Selected Poetic Works in Sanskrit

This is a short list of poetic works in Sanskrit. Most of the works included here are well known to our literary tradition. This list is divided into two parts: The first part keeps in mind a lover of Sanskrit poetry who might not actively compose verses in the language. The second part comprises works that a budding Sanskrit poet who is serious about his passion ought to read. Needless, the first part is a must-read for budding poets as well.

At the introductory level, it is good to listen to simple stotras, subhāṣitas and learn them by heart. This will provide a good vocabulary, sensitize the student to the sonic beauty of Sanskrit prosody and make him comfortable with the poetic idiom of classical Sanskrit. Along with these exercises, one should learn the rudiments of Sanskrit grammar. In parallel, one should study Vālmīki-rāmāyaṇa every day, in the spirit of pārāyaṇa. Later, the student can read works that provide an overview of Sanskrit literature such as Saṃskṛta-kāvya (K Krishnamoorthy, Kannada), Saṃskṛta-nāṭaka (A R Krishna Sastri, Kannada), Saṃskṛta-sāhitya kā Itihās (Baladev Upadhyaya, Hindi). Equipped with this knowledge, the student can begin his literary odyssey with the short plays of Bhāsa and the stories of Viṣṇu-śarmā.    

The works are mostly arranged in the increasing order of linguistic difficulty and at times, aesthetic sophistication.

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Part I

Epics

  1. Rāmāyaṇa – Vālmīki
  2. Mahābhārata – Vyāsa
  3. Kumāra-sambhava – Kālidāsa
  4. Buddha-carita – Aśva-ghoṣa
  5. Raghu-vaṃśa – Kālidāsa
  6. Madhurā-vijaya – Gaṅgā-devī
  7. Kṛṣṇa-vilāsa – Sukumāra
  8. Vikramāṅka-deva-carita – Bilhaṇa
  9. Śiva-līlārṇava – Nīlakaṇṭha-dīkṣita
  10. Kirātārjunīya – Bhāravi
  11. Śiśupāla-vadha – Māgha
  12. Naiṣadhīya-carita – Śrī-harṣa

Plays

  1. Ūru-bhaṅga – Bhāsa
  2. Svapna-vāsavadatta – Bhāsa
  3. Matta-vilāsa-prahasana – Mahendra-varmā
  4. Bhagavadajjukīya – Mahendra-varmā
  5. Mṛcchakaṭika – Śūdraka
  6. Kunda-mālā – Diṅnāga
  7. Mālavikāgnimitra – Kālidāsa
  8. Ratnāvalī – Harṣa-vardhana
  9. Vikramorvaśīya – Kālidāsa
  10. Abhijñāna-śākuntala – Kālidāsa
  11. Nāgānanda – Harṣa-vardhana
  12. Prabodha-candrodaya – Kṛṣṇa-miśra
  13. Uttara-rāma-carita – Bhava-bhūti
  14. Veṇī-saṃhāra – Bhaṭṭa-nārāyaṇa
  15. Mudrā-rākṣasa – Viśākha-datta
  16. Padma-prābhṛtaka – Śūdraka
  17. Pāda-tāḍitaka – Śyāmilaka

Stories and Fables

  1. Pañca-tantra – Viṣṇu-śarmā
  2. Hitopadeśa – Nārāyaṇa-paṇḍita
  3. Siṃhāsana-dvātriṃśikā
  4. Vetāla-pañcaviṃśati – Jambhala-datta
  5. Jātaka-mālā – Ārya-śūra
  6. Bhoja-prabandha – Ballāḻa

Prose Works

  1. Daśa-kumāra-carita – Daṇḍī
  2. Kādambarī – Bāṇa-bhaṭṭa
  3. Harṣa-carita – Bāṇa-bhaṭṭa

Campū

  1. Rāmāyaṇa-campū – Bhoja
  2. Nīlakaṇṭha-vijaya-campū – Nīlakaṇṭha-dīkṣita
  3. Viśva-guṇādarśa-campū – Veṅkaṭādhvarī
  4. Bhārata-campū – Ananta-bhaṭṭa

Short Poems

  1. Ṛtu-saṃhāra – Kālidāsa
  2. Nīti-dviṣaṣṭikā – Sundara-pāṇḍya
  3. Nīti-śataka – Bhartṛhari
  4. Vairāgya-śataka – Bhartṛhari
  5. Amaru-śataka – Amaruka
  6. Sabhā-rañjana – Nīlakaṇṭha-dīkṣita
  7. Kali-viḍambana – Nīlakaṇṭha-dīkṣita
  8. Vairāgya-śataka – Nīlakaṇṭha-dīkṣita
  9. Śānti-vilāsa – Nīlakaṇṭha-dīkṣita
  10. Megha-dūta – Kālidāsa
  11. Bhāminī-vilāsa – Jagannātha
  12. Gīta-govinda – Jaya-deva
  13. Bhallaṭa-śataka – Bhallaṭa
  14. Anyāpadeśa-śataka – Nīlakaṇṭha-dīkṣita
  15. Mahiṣa-śataka – Vāñcheśvara

Devotional Hymns

  1. Śivānanda-laharī – Śaṅkarācārya
  2. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta – Līlā-śuka
  3. Gaṅgā-laharī – Jagannātha
  4. Śivotkarṣa-mañjarī – Nīlakaṇṭha-dīkṣita
  5. Saundarya-laharī – Śaṅkarācārya
  6. Sudhā-laharī – Jagannātha
  7. Varada-rāja-stava – Appayya-dīkṣita
  8. Ānanda-sāgara-stava – Nīlakaṇṭha-dīkṣita
  9. Mūka-pañcaśatī – Mūka-kavi
  10. Pādukā-sahasra – Vedānta-deśika

Satires and Verse Narratives

  1. Darpa-dalana – Kṣemendra
  2. Kuṭṭinī-mata – Dāmodara
  3. Deśopadeśa – Kṣemendra
  4. Kalā-vilāsa – Kṣemendra
  5. Narma-mālā – Kṣemendra
  6. Rāmāyaṇa-mañjarī – Kṣemendra
  7. Bhārata-mañjarī – Kṣemendra
  8. Kathā-sarit-sāgara – Soma-deva
  9. Rāja-taraṅgiṇī – Kalhaṇa

Anthologies

  1. Samayocita-padya-mālikā
  2. Subhāṣitāvalī – Vallabha-deva
  3. Subhāṣita-ratna-koṣa – Vidyākara
  4. Subhāṣita-ratna-bhāṇḍāgāra

Modern Works

  1. Vātsalya-rasāyana (short poem) – Sridhar Bhaskar Warnekar
  2. Kāma-śuddhi (short play) – V Raghavan
  3. Kālidāsa-rahasya (short poem) – Sridhar Bhaskar Warnekar
  4. Nāṭya-pañcagavya (collection of short plays) – Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra
  5. Pañca-kulyā (collection of short poems) – Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra
  6. Prekṣaṇaka-trayī (collection of short plays) – V Raghavan
  7. Candra-sena (play) – S D Joshi and Vighna Hari Deo
  8. Laharī-daśaka (collection of short poems) – Radhavallabh Tripathi
  9. Śiva-rājyodaya (epic) – Sridhar Bhaskar Warnekar
  10. Anārkalī (play) – V Raghavan
  11. Megha-prati-sandeśa (short poem) – Mandikal Rama Shastri
  12. Kaṇṭakāñjali (satire) – K S Arjunwadkar
  13. Vicchitti-vātāyanī (collection of verses) – Jagannath Pathak
  14. Kāpiśāyinī (collection of short poems) – Jagannath Pathak
  15. Parīvāha (collection of short poems) – Balram Shukla
  16. Nipuṇa-prāghuṇaka (play) – Shankar Rajaraman
  17. Bhārāvatāra-stava (devotional hymn) – Shankar Rajaraman
  18. Mṛtkūṭa (short poem) – Bhaskaracharya Tripathi
  19. Pratijñā-kauṭilya (play) – Jaggu Vakulabhushana
  20. Citra-naiṣadha (short poem)– Shankar Rajaraman
  21. Sītā-rāvaṇa-saṃvāda-jharī (short poem) – C Rama Shastri and Sitarama Shastri

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Part II

Epics

  1. Jānakī-pariṇaya – Cakra-kavi
  2. Raghunāthābhyudaya – Rāma-bhadrāmbā
  3. Gāṅgāvataraṇa – Nīlakaṇṭha-dīkṣita
  4. Daśāvatāra-carita – Kṣemendra
  5. Pūrva-purāṇa – Jina-sena
  6. Rugmiṇīśa-vijaya – Vādi-rāja
  7. Dharma-śarmābhyudaya – Hari-candra
  8. Bāla-bhārata – Amara-candra
  9. Śrīkaṇṭha-carita – Maṅkha
  10. Rāma-carita – Abhinanda
  11. Jānakī-haraṇa – Kumāra-dāsa
  12. Yādavābhyudaya – Vedānta-deśika
  13. Yudhiṣṭhira-vijaya – Vāsudeva
  14. Rāvaṇa-vadha – Bhaṭṭi
  15. Kapphiṇābhyudaya – Śiva-svāmī
  16. Hara-vijaya – Ratnākara
  17. Rāghava-pāṇḍavīya – Kavi-rāja

Plays

  1. Pratijñā-yaugandharāyaṇa – Bhāsa
  2. Hāsya-cūḍāmaṇi – Vatsa-rāja
  3. Karpūra-carita-bhāṇa – Vatsa-rāja
  4. Bāla-carita – Bhāsa
  5. Avimāraka – Bhāsa
  6. Āścarya-cūḍāmaṇi – Śakti-bhadra
  7. Priya-darśikā – Harṣa-vardhana
  8. Karṇa-sundarī – Bilhaṇa
  9. Tāpasa-vatsa-rāja – Māyu-rāja
  10. Naiṣadhānanda – Kṣemīśvara
  11. Viddha-śālabhañjikā – Rāja-śekhara
  12. Laṭaka-melaka – Śaṅkha-dhara
  13. Hāsyārṇava – Jagadīśa
  14. Prasanna-rāghava – Jaya-deva
  15. Mahāvīra-carita – Bhava-bhūti
  16. Mālatī-mādhava – Bhava-bhūti
  17. Hanumannāṭaka
  18. Ubhayābhisārikā – Vara-ruci
  19. Dhūrta-viṭa-saṃvāda – Īśvara-datta
  20. Anargha-rāghava – Murāri
  21. Bāla-rāmāyaṇa – Rāja-śekhara
  22. Saṅkalpa-sūryodaya – Vedānta-deśika

Stories and Fables

  1. Śuka-saptati – Cintā-maṇi
  2. Puruṣa-parīkṣā – Vidyā-pati
  3. Prabandha-koṣa – Rāja-śekhara
  4. Prabandha-cintāmaṇi – Meru-tuṅga

Prose Works

  1. Tilaka-mañjarī – Dhana-pāla
  2. Vāsava-dattā – Subandhu

Campū

  1. Varadāmbikā-pariṇaya-campū – Tirumalāmbā
  2. Yātrā-prabandha – Samara-puṅgava-dīkṣita
  3. Nṛsiṃha-campū – Daivajña-sūrya
  4. Pārijātāpaharaṇa-campū – Śeṣa-śrī-kṛṣṇa
  5. Udaya-sundarī-kathā – Soḍḍhala
  6. Yaśastilaka-campū – Soma-deva-sūri
  7. Nala-campū – Trivikrama-bhaṭṭa

Short Poems

  1. Dṛṣṭānta-kalikā-śataka – Kusuma-deva
  2. Cāṇakya-nīti – Cāṇakya
  3. Gumānī-śataka – Gumānī-kavi
  4. Śānti-śataka – Śilhaṇa
  5. Haṃsa-sandeśa – Vedānta-deśika
  6. Kokila-sandeśa – Uddaṇḍa
  7. Āryā-sapta-śatī – Govardhana
  8. Tīrtha-prabandha – Vādi-rāja
  9. Pārśvābhyudaya – Jina-sena
  10. Sahṛdayānanda – Śrī-kṛṣṇānanda
  11. Subhāṣita-kaustubha – Veṅkaṭādhvarī
  12. Subhāṣita-nīvī – Vedānta-deśika

Devotional Hymns

  1. Lakṣmī-nṛsiṃha-karāvalambana-stotra – Śaṅkarācārya
  2. Devyaparādha-kṣamāpaṇa-stotra – Śaṅkarācārya
  3. Śiva-mahimnaḥ stotra – Puṣpa-danta
  4. Śyāmalā-daṇḍaka
  5. Śiva-pādādi-keśānta-stotra – Śaṅkarācārya
  6. Viṣṇu-pādādi-keśānta-stotra – Śaṅkarācārya
  7. Gopāla-viṃśati – Vedānta-deśika
  8. Karuṇā-laharī – Jagannātha
  9. Lakṣmī-laharī – Jagannātha
  10. Rāma-karṇāmṛta – Rāmabhadra-dīkṣita
  11. Rāmāṣṭa-prāsa – Rāmabhadra-dīkṣita
  12. Raṅgarāja-stava – Parāśara-bhaṭṭa
  13. Garuḍa-pañcāśat – Vedānta-deśika
  14. Stuti-kusumāñjali – Jagaddhara
  15. Caṇḍī-śataka – Bāṇa-bhaṭṭa
  16. Sūrya-śataka – Mayūra
  17. Nārāyaṇīya – Nārāyaṇa-bhaṭṭatiri
  18. Devī-śataka – Ānanda-vardhana
  19. Īśvara-śataka – Īśvara-kavi
  20. Lakṣmī-sahasra – Veṅkaṭādhvarī

Satires and Verse Narratives

  1. Sevya-sevakopadeśa – Kṣemendra
  2. Cāru-caryā – Kṣemendra
  3. Bṛhatkathā-mañjarī – Kṣemendra
  4. Caturvarga-saṅgraha – Kṣemendra
  5. Deśopadeśa – Kṣemendra
  6. Samaya-mātṛkā – Kṣemendra
  7. Bhikṣāṭana-kāvya – Utprekṣā-vallabha

Anthologies

  1. Subhāṣita-sudhā-nidhi – Sāyaṇācārya
  2. Padyāvalī – Rūpa-gosvāmī
  3. Śārṅgadhara-paddhati – Śārṅgadhara
  4. Sūkti-muktāvalī – Jalhaṇa
  5. Sadukti-karṇāmṛta – Śrīdhara-dāsa

Modern Works

  1. Lokālaṅkāra-paṅkīya (satire) – S Jagannatha
  2. Asta-vyasta (play) – S Jagannatha
  3. Kāvya-kalāpa (collection of short poems) – Jaggu Shingararya
  4. Abhirāja-saptaśatī (collection of short poems) – Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra
  5. Abhirāja-sāhasrī (collection of short poems) – Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra
  6. Nāṭya-nava-ratna (collection of short plays) – Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra
  7. Rūpa-rudrīya (collection of short plays) – Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra
  8. Akiñcana-kāñcana (play) – Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra
  9. Mīrā-laharī (short poem) – Kshama Rao
  10. Mṛgāṅka-dūta (short poem) – Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra
  11. Kavitā-putrikā-jāti (collection of short poems) – Balram Shukla
  12. Pratijñā-śāntanava (short play) – Jaggu Vakulabhushana
  13. Maṇi-haraṇa (short play) – Jaggu Vakulabhushana
  14. Apratima-pratima (short play) – Jaggu Vakulabhushana
  15. Prasanna-kāśyapa (short play) – Jaggu Vakulabhushana
  16. Vivekānanda-vijaya (play) – Sridhar Bhaskar Warnekar
  17. Śatālaṅkāra-kṛṣṇa-śataka (short poem) – H V Nagaraja Rao
  18. Vyājokti-muktāvalī (short poem) – Mahalinga Shastri
  19. Bhramara-dūta (short poem) – Mahalinga Shastri
  20. Adbhutāṃśuka (play) – Jaggu Vakulabhushana
  21. Madhurāñjali (collection of poems) – Galagali Ramacharya
  22. Adbhuta-dūta (epic) – Jaggu Vakulabhushana
  23. Laghu-raghu (short poem) – Bhaskaracharya Tripathi
  24. Devī-dānavīya (short poem) – Shankar Rajaraman

 

Author(s)

About:

Dr. Ganesh is a 'shatavadhani' and one of India’s foremost Sanskrit poets and scholars. He writes and lectures extensively on various subjects pertaining to India and Indian cultural heritage. He is a master of the ancient art of avadhana and is credited with reviving the art in Kannada. He is a recipient of the Badarayana-Vyasa Puraskar from the President of India for his contribution to the Sanskrit language.

Prekshaa Publications

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Shiva Rama Krishna

சிவன். ராமன். கிருஷ்ணன்.
இந்திய பாரம்பரியத்தின் முப்பெரும் கதாநாயகர்கள்.
உயர் இந்தியாவில் தலைமுறைகள் பல கடந்தும் கடவுளர்களாக போற்றப்பட்டு வழிகாட்டிகளாக விளங்குபவர்கள்.
மனித ஒற்றுமை நூற்றாண்டுகால பரிணாம வளர்ச்சியின் பரிமாணம்.
தனிநபர்களாகவும், குடும்ப உறுப்பினர்களாகவும், சமுதாய பிரஜைகளாகவும் நாம் அனைவரும் பரிமளிக்கிறோம்.
சிவன் தனிமனித அடையாளமாக அமைகிறான்....

ऋतुभिः सह कवयः सदैव सम्बद्धाः। विशिष्य संस्कृतकवयः। यथा हि ऋतवः प्रतिसंवत्सरं प्रतिनवतामावहन्ति मानवेषु तथैव ऋतुवर्णनान्यपि काव्यरसिकेषु कामपि विच्छित्तिमातन्वते। ऋतुकल्याणं हि सत्यमिदमेव हृदि कृत्वा प्रवृत्तम्। नगरजीवनस्य यान्त्रिकतां मान्त्रिकतां च ध्वनदिदं चम्पूकाव्यं गद्यपद्यमिश्रितमिति सुव्यक्तमेव। ऐदम्पूर्वतया प्रायः पुरीपरिसरप्रसृतानाम् ऋतूनां विलासोऽत्र प्रपञ्चितः। बेङ्गलूरुनामके...

The Art and Science of Avadhānam in Sanskrit is a definitive work on Sāhityāvadhānam, a form of Indian classical art based on multitasking, lateral thinking, and extempore versification. Dotted throughout with tasteful examples, it expounds in great detail on the theory and practice of this unique performing art. It is as much a handbook of performance as it is an anthology of well-turned...

This anthology is a revised edition of the author's 1978 classic. This series of essays, containing his original research in various fields, throws light on the socio-cultural landscape of Tamil Nadu spanning several centuries. These compelling episodes will appeal to scholars and laymen alike.
“When superstitious mediaevalists mislead the country about its judicial past, we have to...

The cultural history of a nation, unlike the customary mainstream history, has a larger time-frame and encompasses the timeless ethos of a society undergirding the course of events and vicissitudes. A major key to the understanding of a society’s unique character is an appreciation of the far-reaching contributions by outstanding personalities of certain periods – especially in the realms of...

Prekṣaṇīyam is an anthology of essays on Indian classical dance and theatre authored by multifaceted scholar and creative genius, Śatāvadhānī Dr. R Ganesh. As a master of śāstra, a performing artiste (of the ancient art of Avadhānam), and a cultured rasika, he brings a unique, holistic perspective to every discussion. These essays deal with the philosophy, history, aesthetics, and practice of...

Yaugandharam

इदं किञ्चिद्यामलं काव्यं द्वयोः खण्डकाव्ययोः सङ्कलनरूपम्। रामानुरागानलं हि सीतापरित्यागाल्लक्ष्मणवियोगाच्च श्रीरामेणानुभूतं हृदयसङ्क्षोभं वर्णयति । वात्सल्यगोपालकं तु कदाचिद्भानूपरागसमये घटितं यशोदाश्रीकृष्णयोर्मेलनं वर्णयति । इदम्प्रथमतया संस्कृतसाहित्ये सम्पूर्णं काव्यं...

Vanitakavitotsavah

इदं खण्डकाव्यमान्तं मालिनीछन्दसोपनिबद्धं विलसति। मेनकाविश्वामित्रयोः समागमः, तत्फलतया शकुन्तलाया जननम्, मातापितृभ्यां त्यक्तस्य शिशोः कण्वमहर्षिणा परिपालनं चेति काव्यस्यास्येतिवृत्तसङ्क्षेपः।

Vaiphalyaphalam

इदं खण्डकाव्यमान्तं मालिनीछन्दसोपनिबद्धं विलसति। मेनकाविश्वामित्रयोः समागमः, तत्फलतया शकुन्तलाया जननम्, मातापितृभ्यां त्यक्तस्य शिशोः कण्वमहर्षिणा परिपालनं चेति काव्यस्यास्येतिवृत्तसङ्क्षेपः।

Nipunapraghunakam

इयं रचना दशसु रूपकेष्वन्यतमस्य भाणस्य निदर्शनतामुपैति। एकाङ्करूपकेऽस्मिन् शेखरकनामा चित्रोद्यमलेखकः केनापि हेतुना वियोगम् अनुभवतोश्चित्रलेखामिलिन्दकयोः समागमं सिसाधयिषुः कथामाकाशभाषणरूपेण निर्वहति।

Bharavatarastavah

अस्मिन् स्तोत्रकाव्ये भगवन्तं शिवं कविरभिष्टौति। वसन्ततिलकयोपनिबद्धस्य काव्यस्यास्य कविकृतम् उल्लाघनाभिधं व्याख्यानं च वर्तते।

Karnataka’s celebrated polymath, D V Gundappa brings together in the third volume, some character sketches of great literary savants responsible for Kannada renaissance during the first half of the twentieth century. These remarkable...

Karnataka’s celebrated polymath, D V Gundappa brings together in the second volume, episodes from the lives of remarkable exponents of classical music and dance, traditional storytellers, thespians, and connoisseurs; as well as his...

Karnataka’s celebrated polymath, D V Gundappa brings together in the first volume, episodes from the lives of great writers, poets, literary aficionados, exemplars of public life, literary scholars, noble-hearted common folk, advocates...

Evolution of Mahabharata and Other Writings on the Epic is the English translation of S R Ramaswamy's 1972 Kannada classic 'Mahabharatada Belavanige' along with seven of his essays on the great epic. It tells the riveting...

Shiva-Rama-Krishna is an English adaptation of Śatāvadhāni Dr. R Ganesh's popular lecture series on the three great...

Bharatilochana

ಮಹಾಮಾಹೇಶ್ವರ ಅಭಿನವಗುಪ್ತ ಜಗತ್ತಿನ ವಿದ್ಯಾವಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಮರೆಯಲಾಗದ ಹೆಸರು. ಮುಖ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಶೈವದರ್ಶನ ಮತ್ತು ಸೌಂದರ್ಯಮೀಮಾಂಸೆಗಳ ಪರಮಾಚಾರ್ಯನಾಗಿ  ಸಾವಿರ ವರ್ಷಗಳಿಂದ ಇವನು ಜ್ಞಾನಪ್ರಪಂಚವನ್ನು ಪ್ರಭಾವಿಸುತ್ತಲೇ ಇದ್ದಾನೆ. ಭರತಮುನಿಯ ನಾಟ್ಯಶಾಸ್ತ್ರವನ್ನು ಅರ್ಥಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಇವನೊಬ್ಬನೇ ನಮಗಿರುವ ಆಲಂಬನ. ಇದೇ ರೀತಿ ರಸಧ್ವನಿಸಿದ್ಧಾಂತವನ್ನು...

Vagarthavismayasvadah

“वागर्थविस्मयास्वादः” प्रमुखतया साहित्यशास्त्रतत्त्वानि विमृशति । अत्र सौन्दर्यर्यशास्त्रीयमूलतत्त्वानि यथा रस-ध्वनि-वक्रता-औचित्यादीनि सुनिपुणं परामृष्टानि प्रतिनवे चिकित्सकप्रज्ञाप्रकाशे। तदन्तर एव संस्कृतवाङ्मयस्य सामर्थ्यसमाविष्कारोऽपि विहितः। क्वचिदिव च्छन्दोमीमांसा च...

The Best of Hiriyanna

The Best of Hiriyanna is a collection of forty-eight essays by Prof. M. Hiriyanna that sheds new light on Sanskrit Literature, Indian...

Stories Behind Verses

Stories Behind Verses is a remarkable collection of over a hundred anecdotes, each of which captures a story behind the composition of a Sanskrit verse. Collected over several years from...