Page 276 of: Glimpses of History of Sanskrit Literature

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/ Glimpses of History of Sanskrit Literature
Besides the above, there are a few other Gitikavyas, lyrics.
The three of them, the Sṛngāratilaka, the Puspabāṇavilāsa and
Rāsakakāvya are associated with Kālidāsa. Damodaragupta, the
minister of Kashmir King Jayāpīḍa (772-813 A.D.), wrote the
Kuttinīmata.
Stotrakāvyas
iz adi lo ygolane edi doue
Apart from the Gitikāvyas there is a big corpus in Sanskrit of
Stotrakāvyas, the hymns of praise, of Iṣṭadevatās, the tutelary
deities, big and small, some of which are highly poetic. Racy in
style, replete with figures of speech, particularly alliteration
leaving a jingling effect and exuding the heightened devotional
fervour, they are a treat in themselves. Particular mention in this
connection may be made of Puspadanta's Mahimnaḥstotra,
Paṇḍitarāja Jagannatha's Gangālaharī and the Sivatāṇḍavastotra
attributed to Rāvana. The last in the Pañcacamara metre with its
jumps and bumps creates such an impact on the mind that it is
difficult to express. A stanza from it will give an idea of it:
jatākaṭāhasambhramabhramannilimpanirjhari-
vilolavicivallarivirājamānamūrdhani /
dhagaddhagaddhagajjvalallalāṭapaṭṭapāvake de
kiśoracandrasekhare ratiḥ pratikṣaṇaṃ mama//
These hymns are so numerous that several collections of
them have appeared of late.
The lyrics and the hymns are a continuous process in
Sanskrit, Sanskritists applying themselves to composing them
with enthusism all the time.
Nitikāvyas
Nīti is a term in Sanskrit which covers a wide spectrum. It may
mean the right manner of conducting oneself, the proper
behaviour, the decent and the rightful course and of course
policy, stratagem and statecraft. In its overstretched meaning it
CC-0. Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri Collection, New Delhi. Digitized by S3 Foundation USA