Kavyamimamsa of Rajasekhara (Study)
by Debabrata Barai | 2014 | 105,667 words
This page relates 鈥楻ajashekhara鈥檚 divisions of Geographical regions and Seasons鈥� of the English study on the Kavyamimamsa of Rajasekhara: a poetical encyclopedia from the 9th century dealing with the ancient Indian science of poetics and rhetoric (also know as alankara-shastra). The Kavya-mimamsa is written in eighteen chapters representing an educational framework for the poet (kavi) and instructs him in the science of applied poetics for the sake of making literature and poetry (kavya).
Part 8 - 搁腻箩补艣别办丑补谤补鈥檚 divisions of Geographical regions and Seasons
In the last two chapters seventeen and eighteen of 搁腻箩补艣别办丑补谤补鈥檚 碍腻惫测补m墨m膩峁僺膩 contains information on the (divisions of ethnic and linguistic geography) Desa-痴颈产丑腻驳补 and 碍腻濒补-痴颈产丑腻驳补 (divisions of seasons) as a part of the subject of 碍腻惫测补-艣腻蝉迟谤补 (poetics). However the Vedas, the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲补蝉, the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, the 膧谤补峁噛补办补蝉, the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉, the 惭补丑腻办腻惫测补蝉 and many other works also dealt on those topics.
In the Vedic literature we can seems an integrated concept of the geographical regions of ancient India. There the geographical notion mainly revealed by the description of the battles fought on Gods and demons and kings among themselves etc.
The 峁欢惫别诲补 Veda was flourished in the northwestern side of 叠丑腻谤补迟补惫补谤峁 (undivided India) which refers that the non-膧谤测补苍蝉 not only as 诲腻蝉补-惫补谤峁嘺 (顿腻蝉补 race), but the armies of the 顿腻蝉补s, claimed to have been destroyed by Lord Indra, 碍峁涐梗峁嘺-驰辞苍墨 (Dark-origin).
C.f.
鈥�sav峁泃rahendra岣� k峁涐梗峁嘺ryon墨岣� purandarod膩s墨rairayadvi |
补箩补苍补测补苍尘补苍补惫别办峁Ｄ乵补辫补艣肠补蝉补迟谤腻艣补峁僺补峁儁补箩补尘腻苍补蝉测补迟奴迟辞迟 || 鈥�- Rg. Veda: 2/20/7
In the 峁欢.痴别诲补 also contains the description of twenty one rivers, scattered in almost everywhere. The Vedic 膧谤测补苍蝉 seems to perceive the non-膧谤测补苍蝉 in Punjab region as being of darker complexion. Because the 膧谤测补苍蝉 are moved into the interior of 叠丑腻谤补迟补惫补谤峁 (undivided India) and there was a gradual process of naturalization or indigenization of 膧谤测补苍蝉 and 膧ryanization of non-膧谤测补苍蝉.
[叠丑腻谤补迟补惫补谤峁 in the time of 峁欢惫别诲补;鈥擬igration of Aryan domination in the Rig-vedic period]
In the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉, we can found the geographical description and origin of the universe, earth, oceans, mountain, rivers, and other related matters. Therefore, the many latter literary compositions i.e. epics, drama etc. are closely related and full of geographical data. In this way 驰腻测腻惫补谤墨测补 搁腻箩补艣别办丑补谤补 dealt with geographical description in his 碍腻惫测补m墨m膩峁僺膩 as a matter of poetics.
In the seventeen chapter of 碍腻惫测补m墨m膩峁僺膩, 搁腻箩补艣别办丑补谤补 says that, a poet who is well-versed in the geographical region, space and time of the country does not suffer much in his poetic attempt.
C.f.
鈥�诲别艣补峁� 办腻濒补峁� ca vibhajam膩na岣� kavirn膩rthadar艣anadi艣i daridr膩ti 触鈥�
- 碍腻惫测补m墨m膩峁僺膩 of 搁腻箩补艣别办丑补谤补: Ch-XVII, Pp- 86
Here we can seem that, 搁腻箩补艣别办丑补谤补 is very much influenced by the 痴腻测耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 to describe in geographical divisions. However, 搁腻箩补艣别办丑补谤补 start in this chapter for the geographical description of whole world but he gradually elaborately discusses the geography of 叠丑腻谤补迟补惫补谤峁 (undivided India).