324. PART II The origin and growth of Poetics

PART II The origin and growth of Poetics

1. Early poetic efforts. It is extremely difficult to give an accurate definition of poetry and try to distinguish it from other forms of literature. But true poetry (leaving aside the question whether a work clothed in prose is poetry or not) is distinguished at least by three things, viz. by a certain peculiar diction, by its subject matter and by the spirit in which it approaches the handling of its themes. Judged from this stand-point, the most ancient monument of the Indo- Aryan languages, viz. the Rgveda, contains, though it is mainly a religious book of fervent prayers, a great deal of true poetry. Many of the hymns, pirticularly those address- ed to Ușas, exhibit fine specimens of poetry. For example, vide the following : अभ्रातेव पुंस एति प्रतीची गर्तारुगिव सनये धनानाम्। जायेव पत्य उशती सुवासा उषा इस्रेव नि रिणीते भप्सः ॥ऋ. I. 124.7. This verse contains four Upamas, the last two of which may occur in the poetry of any country. In 'दा सुपर्या सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते। तयोरेक: पिप्पलं स्वाद्ृत्त्यनश्नन्नन्यो अभिचाकशीति ।'1 (ऋ. I. 164. 20) there is a fine idea, which would be regarded as the figure अतिशयोक्ति of the first kind (निगीर्याध्यवसानं तु प्रकृतस्य परेण यद) by Sanskrit alankarikas. In 'द्वादशारं न हितज्जराय वर्वर्ति चक्रं परि धामृतस्य' (ऋ. 1. 164. 11), it may be said that the figure is व्यतिरेक. One may trace the desire for श्लेष in such Vedic passages as 'स्वसुर्जार: शृणोतु नः' (Rg. VI. 55. 5) and 'यत्रा सुपर्णा अमृतस्य' etc. (ऋ. I. 164. 21 explained in निरुक्त III. 12 in two ways).2 1. About this mantra the काव्यमी. of राजशेखर says "उपकार- कत्वादलक्कार: सप्तममकम्' इति यायावरीयः । ऋते च तत्स्वरूपपरिज्ञानाद्वदार्थानवगतिः। यथा-हा सुपर्णा ... अभिचाकशीति।" (p.3). The रसग. (p. 316) says 'इयं चातिशयोक्तिवेंदेपि दृश्यते यथा-द्वा सुपर्णा ... शीति।'. Another example of this kind of अतिशयोक्ति is चत्वारि शक्ञा त्रयो अस्य पादा द्वे शीर्षे सप्त इस्तासो अस्य। त्रिधा बद्धो वृपभो रोरवीति महोदेवो मत्यां आ विवेश॥ ऋ. IV. 58.3, explained in निरुक 13. 7 and in the महाभाष्य (vol. I. p.3); in w. X. 63. 10 (=वाज. सं. 21. 6) यश् or धुलोक is spoken of in terms of a नौका. 2. In the शतपथब्राह्मय wefind that there is a pun on the words हित (placed, beneficial) and वर्षं (year and rainy season)