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Classification of Poetry
799
With this note ends what is termed as 'śārīra' adhikaraṇa in the KSV. of Vamana. Thus, we see that Vamana was perhaps satisfied by the definitions of all types of literature that which was to be enacted on the stage or was meant for hearing or reading only - given by his predecessors such as Bharata, Bhāmaha and the like.
Rudrata, in the XVIth chapter of his Kāvyálamkāra discusses various forms of literature. He wants the poets to write compositions to persue the four-fold goal such as dharma, artha, etc. in a style juicy because of rasa. He observes :
"jagati caturvarga iti khyātir dharmártha-kāma-mokṣāṇām,
samyak tan abhidadhyād
rasa-sammiśran prabandheṣu." (Kā. XVI-1)
(Edn. Cowkhamba Vidya Bhavan, Varanasi, '66, Sri R. Shukla)
Rudrata further states (XVI-2) that compositions are two fold such as versecompositions and prose-compositions viz. kathā and ākhyāyikā, with original or (historical) or non-original theme, both major and minor in size. - Rudrața XVI-2 reads:
"santi dvidhā prabandhāḥ kavya-kathā-"khyāyikā"dayaḥ kāvye, utpādyánutpādyā
mahallaghutvena bhūyo'pi."
Bhāmaha also had a two-fold division such as one having a plot with an old i.e. historical story or with story created newly by the poet. As noted above again, from the point of view of scope and size poetic creations are major or minor i.e. - 'mahat' or 'laghu'. Rudrața also expects that even nayaka or hero could be a poet's imagination only (XVI-3b). Namisādhu notes that here Tilakamañjarī and Bāņa's Kādambari could serve as illustrations where the hero is either imagined or from some other source.
The 'anutpadya' - i.e. not created newly by the poet is one, wherein the whole of the composition has its theme borrowed from history or its part, but the poet narrates it in his own expression. Namisādhu explains as (on Rudrața, XVI. 4) pañjaram iti. teṣu kathā"di-madhye te'nutpadyaḥ, yeṣām pañjaram kathāśarīram akhilam sarvam itihāsā"di-prasiddham rāmāyaṇā"di-kathā-prasiddham kaviḥ svavācā paripurayet. vaded ity arthaḥ. yatha arjuna-carite. athavā tad ekadeśam vā,
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