Kavyanushasana Critical Study

Author(s): A N Upadhye
Publisher: A N Upadhye

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astronomy etc. A verse from the Padyakadambari (Kadambari, in verse) describes the visible symptoms of fever (of love) and shows the author's proficiency in the Ayurveda branch of medicine. The verse of Vidyānanda utilises the terminology of astrology to delineate a love-theme. (Viveka-24). The next few verses of the Viveka commentary (Vv. 25-32), which has vowed at the outset to supply additional reference material, gives illustrations of proficiency in treatises on elephants, horses, gems, metals, gambling, masmerism, painting and archery. The example from Kanakajānaki, a well known ancient work, illustrates how as poet can successfully describe the minute characteristics of an animal like an elephant and his inner feelings by a knowledge of the details that constitute the treatise on elephants. Similarly a verse from the Amrtatarangakāvya describes the ocean in high tide and finds therein the various characteristic of a horse in great speed. The knowledge of the characteristics of a gem was also considered useful for the poetic art. The viveka commentary, therefore, includes a verse on Ratnaparıkşā. A stanza from the viddhaśālabhanjikā illustrates how a poet can demonstrate his acquaintance with the science of metallurgy or that of paints, specially to attempt a graphic description of a loverlorn lady. A poet is also expected to have a modicum of acquaintance with the arts and sciences connected with social pastimes such as gambling, a sleight-of-hand (Indrajāla), painting etc. Examples of verses showing the poet's deftness in using such knowledge are presented in the body of the commentary text. A verse from Candraka shows an artistic use of the vocabulory of the game of dice. Similarly, the well known Indrajāla scene from Sriharşa's play, the Ratnāvali (4. 11) examplifies how an author can surprise the audience by his knowledge of mesmerism by creating an illusory appearance of the heavenly world. A reference to the art of painting is. contained in the next verse by Vyāsa. The Kankajānaki, a Rāmāyana poem, describes vividly Rāma poised to shoot an arrow. With this rather exhaustive treatment of the topic of
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