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varieties are twelve in Hemachandra's opinion (VIII. 8 ff). He follows Bhoja in general.226
Hemachandra's Noteworthy Definition of a Mahākāvya
Hemachandra's Mahākāvya is noteworthy in the sense that it is not restricted to the Sanskrit language only, but extends to the Prakrit Language with all its dialects and also covers the folk-languages or dialects. He also considers the Pañcasandhis or five joints or junctures as the indespensable features of a Mahākāvya. In all other respects his Mahākāvya resembles the traditional Mahākāvya.
In the gloss on VIII. 8, Hemachandra mentions the many features that go to make a Mahākävya. These are the same features that we find in Dandin's Kavyadarśa (I. 15-19) and which Dr. Raghavan states are completely borrowed by Bhoja (S.P., p. 627). Bhoja calls it a Sargabandha like the Heyagrivavadha of Bhartṛmentha. Hemachandra mentions several characteristics under Sabdavaicitrya, Arthavaicitrya and Ubhayavaicitrya. All These are found mentioned in Dandin (1.14, 18 etc.).
In his work on Bhoja's Śrngaraprakāśa, 227 Dr. V. Raghavana has shown how Hemachandra is indebted to Bhoja in several respects and contexts. One of such contexts is the discussion of the Sravya-kavya. In this connection Dr. Raghavan
writes:
"The treatment of Sravyakavya in the VIIIth Chapter of the Kavyanuśāsana, pp. 330-341,228 to the end of the work is completely a reproduction of the section on Gunas and Alaṁkāras of Prabandha as a whole and the definitions with examples of the types of Sravyakavya given by Bhoja in Chapters XI and XII of the Sr. pr. (Vol. II) Especially, the various elements of Sabdavaicitrya, Arthavai citrya and Ubhayavaicitryā given by Hemachandra on pp. 334-341 are Bhoja's Gunas and Alaṁkāras of Sabda. Artha and both with reference
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