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culture is called for in any poetic activity. Hence, Hemachandra's treatment of Vyutpatti and Abhyasas as aids to Kavyakarana is apt. T. N. Sreekantaiya notes that "Pratibha is ever the only direct source of poetry Vyutpatti and Abhyasa contribute but indirectly to the creation of Poetry by regulating and refining the working of the poet's Pratibha. Hemachandra has made the best pronouncement on this question...."250
It is interesting to note that since the days of Homer, the idea of poetic genius or imagination has characterised the Western Poetics in different garbs and under different names. Beginning with the theory of divine dispensation, we come to the Longiniun Sublime and his term "transport" or Ekstasis. The question there was: 'Are poets born or made?' In other words, 'Natural gifts or studied art ?' And both the poet's genius as well as his acquired art were included in the 'Sources of elevation', viz., conceptions, passions, figures, diction and composition. 251 But poetic imagination receives a shot in the arm with Coleridge's elaborate exposition of it and the Romantic poetry is its best illustration. The Education of a Poet
Hemachandra admits that poets can and do benefit from a knowledge of the ways of the world and from the different Sastras as well as from constant practice in poetic composition under expert guidance. In saying this, he is not breaking any new ground because Mammata had already dealt with these aspects of poetic training or poetic culture. 25 2 Hemachandra's credit lies in elaborating on Vyutpatti and Abhyasa by bringing together relevant ideas from Rajasekhara, Kṣemendra and others, and in providing rich illustrative material on these topics. The Poetic Studio
Learning and Practice are cognate concepts as they both refine the poetic talent. It is a course in poetic training (Kaviśikṣā) to be undergone by a would-be-poet so as to master the theoretical and practical aspects of the poet's craft. F. W. Thomas studies the interesting topic of The Making of
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