About the Book Syngāra Sarasi is a small work on Alankara Śāstra (poetics). It was written in the second half of the 16th century AD. The work solely focuses on Sựngăra Rasa, which is the emotion of love between men and women. The topics covered in this work include descriptions of the different limbs of a beautiful woman, the categorization of male and female characters, and accounts of the well-known Aşța Nayikās (the eight heroines). The work then discusses the phases of a love relationship, namely Samyoga and Vipralambha (union and separation). The author concludes the work with descriptions of seasons, the moon, and the wind.

This work belongs to the same genre as earlier works, such as Kama Samīkṣāby Ananta Kavi and Catura Cintamani by Gangadhara Miśra.

Bhava Miśra was a highly competent poet. He experimented with various poetic forms, including Gomütrika Bandha, Turaga Bandha, and Padagupti Cakra Bandha. He established Kanyaka among the Svakiya Nayikās and reorganized the various shades of a woman's feelings during separation from her husband, especially among the Proșita Bhartṛkā (women whose husbands are away).

In conclusion, Syngāra Sarasi is an important work in the field of Sanskrit Alankara Sastra.

About the Author DR. AMAL SHIB PATHAK was awarded a Ph.D. from Lucknow University in 1968 for his work titled Stage and Stagecraft of Sanskrit Plays. His guide was Dr. A.C. Banerjea, who later became the Vice Chancellor of Faizabad University. Dr. Pathak studied Küdiyāttam under Guru Mani Madhava Cäkyär of Ottapalam, Kerala. He traced the close relationship between the theatrical presentation of Küdiyāțlam and ancient Indian theatrical practices.

He edited the following unpublished Sanskrit manuscripts:

1. Natya Locanam by Trilocamāditya

2. Natya Pradipa by Sundara Miśra

3. Kama Samuha by Ananta Kavi

4. Catura Cintamani by Gangadhara Mišra

5. Vatsyayana Sūtra Vitti by Bhaskara Narasimha Śästri

The first three works were published by Chowkhamba Sanskrit Sansthan, Varanasi. The fourth was published by the Asiatic Society, Kolkata, and the last one was published by the National Mission for Manuscripts, New Delhi. Singara Sarasi is his latest contribution.

Introduction Singāra Sarasi is a small work on Alamkāra Śāstra. It deals with Sarvänga Sundarī Varņana, Nāyakas, Nāyikās. Asta Nāyikās, Sṛngāra Rasa, Sambhoga Singāra, Vipralambha Srngāra and Şad rtu Varņana. There is nothing new or original in their treatment. It belongs to the genre of works like Käma Samuha of Ananta Kavi, Catura Cintamaņih of Gangadhara Misra which deal with topics similar to that of Sengära Sarasi; only Sṛngāra Sarasi is a smaller version.

Foreword During the time I was editing Sṛngāra Sarasĩ of Bhava Mishra, corona interlude set in Subsequently publishers in general were reluctant to take up publication of Sanskrit works. At that point of time Shri R.P. Jain of M/s. Motilal Banarsidass Publishing House came foward and undertook the publication of Srngāra Sarasi. This was so when part of the text was not even type cast. I persuaded Shri Jain to get that carried out at his end, to which he graciously agreed.