Poets on Poetics: Literature as Sanskrit Poets See It

Literature Nov 08, 2021

Poets on Poetics: Introduction

Art appreciation begins with learned connoisseurs. Gaining breadth and vision with time, it develops into a well-structured system of aesthetics. Poets and arti...

Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh | Trans: Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Nov 15, 2021

Poets on Poetics - Valmiki

Maharṣi Vālmīki The story narrated in the first four cantos of the Rāmāyaṇa is of great significance to the central concepts of the creative process: poet, poe...

Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh | Trans: Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Nov 22, 2021

Vālmīki - 2

Vālmīki was absorbed in thoughts about his verse when Brahmā visited him: tadgatenaiva manasā vālmīkirdhyānamāsthitaḥ (1.2.28). He was tormented by the impropri...

Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh | Trans: Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Nov 29, 2021

Vālmīki, Vyāsa

Rāma savoured the recital amid a large group of literary aficionados: sa cāpi rāmaḥ pariṣadgataḥ (1.4.36). This is arguably the best way to appreciate art becau...

Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh | Trans: Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Dec 06, 2021

Bhagavān Vyāsa

In these verses Vyāsa has succinctly described the central focus of his poem and the nature of its characters. This is the way of great poets: they present the...

Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh | Trans: Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Dec 20, 2021

Bhagavān Vyāsa - 3

In the next verse Vyāsa describes a defining trait of great poets. He intends this as a lodestar of sorts of his work: इतिहासप्रदीपेन मोहावरणघातिना। लोकगर...

Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh | Trans: Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Jan 03, 2022

Bhagavān Vyāsa - 4

               At the outset of the Mahābhārata Vyāsa outlines its literary qualities that...

Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh | Trans: Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Jan 17, 2022

Vyāsa, Aśvaghoṣa

Modern literary theory usually insists that a poet should not come in the way of the natural development of events and characters. If he gets personally involve...

Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh | Trans: Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Jan 24, 2022

Aśvaghoṣa, Śūdraka

Aśvaghoṣa clearly states that his work is principally a scripture. It is structured as a poem, yes, but that is only a veneer, a convenient pretence. Neverthele...

Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh | Trans: Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Feb 07, 2022

Śūdraka, Kālidāsa

               After introducing the major characters, Śūdraka has gone on to describe the...

Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh | Trans: Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Feb 14, 2022

Kālidāsa - 2

Let us have a look at the dialogues before and after this verse. A minor character expresses concern that Kālidāsa might lose face if his play is performed disr...

Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh | Trans: Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Mar 07, 2022

Kālidāsa - 3

Unless poetry caters to people with varying tastes, it will not find a strong footing. It naturally follows that the poet should know the ways of the world well...

Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh | Trans: Shashi Kiran B N