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OPINIONS OF RAJAŚEKHARA AS A CRITIC
. 311
his moods which though manifest only in the physical form are born in the inner consciousness which is soul. Thus he is nearer to the critics of the psychological school like Anandavardhana who attribute the Guņas to Rasa.
Some objections to poetry
Rājasekhara refers to some objections to poetry on account of,
(i) its being full of lies--the hyperboles. (ii) sometimes preaching against morality and (iii) having obscene and unrefined descriptions,
He is ready to exonerate the hyperboles for no one need take the poet literally when he says that the reputation of a particular king turned the multitudinous ocean white. What the reader enjoys here is the flight of the poets imagination.
Rajasekhara opines that all such poetry as mean to teach against morality should be rejected as the ravings of some insane man. The poets, of course, have to include depictions of evil in some characters. But these should be taken as caution against falling victims to evil. He defends poetry as the treasure of the collected wisdom of the ages.
As regards the obscenities like descriptions of Viparīta Rati etc, he permits the poet to indulge in these only when there is an appropriate occasion for these in his work. An obstinate insistence upon such unrefined themes is not likely to find favour with Rājasekhara. He supports his stand by citing examples from the Vedas. .
It is interesting to compare the objections to poetry referred to by Rājasekhara to those raised and answered by Sir Philip Sidney. Sidney in his 'Apologie for Poetrie' refers to the following objections :
(i) First, that there being many other fruitefull knowledges, a
man might better spend his tyme in them than in this, (ii) Secondly, that it is the mother of lyes.
(iii) Thirdly, that it is the Nurse of abuse, infecting vs with many pestilent desires with a Syrens sweetnes drawing the mind to the Serpents ta yle of sinfull fancy, and heerein, especially, Comedies give the largest field to erre.
(iv) And lastly, and chiefely that Plato banished them (the poets) out of hys common-wealth. 1. Tarqat fafaraita garitet:'
sfa argrazia: 1 KavyaM VI
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