Figurative Poetry in Sanskrit Literature

This book is an attempt at resolving an important tangle, that of the utility of Figurative Poetry in Sanskrit Literature. In the shape of Sabdacitra and Ubhayacitra, connoting verbal juggleries and intellectual riddles this literature amuses vast shades of people, even today. Arthacitra is the real imagist poetry. Even old Sanskrit rhetoricians, Ananda, Abhinava and Panditaraja had a flash of its imagist appeal.

The book is divided into seven chapters. Ch. I is introductory. It re-defines poetry and assesses the place of figurative poetry in that context. Ch. II deals with the historicity of different divisions and subdivisions of this branch of poetry as also with some new concepts either co-ordinate with them or contributory to their development. Chs. III IV discuss the various divisions of Sabdacitra and Ubhayacitra with apt illustrations from copious sources. Chs. V VI deal with Arthacitra and the development of Citrakavya right from the Vedic age. Ch. VII affirms and establishes the conviction of the concept treated in the previous chapters.

The book is documented with Preface, Abbreviations, Appendices, Bibliography and Index.

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