Kavyamimamsa of Rajasekhara (Study)
by Debabrata Barai | 2014 | 105,667 words
This page relates ‘Kavya-paka (maturity in poetic expression)’ 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 - Kāvya-pāka (maturity in poetic expression)
The Ālaṃkārika Vāmaha mentions pāka in his work Kāvyālaṃkāra (of Bhāmaha) as āma-kapittha[1] and Vāmaṇa mention this pākas as two types[2]:
But Yāyāvarīya Rājaśekhara’s opinion is different from them and he presents his own points of view about pāka (maturity in poetic expression). According to Yāyāvarīya Rājaśekhara, pāka is of nine kinds for poet and says:
“sa ca kavāgrāmasya kāvyamabhyasyato navadhā bhavati |”
-Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-V, Pp- 20
Those types of pākas are;
- Picumanda (Nimba),
- Badara (Juube),
- Mṛdvika (Draksa,Grapes),
- Vartaka,
- Tintidika (Tamarind),
- Sahakāra (Amar, Mango),
- Kramuka (Betel-nut),
- Trapusa (Cucumber) and
- Nārikela (Coconut).
Out of those nine Mṛdvika (Drākṣa), Sahakāra (Amara, Mango) and Nārikela (Coconut) pāka as the Uttama pāka (best). Badara (Jujube), Tittindika (Tamarind) and Trapusa (Cucumber) pāka is the Maddhama (second type) pāka. And the Picumanda (Nimba), Vartaka and Kramuka (betel-nut) pāka are the adhama (lower) type of Pāka.
Then Yāyāvarīya Rājaśekhara advised to the poet that:
“teṣāṃ triṣvapi trike ṣu pākāḥ prathame tyājyāḥ|”
-Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-V, Pp- 21
Means:
“Poets to shun or avoid the following three pāka: Picumanda, Vartaka and Kramuka.”
Further he says:
“madhyamāḥ saṃskāryā | saṃskāro hi sarvasya guṇamutkarṣati |”
-Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-V, Pp- 21
Means:
“Badara, Titindika and Trapusa Pāka should improve poets’ compositions to make them pleasing. Refining leads to an increase in the qualities.”
Because gold is a mixture of many metals becomes pure after undergoing refinement of fire. And the rest of the pāka: Mṛdika, Sahakāra and Nārikela paka are to be grasped.
“vdādaśavarṇamapi suvarṇaṃ pāvakapāke na hemībhavati| śeṣā grāhyāḥ |”
-Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-V, Pp- 21
From the discussion of Kāvya-pāka (poetic expression) we can find that it is one of the more important matters of Sanskrit poetical theory. But Yāyāvarīya Rājaśekhara’s in the first time of the history of Sanskrit poetics who has discusses it with great details at first time. So it is Rājaśekhara’s original concept and good deal for Sanskrit poetics.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Kāvyālaṃkāra (of Bhāmaha) of Vāmaha: V/62