Shishupala-vadha (Study)
by Shila Chakraborty | 2018 | 112,267 words
This page relates ‘Citrakavya in the Shishupalavadha (Introduction)’ of the study on the Shishupala-vadha (in English) in the light of Manusamhita (law and religious duties) and Arthashastra (science of politics and warfare). The Shishupalavadha is an epic poem (Mahakavya) written by Magha in the 7th century AD. It consists of 1800 Sanskrit verses spread over twenty chapters and narrates the details of the king of the Chedis.
Citrakāvya in the Śiśupālavadha (Introduction)
Māgha was famous for Vandha is a kind of citrakāvya. According to him vandha is essential for epic. A.B. keith admiring Māghas vandha said—“His chief merits lies precisely in some of these word pictures, whose merits need not be denied, despite the effort requisite to extricate them from tedious conceits.” Māgha used śabdacitra and arthacitra in his epic. He used some śabdacitra, they are alternate quadrant (ekāntara Pada) single lettered vandha (ekākṣara vandha) two lettered vandha. (dvyakṣara vandha), Sarvatobhadra, murajavandha, pratiloānulomavandha, gomūtrikā, asaṃyogavandha, ardhabhramaka, gatapratyāgata, gūḍacaturthavandha, atālavya vandha, triple meaning vandha, (arthatraya vācivandha), cakravandha etc.
Māgha followed all yamakas and vandhas used by Bhāravi. Beside this he added another four new vandhas. These are asaṃyoya vandha, atālavyavandha, murajavandha and cakravandha.
Śabdacitra is divided into four category. They are