Studies In Sanskrit Sahitya Shastra

Author(s): V M Kulkarni
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology

Page 16

Studies in
Again, the striking modes of expression lend novelty to the subject-matter of poetry. To sum up :
The subject-matter of poetry, as it has infinite varieties can never be exhausted even though thousands and thousands of gifted poets might draw on them even as Praksti, from which the different worlds evolved in the past and will evolve in the future can never be exhausted. Even then literature is full of coincidences on account of similarities of poetic temper and creative genius among great poets. But a wise man should not detect plagiarism in such coincidences.
Now, this correspondence or resemblance between the works of two poets may be like that of 'bimba' and 'pratibimba' (prototype and copy, or a' thing and its image) an object and its picture or between two human beings.? Of these three kinds of matter a good poet should avoid the first (pratibimba-kalpa) as it is devoid of any originality either in word or thought (lit. its soul is the same and has no really different body). He should also aviod second (Alekhyaprakhya) for, though it has a different garb, it has little of originality (lit. though possessed of a different body, it is really speaking, devoid of a soul). He, however, should not avoid the third kind, viz., Tulyadehivat, for here though the subject-matter between the two works resembles, their style and diction are entirely different and charming; it is evident that resemblance between two living beings does not mean their identity.10
This much about the resemblance between the ideas of two poets. There is absolutely no harm if there is resemblance between the senses of a few words of the two poems. For even Vācaspati-the Lord of Speech-cannot create any new letters or words. If the same letters and words are repeated, they do not necessarily go against originality. Whatever is beautiful here, when it is represented in poetry, causes delight to the 'rasikas'. A good poet never invites censure by presenting in his poetry such a matter as bears correspondence to that of an old poet. Sarasvati herself favours a good poet, who never thinks of plagiarism, by revealing to him the desired artha and here lies the greatness of great poets. 5. 9198 HTUT HER Fa: 1
निबद्धा सा क्षयं नंति प्रकृतिर्जगतामिव ॥ 6. #91973 Harita al RA HÀ7814 |
नैकरूपतया सर्वे ते मन्तव्या विपश्चिता ।। 7. HET EFTER aga: yaratatata
आलेख्याकारवत् तुल्यदेहिवच्च शरीरिणाम् ।। 8. तत्र पूर्व प्रतिबिम्बकल्पं काव्यवस्तु परिहर्तव्यं सुमतिना । यतस्तदनन्यात्मतात्त्विकशरीरशून्यम् ॥
Dhvanyaloka IV. 10-12 and Vịtti on IV. 13 9. DGTFATHISE TEETHTATET TIRYTHI T HA #107 1-Dhvanyāloka (IV.3) Vštti. 10. तृतीयं तु विभिन्नकमनीयशरीरसद्भावे सति ससंवादमपि काव्यवस्तु न त्यक्तव्यं कविना । न हि शरीरी
Titta EStet cala eta 704 1-Dhvanyāloka (IV.13) Vrtti.