Sarasvatikanthabharanam of King Bhoja (On Poetics) : Text and Translation, Vols. I to III

Contents: Vol. I. Chapters I and II: Acknowledgements. Introduction. Abbreviations. Dosagunavivecanam (An examination of faults and merits): I. Dosas in Poetry: 1. The sixteen Padadosas--numeration: i. Asadhu (Incorrect). ii. Aprayuktam (Unpoetic). iii. Kastam (Harsh). iv. Anarthakam (Meaningless). v. Anyartham (Lapse from conventional sense). vi. Apustartham (Meagre sense). vii. Asamartham (Futile). viii. Apratitam (Abstruse). ix. Klistam (Tedious). x. Gudhartham (Obscure). xi. Neyartham (Far-fetched). xii. Sandigdham (Doubtful). xiii. Viruddham (Contrary). xiv. Aprayojakam (Purposeless). xv. Desyam (Vulgar). xvi. Threefold Gramyam (Unrefined). 2. The sixteen Vakyadosas--Enumeration: i. Sabdahinam (Faulty Construction). ii. Kramabhrastam (Broken sequence). iii. Visandhi (No/Bad coalescence). iv. Punaruktimat (Repetitive). v. Vyakirnam (Scattered). vi. Sankirnam (Entangled). vii. Apadam (Varying Usage). viii. Vakyagarbhitam (Parenthetical). ix and x. Bhinnalingam and Bhinnavacanam (Gender-mismatch and Number-mismatch in Upama). xi. Nyunopamam (Incomplete comparison). xii. Adhikopamam (Superfluous comparison). xiii. Bhagnacchanda (Broken metre). xiv. Bhagnayati (Disturbed pause). xv. Asariram (Verbless). xvi. Threefold Aritimat (Style-less). 3. The sixteen Vakyarthadosas (Faults in Purport)-Enumeration: i. Apartham (Bereft of purport). ii. Vyartham (Purposeless). iii. Ekartham (Redundant). iv. Sasamsayam (Ambiguous). v. Apakramam (Orderless). vi. Khinnam (Broken Off). vii. Atimatram (Hyperbolic). viii. Parusam (Harsh). ix. Virasam (Irrelevant mood). x. Hinopamam (Unworthy comparison). xi. Adhikopamam (Too superior comparison). xii. Asadrsopamam (Inappropriate comparison). xiii. Aprasiddhopamam (Obscure Comparison). xiv. Niralankaram (Unornamented). xv. Aslilam (Indecorous). xvi. Three types of Viruddham). II. Guna (Quality/Excellence) in poetry: 1. The twenty-four Gunas of Sabda (Expression)--Enumeration: i. Slesa (Cohesion). ii. Prasada (Simplicity). iii. Samata (Evenness). iv. Madhuryam (Sweetness). v. Saukumaryam (Softness). vi. Arthavyakti (Complete expression). vii. Kanti (Beauty/grace). vii. Audaryam (Lively composition). ix. Udattata (Felicity). x. Ojas (Ornate compounding). xi. Aurjityam (Firm composition). xii. Preyas (Pleasingness). xiii. Susabdata (Good wording). xiv. Samadhi (Superimposition). xv. Sauksmyam (Subtlety). xvi. Gambhiryam (Depth). xvii. Vistara (Expansion). xviii. Samksepa (Condensing). xix. Sammitatvam (Measure). xx. Bhavikam (Charged with feeling). xxi. Gati (Movement). xxii. Riti (Method). xxiii. Ukti (Pointed speech). xiv. Praudhi (Ripeness). 2. The twenty-four Vakyarthagunas--Enumeration: i. Slesa (Deft arrangement). ii. Prasada (Manifestness). iii. Samatvam (Consistency). iv. Madhuryam (Restraint). v. Saukumaryam (Tenderness). vi. Arthavyakti (Faithful Description). vii. Kanti (Flare of feeling). vii. Udarata (Grandeur). ix. Udattata (Loftiness of Purport). x. Ojas (Determination). xi. Aurjityam (Self-esteem). xii. Preyas (Preference/desirability). xiii. Susabdata (Euphemism). xiv. Samadhi (Pretext). xv. Sauksmyam (Delicate import). xvi. Gambhiryam (Gravity). xvii. Vistara (Expansion). xviii. Samksepa (Condensing). xix. Sammitatvam (Balance). xx. Bhavikatvam (Intent-laden). xxi. Gati (Hinting at sense). xxii. Riti (Order). xxiii. Ukti (Indirect expression). xiv. Praudhi (Completeness). III. The Dosagunas (Faults turned Merits): i-xv. Dosagunas. xvi-xxiv. Gramyam as Guna in three ways--Samvitam, Guptam, Laksitam. 1. The twenty-four Vakyarthadosas as Gunas: i-xv. Dosagunas. xvi-xxiv. Viruddham Dosagunas. Sabdalankaravivecanam (An examination of embellishments of expression): 1. The twenty-four Sabdalankaras--enumeration: i. Bharatijati. ii. Gati. iii. Riti of six types--definition. iv. Vrtti of six types--definition. v. Chaya of six types--definition and illustration. vi. Mudra of six types--definition and illustration. vii. Ukti of six types--definition and illustration. viii. Yukti of six types--definition and illustration. ix. Bhaniti of six types--definition and illustration. x. Gumphana of six types--definition and illustration. xi. Sayya of six types--definition and illustration. xii. Pathiti of six types--definition and illustration. xiii. Yamakam of six types. xiv. Slesa of six types--definition, classification and illustration. xv. Anuprasa of six types. xvi. Citram composition. xvii. Vakovakyam of six types. xviii. Prahelika of six types. xix. Gudham of six types. xx. Prasnottaram of six types. xxi. Adhyeyam of six types. xxii. Sravyam of six types. xxiii. Preksyam of six types. xiv. Abhineyam of six types. Chapter one. Variant readings. Chapter two. Variant readings. Chapter one--notes. Chapter two--notes. Chitrakavya figures.

Vol. II. Chapters III and IV: Arthalankaravivecanam (An examination of embellishments of sense): 1. The twenty-four Arthalankaras--enumeration: i. Jati of three types--definition and classification. ii. Vibhavana of three types--definition and classification. iii. Hetu of four types--definition and classification. iv. The three types of Ahetu-- definition, classification and illustration. v. Suksmam--definition, classification and illustration. vi. Uttaram/Sara--definition, classification and illustration. vii. Virodha--definition, classification and illustration. viii. Sambhava--definition, classification and illustration. ix. Anyonyam--definition, classification and illustration. x. Parivrtti--definition, classification and illustration. xi. Nidarsanam--definition, classification and illustration. xii. Bheda/Vyatireka--definition, classification and illustration. xiii. Samahitam--definition, classification and illustration. xiv. Bhranti--definition, classification and illustration. xv. Vitarka--definition, classification and illustration. xvi. Militam--definition, classification and illustration. xvii. Smaranam--definition, classification and illustration. xviii. Bhava--definition, classification and illustration. 2. The six Pramanas: xix. Pratyaksam--definition, classification and illustration. xx. Anumanam--definition, classification and illustration. xxi. Aptavacanam--definition, classification and illustration. xxii. Upamanam--definition, classification and illustration. xxiii. Arthapatti--definition, classification and illustration. xxiv. Abhava--definition, classification and illustration. Ubhayalankaravivecanam (An examination of embellishments of word and sense): 1. The twenty-four Ubhayalankaras--enumeration: i. Upama--definition, classification and illustration. ii. Rupakam--definition, classification and illustration. iii. Samyam--definition, classification and illustration. iv. Samsayokti-- definition, classification and illustration. v. Apahnuti--definition, classification and illustration. vi. Samadhi-ukti--definition, classification and illustration. vii. Samasokti--definition, classification and illustration. viii. Utpreksa--definition, classification and illustration. ix. Aprastuta-prasamsa--definition, classification and illustration. x. Tulyayogita--definition, classification and illustration. xi. Lesa--definition, classification and illustration. xii. Sahokti--definition, classification and illustration. xiii. Samuccaya--definition, classification and illustration. xiv. Aksepa--definition, classification and illustration. xv. Arthantaranyasa--definition, classification and illustration. xvi. Visesokti--definition, classification and illustration. xvii. Parikara--definition, classification and illustration. xviii. Dipakam--definition, classification and illustration. xix. Krama--definition, classification and illustration. xx. Paryaya--definition, classification and illustration. xxi. Atisayokti--definition, classification and illustration. xxii. Slesa--definition, classification and illustration. xxiii. Bhavikam--definition, classification and illustration. xxiv. Samsrsti--definition, classification and illustration. Chapter three variant reading. Chapter four Variant reading. Chapter three--notes. Chapter four--notes.

Vol. III. Chapters V: Rasavivecanam (An examination of Rasa): 1. The twenty-four features of Rasa infusion--enumeration: Definition of Rasa features: i. Bhava. ii. Janma. iii. Anubandha. iv. Nispatti. v. Pusti. vi. Sankara. vii. Hrasa. viii. Abhasa. ix. Prasama. x. Sesa. xi. Visesa. xii. Pariposa. xiii. Vipralambha. xiv. Sambhoga. xv. Cestas. xvi. Paristis. xvii. Niruktis--explanation of the term ‘Vipralamba’. xviii. Prakirnams. xix. Premas. xx. Premapusti. xxi. Character types. xxii. Prema-bhaktis-Paka etc. xxiii. Nanalankarasankara-prakaras. xxiv. Rasokti (Rasa-fostering features of poetic works). 2. Illustration of the twenty-four Rasa features: i. Bhava illustrated. ii. Janma illustrated. iii. Anubandha illustrated. iv. Nispatti illustrated. v. Pusti illustrated. vi. Sankara illustrated. vii. Hrasa illustrated. viii. Abhasa illustrated. ix. Prasama illustrated. x. Sesa illustrated. xi. Visesas illustrated. xii. Pariposa illustrated. xiii. Vipralambha illustrated. xiv. Sambhoga illustrated. xv. Cesta illustrated. xvi. Paristi illustrated. xvii. Nirukti illustrated. xviii. Prakirnams illustrated. xix. Prema-prakaras illustrated. xx. Premapusti illustrated. xxi. Character types illustrated. xxii. Prema-bhaktis illustrated. xxiii. Mingling of various embellishing features illustrated. xxiv. Rasa-fostering features in the poetic work illustrated. Chapter five--variant readings. Chapter five--notes. Bibliography. Karikardhanukramanika. Udaharananukramanika.

“Sarasvatikanthabharanam is a work on Poetics. (Bhoja has another work on Grammar under the same name). This encyclopaedic compilation is a record of the wide range of human experience and knowledge that interested Bhoja. It discusses the usual topics of poetics in an unusual manner viz. Dosa, Guna, Dosaguna, Alankara, Rasa, Drsya and Sravya Kavya. There are many earlier editions of this work, some with even two commentaries. But this alone has an English translation. The text has been exhaustively and incisively edited, without obscuring Bhoja’s thought and intent.

Poetry cannot be fitted into rigid classes either of matter or of manner. Rightfully is Bhoja unfettered by the terms and definitions, armed with which writers try to study ‘Great Poetry’. Bhoja has a practical approach, and does not involve in the speculation on the soul of poetry. He holds Rasa to be the crux of poetry. Srngara is the foremost which can gather into itself all the other Rasas. Bhoja uses abhimana and ahamkara as synonymous with Rasa. It is hence, inferred that the identification with the action and with the chief character, on the part of the reader, brings about this delight. The self-transcending state of aesthetic delight, spoken of by Abhinavagupta may be a more advanced stage of this joy.” (jacket)