Essay name: Arts in the Puranas (study)
Author:
Meena Devadatta Jeste
Affiliation: Savitribai Phule Pune University / Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute Pune
This essay studies the Arts in the Puranas by reconstructing the theory of six major fine arts鈥擬usic, Dance, Architecture, Sculpture, Painting, and Literature鈥攆rom the Major and Minor Puranas. This thesis shows how ancient sages studied these arts within the context of cultural traditions of ancient India.
Chapter 6 - Literature in the Puranas
29 (of 59)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
- 315 - Vrttis, Parusa, Upanagarika and Gr膩my膩. The Sabd膩la k膩ra - Citra is explained in detail by the Purana and is divided into seven sub-varieties. We do not find these in the 76 Natyasastra. Only the 'Prahelika', a variety of the
Citr膩lamk膩ra, is found in the Kavyadarsa. Prahelik膩s are
discussed in other works also. The Agni Purana says that the
effect of such a composition is to stir up curiocity in the
mind of hearer and to fill it with a sense of wonder and joy.
Prahelik膩 is divided by the Agni Purana into three classes,
according as a letter is added to or omitted from the
intended answer, or one in which a letter is both added and
omitted (Chyutaksar膩, Dattakar膩 and Chyutad膩t taksar膩). It is
either Sabdi (pertaining to the sound) or Arthi (related to
the sense). The Agni Purana has discussed sixteen Prahelik膩s
which are similar to the Kavyadarsa and the Visnudharmottara.
The sixteen Prahelik膩s are - Samagat膩, Vancana, Vyutkr膩nt膩,
Pramusit膩, Sam膩narupa, Parusa, Sahkhana, Prakalpita, Namantarita,
Nibhrt膩, Samana sabda, Sammudha, Pariharika, Ekachann膩,
Ubhayachanna, and Sankirna. The Sabdalankara Duskara is
divided into three types - Niyama, Vidarbha, and Bandha.
Eight varieties of the Bandha Duskara viz. Gomutrika etc.
are mentioned. Some of them are described by the Kavyadarsa
with illustrations. We do not find such a detailed discussion
of the Sabdalankaras elsewhere.
Unaided by the Arthalankaras the Sabdalankaras in
themselves do not become charming. The Agni Purana glorifies
