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Classification of Poetry
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should be regarded as superior. In dramatic works, anyway, there should be a sole intent of delineating sentiment. So far as historical novels (ākhyāyikā) and romantic novels [kathā] are concerned, they are found mostly in prose only and their method differs from that of metrical works. Since the ancients have not given any specific rules concerning these, we shall frame them here in brief -
"The considerations of decorum detailed above will also govern all prose works which are not governed by the rules of metre." (Dhv. III. 8)
Though prose works are not governed by rules of metre, the considerations of decorum mentioned above, viz. that of speaker, the spoken, and the literary medium, govern them." - (Trans. K.Kris. pp. 131-133, ibid)
It may be noted that though Anandavardhana has not defined various types. Prof. K. Krishnamoorthy through his translation has suggested the same. Prof. K. Krishnamoorthy while giving english equivalents seems to explain the forms on the authority of perhaps Abhinavagupta, or, Namisādhu. He takes muktakas as 'pearls', i.e. single stanzas. He takes sandānitaka, viśeṣaka, kalāpaka and kulaka as run-on verses of two, three, four or more stanzas, paryāyabandha as stanzas in one or more metres describing a single topic, diadectic stories in verse is 'parikatha', while sakala and khaṇḍa-kathās are full-fledged fiction in verse and short-stories in verse. Sargabandha is epic for Prof. Krishnamoorthy, and Kathā and ākhyāyikā are romantic novels and historical novels in prose. Samghaṭanā is texture of writing. Now, Abhinavagupta in his Locana on Dhv. III 6 does explain. these types. So, Prof. K. Krishnamoorthy has either relied on him or Namisādhu or perhaps Bhoja. Perhaps even Namisādhu relies on Bhoja, or even Abhinavagupta, for no other known alamkāra works preceding Namisādhu excepting the Locana attempt definitions of all types of poetry.
One more important point to be noted with Anandavardhana is that not only does he mention types of poetry based on their external form, but he also attemps to furnish what we may call criticism-based classification of poetry in which he mentions three types such as dhvani, guṇībhūta-vyangya and citra, based on the absolute prominance or subservience or near absence of what he called "pratīyamāna artha" or implicit sense. He of course is careful not to call these types as 'uttama', 'madhyama' and ‘avara' as suggested by Abhinavagupta and picked up by Mammata. Varieties and subvarieties of dhvani and guṇībhūtavyangya and citra are also seen in the Dhvanyaloka Locana and Mammața, which we will pick up while dealing with dhvani separately. But one thing is certain that Anandavardhana
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