Literature

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 4

The Bṛhat-kathā-śloka-saṃgraha is peppered with light-hearted and sweet humour here and there. The work also delineates profound lives of the common men and is devoid of vulgarity. There is hardly any content that can classify as immoral or inappropriate. The descriptions that come as a part of the stories are apt, elevating and not very elaborate. The poet employs alaṅkāras that are not complex and are easy to comprehend. The story of Vatsarāja that occurs in this text is more beautiful compared to the Kashmir recension and is nicely worded and  well structured.

ಕರ್ಣಾಟ ಭಾರತ ಕಥಾಮಂಜರಿ – ಮರುಓದು, ಅನಿಸಿಕೆ, ಕೆಲವು ಪಾತ್ರಗಳ ವಿಶ್ಲೇಷಣೆ (ಭಾಗ 14)

ಕುಮಾರವ್ಯಾಸನಲ್ಲಿ ಕಂಡು ಬರುವ ಯುದ್ಧ ತಂತ್ರ (Stratergy of War)

 

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 2

The word ‘Kathā-sarit-sāgara’ literally means an ocean that is formed as a result of the confluence of many rivers of stories. Though the name of the work is famous and is largely in vogue today, a question naturally arises – did the author name the work so or did it get the name in the recent years. The word ‘Kathā-sarit-sāgara ’ occurs in the closing verse of the work.[1] The verse, however, is quite different from the others in its structure and is present at the end of the work.

Footprints of Scholarly Temerity in Sanskrit Literature - 7

Previously we observed scholarly spats at the level of individuals. What happened when these debates were escalated to royal courts? Let us see.

Rāja-śekhara-sūri’s Prabandha-kośa records an episode of repartee between Hari-hara and Madana, the court-poets of Vīra-dhavala, the emperor of Gujarat:

‘Kavi-rāja’ (the best among poets) was Hari-hara’s honorific title. Wanting to trifle it, Madana said: 

हरिहर परिहर गर्वं कविराजगजाङ्कुशोऽस्म्यहं मदनः।

Introduction to the Kathāmṛta – Part 1

कवीन्द्रमानसाम्भोजनिवासभ्रमरीं नमः।
देवीं सहृदयानन्दशब्दमूर्तिं सरस्वतीं॥
(सोमदेवः)

श्रीरामायणभारतबृहत्कथानां कवीन्नमस्कुर्मः।
त्रिस्रोता इव सरसा सरस्वती स्फुरति यैर्भिन्ना॥
(गोवर्धनः)

Footprints of Scholarly Temerity in Sanskrit Literature - 6

Kirīṭa-pati Veṅkaṭācārya (18th–19th cen. CE) was a great scholar of several śāstras and was a champion of Viśiṣṭādvaita philosophy. He lived in Sura-pura, a province in Karnataka. It is said that he wore Viśiṣṭādvaita as a crown and was hence called ‘Kirīṭa-pati.’ Dvaita and Advaita were his sandals, it seems! As he walked through the streets, attendants would fan him from either side.

ಕರ್ಣಾಟ ಭಾರತ ಕಥಾಮಂಜರಿ – ಮರುಓದು, ಅನಿಸಿಕೆ, ಕೆಲವು ಪಾತ್ರಗಳ ವಿಶ್ಲೇಷಣೆ (ಭಾಗ 13)

 

ಕುಮಾರವ್ಯಾಸನ ಯುದ್ಧವರ್ಣನೆಯಲ್ಲಿನ ಕಲ್ಪನಾಶಕ್ತಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಯುದ್ಧದ ಬಗೆಗೆ ಅವನ ಅಭಿಮತ