Significance of Citralekha
Citralekha is a significant character in various literary texts. In the Purana, she is portrayed as the minister's daughter and a close friend of Usha, helping her in the quest for love. The Natyashastra describes Citralekha in a technical aspect, highlighting her poetic structure with eighteen syllables. In Kavya literature, she is depicted as Usha's magical confidante who aids in uniting her with Aniruddha. This multifaceted character showcases her importance in romantic and poetic traditions.
The below excerpts are indicatory and do represent direct quotations or translations. It is your responsibility to fact check each reference.
Hindu concept of 'Citralekha'
Citralekha in Hinduism represents a magical confidante and minister's daughter who aids her friend Usha in locating her love, Aniruddha, while also embodying a specific poetic structure of eighteen syllables.
From: Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story)
(1) The confidante of Usha who possesses magical abilities; she helps Usha to find and unite with Aniruddha.[1]
From: Natyashastra (English)
(1) Citra-lekha has eighteen syllables with heavy syllables in the first five, eleventh, twelfth, fourteenth, fifteenth, seventeenth, and last.[2]
The concept of Citralekha in local and regional sources
Citralekha is a poetic meter that highlights Jagatsimha's greatness, playing a crucial role in the text's structure and emphasizing its thematic elements. It enhances the overall literary quality and rhythmic flow of the work.
From: History of Science in South Asia
(1) Citralekha is a meter used in the verse emphasizing Jagatsimha’s greatness, contributing to the poetic structure of the text.[3]