Mahākāvya (lit. great kāvya, court epic), also known as sargabandha, is a genre of Indian epic poetry in Classical Sanskrit. The genre is characterised by ornate and elaborate descriptions of scenery, love, battles and so on — in short, everything that tests a poet's skill at description. Typical examples of mahākāvya are the Kumarasambhava and the Kiratarjuniya.
It is considered the most prestigious form in the Sanskrit literature.[weasel words] The genre evolved from the earlier epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Despite the length of mahākāvyas (15-30 cantos, a total of about 1500-3000 verses), they are still much shorter than the Ramayana (500 cantos, 24000 verses) and the Mahabharata (about 100000 verses).[citation needed]
The Buddhist poet and philosopher Aśvaghoṣa (c. 80 – c. 150 CE) is one of the earliest Sanskrit poets with surviving Kāvya literature. His Buddhacarita (Acts of the Buddha) calls itself a mahākāvya and was influential enough to be translated into both Tibetan and Chinese.[1] Another kāvya by Aśvaghoṣa is the Saundarananda, which focuses on the conversion of Nanda, Buddha's half-brother.[2][3]
Tradition identifies five works as model mahākāvya:
To this list, sometimes a sixth one is also added.
Bhaṭṭikāvya, by Bhaṭṭi in 7th century CE: describes the events of the Ramayana and simultaneously illustrates the principles of Sanskrit grammar, 22 cantos
CharacteristicsEdit
In the mahākāvya genre, more emphasis was laid on description than on narration. Indeed, the traditional characteristics of a mahākāvya are listed as:[4][5]
It must take its subject matter from the epics (Ramayana or Mahabharata), or from history,
It must help further the four goals of man (Purusharthas), Rama and Karna were said to be the greatest men in Purushartha by several writers such as Valmiki and Vyasa. Chanakya claimed the two men to be the greatest of all human beings who are selfless and keep their vows. For example- Rama despite being a step-son of Kaikeyi obeyed her and kept his promise, went to the forests for 14 years and had to suffer throughout his life in the forest. Similarly, Karna who was abandoned by Kunti but still when Kunti came to ask for something, Karna kept his promise and sacrificed his own life but did not let his brothers- Pandavas die.
It must contain descriptions of cities, seas, mountains, moonrise and sunrise, and "accounts of merrymaking in gardens, of bathing parties, drinking bouts, and love-making. It should tell the sorrow of separated lovers and should describe a wedding and the birth of a son. It should describe a king's council, an embassy, the marching forth of an army, a battle, and the victory of a hero".[6]
These are not random suggestions but specific requirements. Every complete mahākāvya that has come down to us from the time of Kalidasa contains the whole list, which, if one considers it carefully, will be seen to contain the basic repertory of Sanskrit poetry. Contained in it are the essential elements of nature, love, society, and war which a poet should be able to describe. The great kāvya tested a poet by his power of rendering content, which is a better test at least than the Persian diwan, which tested a poet by his skill at rhyme.
It is composed of a varying number of short poems or cantos, that tells the story of a classical epic. Each poem is composed in a metre that is fitting to the subject matter, such as a description of the seasons, a geographical form of nature such as a mountain, and cities.[7]
In the relatively secluded world of modern Sanskrit literature, mahakavyas continue to be produced. Some of these have been awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for Sanskrit. In the introduction to Ṣoḍaśī: An Anthology of Contemporary Sanskrit Poets (1992), Radhavallabh Tripathi writes:
On the other hand, the number of authors who appear to be very enthusiastic about writing in Sanskrit during these days is not negligible. […] In a thesis dealing with Sanskrit mahākāvyas written in a single decade, 1961–1970, the researcher [Dr. Ramji Upadhyaya] has noted 52 Sanskrit mahākāvyas (epic poems) produced in that very decade.[8]
^Belvalkar's translation of Daṇḍin's Kāvyādarśa 1.15–19 (S. K. Belvalkar. 1924. Kāvyādarśa of Daṇḍin. Sanskrit Text and English Translation. Poona: The Oriental Book-supplying Agency)|quote=It springs from a historical incident or is otherwise based on some fact; it turns upon the fruition of the fourfold ends and its hero is clever and noble; By descriptions of cities, oceans, mountains, seasons and risings of the moon or the sun; through sportings in garden or water, and festivities of drinking and love; Through sentiments-of-love-in-separation and through marriages, by descriptions of the birth-and-rise of princes, and likewise through state-counsel, embassy, advance, battle, and the hero's triumph; Embellished; not too condensed, and pervaded all through with poetic sentiments and emotions; with cantos none too lengthy and having agreeable metres and well-formed joints, And in each case furnished with an ending in a different metre—such a poem possessing good figures-of-speech wins the people's heart and endures longer than even a kalpa.
^ abDaniel Ingalls, Sanskrit Poetry and Sanskrit Poetics, Introduction to An Anthology of Sanskrit Court Poetry: Vidyākara's Subhāṣitaratnakoṣa. Harvard University Press. 1945. pp. 33–35. ISBN978-0-674-78865-7.
The Naishadha-charita English translation by K. K. Handiqui [proofread] (includes glossary)
The Ramayana : In Classical Sanskrit and Prakrt Mahakavya Literature/V. Raghavan
August 27, 2023
mahakavya, mahākāvya, great, kāvya, court, epic, also, known, sargabandha, genre, indian, epic, poetry, classical, sanskrit, genre, characterised, ornate, elaborate, descriptions, scenery, love, battles, short, everything, that, tests, poet, skill, description. Mahakavya lit great kavya court epic also known as sargabandha is a genre of Indian epic poetry in Classical Sanskrit The genre is characterised by ornate and elaborate descriptions of scenery love battles and so on in short everything that tests a poet s skill at description Typical examples of mahakavya are the Kumarasambhava and the Kiratarjuniya Mahabharata the longest MahakavyaIt is considered the most prestigious form in the Sanskrit literature weasel words The genre evolved from the earlier epics the Mahabharata and the Ramayana Despite the length of mahakavyas 15 30 cantos a total of about 1500 3000 verses they are still much shorter than the Ramayana 500 cantos 24000 verses and the Mahabharata about 100000 verses citation needed RamayanaContents 1 Classical examples 2 Characteristics 3 Modern mahakavya 4 References 5 External linksClassical examples EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed January 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Buddhist poet and philosopher Asvaghoṣa c 80 c 150 CE is one of the earliest Sanskrit poets with surviving Kavya literature His Buddhacarita Acts of the Buddha calls itself a mahakavya and was influential enough to be translated into both Tibetan and Chinese 1 Another kavya by Asvaghoṣa is the Saundarananda which focuses on the conversion of Nanda Buddha s half brother 2 3 Tradition identifies five works as model mahakavya Kumarasambhava by Kalidasa in 5th century CE the wedding of Shiva and Parvati and the birth of Kumara in 17 cantos Raghuvaṃsa by Kalidasa the Raghu dynasty in 19 cantos about 1564 verses Kiratarjuniya by Bharavi in 6th century CE Arjuna s encounter with a Kirata Shiva 18 cantos about 2500 years ago Naisadha carita by Shriharsha in 1174 AD on the life of King Nala and Queen Damayanti 22 cantos Sisupala vadha by Magha in 7th century CE the slaying of Shishupala by Krishna 22 cantos about 1800 verses To this list sometimes a sixth one is also added Bhaṭṭikavya by Bhaṭṭi in 7th century CE describes the events of the Ramayana and simultaneously illustrates the principles of Sanskrit grammar 22 cantosCharacteristics EditIn the mahakavya genre more emphasis was laid on description than on narration Indeed the traditional characteristics of a mahakavya are listed as 4 5 It must take its subject matter from the epics Ramayana or Mahabharata or from history It must help further the four goals of man Purusharthas Rama and Karna were said to be the greatest men in Purushartha by several writers such as Valmiki and Vyasa Chanakya claimed the two men to be the greatest of all human beings who are selfless and keep their vows For example Rama despite being a step son of Kaikeyi obeyed her and kept his promise went to the forests for 14 years and had to suffer throughout his life in the forest Similarly Karna who was abandoned by Kunti but still when Kunti came to ask for something Karna kept his promise and sacrificed his own life but did not let his brothers Pandavas die It must contain descriptions of cities seas mountains moonrise and sunrise and accounts of merrymaking in gardens of bathing parties drinking bouts and love making It should tell the sorrow of separated lovers and should describe a wedding and the birth of a son It should describe a king s council an embassy the marching forth of an army a battle and the victory of a hero 6 About this list Ingalls observes 6 These are not random suggestions but specific requirements Every complete mahakavya that has come down to us from the time of Kalidasa contains the whole list which if one considers it carefully will be seen to contain the basic repertory of Sanskrit poetry Contained in it are the essential elements of nature love society and war which a poet should be able to describe The great kavya tested a poet by his power of rendering content which is a better test at least than the Persian diwan which tested a poet by his skill at rhyme It is composed of a varying number of short poems or cantos that tells the story of a classical epic Each poem is composed in a metre that is fitting to the subject matter such as a description of the seasons a geographical form of nature such as a mountain and cities 7 Modern mahakavya EditSee also Sanskrit literature Modern Sanskrit literature In the relatively secluded world of modern Sanskrit literature mahakavyas continue to be produced Some of these have been awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for Sanskrit In the introduction to Ṣoḍasi An Anthology of Contemporary Sanskrit Poets 1992 Radhavallabh Tripathi writes On the other hand the number of authors who appear to be very enthusiastic about writing in Sanskrit during these days is not negligible In a thesis dealing with Sanskrit mahakavyas written in a single decade 1961 1970 the researcher Dr Ramji Upadhyaya has noted 52 Sanskrit mahakavyas epic poems produced in that very decade 8 Some modern mahakavyas do not aim to satisfy all the traditional criteria and take as their subject historical matter such as Rewa Prasad Dwivedi s Svatantrya Sambhavam on the Indian independence movement or K N Ezhuthachan s Keralodayah on the history of Kerala or biographies of historical characters such as S B Varnekar s Shrishivarajyodayam on Shivaji M S Aney s Sritilakayasornavah on Bal Gangadhar Tilak or P C Devassia s Kristubhagavatam on Jesus Christ Some others like the Sribhargavaraghaviyam 2002 composed by Jagadguru Ramabhadracarya continue to have the subject of the traditional epics References Edit E B Cowell trans The Buddha Carita or the Life of the Buddha Oxford Clarendon 1894 reprint New Delhi 1977 p X introduction Yoshichika Honda Indian Buddhism and the kavya literature Asvaghosa s Saundaranandakavya Hiroshima Daigaku Daigakuin Bungaku Kenkyuuka ronshuu vol 64 pp 17 26 2004 1 Japanese Johnston E H 1928 Saundarananda PDF Lahore University of Panjab Daṇḍin s Kavyadarsa The Mirror of Poetry 1 15 19 quote itihasa kath odbhutam itarad va sad asrayam catur varga phal ayattaṃ catur udatta nayakam nagar arṇava saila rtu udyana salila kṛiḍa madhu pana rat otsavaiḥ vipralambhair vivahais ca kumar odaya varṇanaiḥ mantra duta prayaṇ aji nayak abhyudayair api alaṃ kṛtam a saṃkṣiptaṃ rasa bhava nirantaram sargair an ativistirṇaiḥ sravya vṛttaiḥ su saṃdhibhiḥ sarvatra bhinna vṛttantair upetaṃ loka ranjanam kavyaṃ kalp antara sthayi jayate sad alaṃkṛti Belvalkar s translation of Daṇḍin s Kavyadarsa 1 15 19 S K Belvalkar 1924 Kavyadarsa of Daṇḍin Sanskrit Text and English Translation Poona The Oriental Book supplying Agency quote It springs from a historical incident or is otherwise based on some fact it turns upon the fruition of the fourfold ends and its hero is clever and noble By descriptions of cities oceans mountains seasons and risings of the moon or the sun through sportings in garden or water and festivities of drinking and love Through sentiments of love in separation and through marriages by descriptions of the birth and rise of princes and likewise through state counsel embassy advance battle and the hero s triumph Embellished not too condensed and pervaded all through with poetic sentiments and emotions with cantos none too lengthy and having agreeable metres and well formed joints And in each case furnished with an ending in a different metre such a poem possessing good figures of speech wins the people s heart and endures longer than even a kalpa a b Daniel Ingalls Sanskrit Poetry and Sanskrit Poetics Introduction to An Anthology of Sanskrit Court Poetry Vidyakara s Subhaṣitaratnakoṣa Harvard University Press 1945 pp 33 35 ISBN 978 0 674 78865 7 mahakavya Encyclopaedia Britannica Retrieved 2010 12 16 Radhavallabh Tripathi ed 1992 Ṣoḍasi An Anthology of Contemporary Sanskrit Poets Sahitya Akademi ISBN 81 7201 200 4External links EditThe Naishadha charita English translation by K K Handiqui proofread includes glossary The Ramayana In Classical Sanskrit and Prakrt Mahakavya Literature V Raghavan Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mahakavya amp oldid 1168176606, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
