk Scuddhodanimuni, Alankārayidyâsūtra on which was based the Alankārasēkhara of Kesavamisra. The one under reference is thus a third work by Rājānaka Sri Ruyyaka.*
The view has long been current among scholars that Alankārasarvasva denoted a work which included both sutra and Vịtti, and Ruyyaka was the author of both of them as Vidyāchakravartin says.t
What had thus been for a long time an established fact among scholars, was called in question by the above publication (No. 40 T. S. S.). The learned editor held the view that the author of the Sūtra was Ruyvaka and that of the Vrtti was his desciple Mankhuka. In support of this view. he quotes:
(1) " stroHDITT fori TCHAETOT I RITETSST Spearata:TRUCHTET I
(Sarga 25, Srīkanthacharita of Mankhuka)
* Mammata's Kavyaprakasa in Kárika form is also spoken of as 'Sutra but only by Alankarikās.
+ The great poet Vidyachakravartin refers to the work Alaukārasarvasva as that of Ruchaka, in his work called Sarvasvasaljivali. Thus he says at the beginning,
"57419PITz 1 AFI.
सज्जीवनीति टीका श्रीविद्याचक्रवर्तिना क्रियते ॥" ane at the end,
"इत्थं भूना रुचकवचसां विस्तरः कर्कशोऽयं
____टीकास्माभिः समुपरचिता तेन सजीवनीयम् ।” If the name Ruchaka is taken to be the classical form on the provincial Ruyyaka 4s appears probable, it would seein that Ruyyaka himself was the author of Alankarasarvasva. The eclition of this work in the Kavyamala series adopth the same view.