Studien Zur Indologie Und Iranistik

Author(s): Gert Klingenschmitt, Albrecht Wezler, Michael Witzel
Publisher: Gert Klingenschmitt, Albrecht Wezler, Michael Witzel

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A Formal Type of Arrangement
Here the main aim of the poet was to surpass his colleagues in expressing the same thing more beautifully to receive their approval or become the "Kavirâja" and to gain the patronage of the king. He could show his ability by varying on what he thinks is pivotal in the content of the gâthâ-s of his competitor (the birth of the content of theme) or by taking one or more words from the gâthâ-s of his competitor and by using them in gâthâ-s, different in content. (I wonder when it was decided, and by whom, who the winner was). These two ways along which to compete in composing, could also have been means for instructing young, prospective poets in the art of poetry. The latter principle that takes the word(s) as starting point could have lain at the root of the type of arrangement of the gâthâ-s in the Gangadhara-version of the Gâthâsaptasatî.