Alamkaras in the Works of Banabhatta

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I got an opportunity to read the works of Bana-Bhatta in my student life. The scholarly use of Slista Pargopama, Parisar- khya and Virodhabhasa based on Slesa, was so striking that it left a deep impression on my mind.

My interested enquiries brought forth the information that no significant work had been done on the Alamhkäras, found in Baya's works. I felt that such a study was indispensable for the right evaluation of his poetic excellence. Hence I decided to work on this topic. This book is based on my thesis "A Study of Alamkaras in the works of Baga Bhatta" Which was sub- mitted for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Delhi.

The present book mainly aims at noticing the Alamkaras in Bana's works. An attempt has been made to show almost all the varieties of Alamkaras found in Bana's works. But to avoid the bulk of the book, only those illustrations of the Alakaras have been dealt with in details, which contain the poetic beauty of a high order i.e. which are very striking and hence carry a special appeal to the mind. The complete reference of the rest of the illustrations of the Alaihkaras is given in appendix I.

Prof. Emeneau in his paper, "The Sindhuvara Tree in Sanskrit Literature',' says that "a compilation of an encyclopacdia of all the comparisons of Sanskrit Literature would be an aid to the scholar, who occupies himself with the interpretation of Sanskrit literature". The present book on the Alamkaras in the I works of Bana Bhatta can be regarded to be one more link in the chain of the studies of Alamkäras in Sanskrit works, aimed at giving a connected and coherent account of the figures of speech in Sanskrit literarure.

Banabhatta is the brightest star in the galaxy of Sanskrit prose-writers. In the field of prose writing he is as unrivalled as Kalidasa is, in the field of Sanskrit poetry. The reader enjoys his Kadambari, which is full of poetic sentiments, exposition of emotions, poetic rhythm, and the expression of sublime love. That is why, it is said. कादम्बरी रानामाहारोऽपि न रोषते i.c., the reader, who is enjoying Kadambari, does not even relish his meals His prose has rhythm and is full of poetic expressions. Bana has initiated a new trend in the composition of Sanskrit prose, which contained long compounds, Anuprasa, and which was interspersed with short sentences as well

Banabhatta is an important poet from another view-point also. He is the first writer in Sanskrit Literature, who has given his autobiography His date is fixed, as he lived in the reign of king Harşavardhana, and is helpful in fixing date of other poets, anterior or posterior to him.

1. DATE

According to Bana's autobiography, king Harsa was his patron. A famous chinese traveller Hiouen e-Sang visited India from 629 AD to 645 AD, with a view to visit the places of Buddhism in India. In the extensive memoirs of his travels, he has mentioned that a King named Ho-li-cha-fa-t'nna (i.c. Harşa- vardhana when translated in Sanskrit) ruled over North India as aSupreme ruler in those days, and has given a detailed account of the King. Although, there are a few discrepancies in the accounts of Harsa's life as furnished by Bana, and this Chinese pilgrim, the points of agreement are so many and so striking, that one is inclined to believe in the identity of the Emperor Harşavardhana with the King Ho-li-Cha-fa, t'nna. Indian History places Harşa's reign during 606 to 648 A.D. Therefore Bana should have flourished towards the end of sixth and the first half of the Seventh Century.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages