4. PREFACE

PREFACE

The present thesis, "Studies in Kalāpūrnodayam" (Litera- ture and Its Value in Life with special reference to the Kalapumodayam) constitutes the result of the author's research work done from 1949 to 1952 at the University of Madras. This essay proposes to expound the nature of Beauty in general, and literature and its value in particular, as suggested by Pingali Surana in his work, Kalāpurnodayam. Before this ex- position is undertaken, it is necessary to show positively that such a suggestion exists in the poem because even its possibility has not yet been discussed. This second point also, therefore, becomes an important part of this essay. Every work of art, as is generally admitted, is the outcome of historical events and the ideological inhertance ofits age. While pure idealists maintain that it is entirely determined by the pre- vious ideas, matenalists advocate the opposite view that it is the superstructure of the established economic relations of that par- ticular age. Both these schools adopt views too extreme to be acceptable. Perhaps strking the balance between the two, a third view says :- "The dynamics of ideas runs parallel to the process of social evolution, the two influencing each other mutually. But at no particular point of the process of the integral human evolu- tion, can a direct casual relation be established between histori- cal events and the movement ofideas. Cultural patterns and ethi- cal values are not mere ideological superstructures of established economic relations. They are also historically determined by the logic of the history of ideas." This view appears to be more reasonable because a literary work particularly when it is highly imaginative, as Hegel postu- lates, is the ideal among the Fine Arts. Consequently, the emer- gence of the Kalapurnodayam has to be traced to its origination more through the history of ideas than through the historical events of the age of Surana. But this does not imply that the latter are to be completely ignored.

Simple awareness of this fact is not in any way helpful in the case of the Kalapūrnodayam because material pertaining to the social history apart from that avilable in the poetit works of that period is almost as scarce as hen's teeth. Letting alone the poet's biographical events, even the exhaustive list of his works is not known. Hence there is no other alternative than to depend upon the former method which consists in tracing its origination through history of ideas. A work of art, howsoever organically as a whole it may be conceived, has a form and content which can be clearly analysed. A thorough understanding of these aspects is essental to grasp the suggested idea of the work. The form which the Kalāpțūnödayam takes is the Mahakavya or Mahāprabandha whose historical development and evlution has to be traced with a view to finding out its exact requirements. The content also which is agroup of ideas, is to be carefully examined on the basis of external and internal evidences with a view to seeing whether the theme is borrowed from old works prior to the Kalāpūrnodayam. If it is borrowed in toto or with slight modifica- tions, it is necessary to see in the former case the context and purpose of the original work, and in the latter, the object of such modifications. The result of this enquiry will go a long way to- wards understanding the main purport of the suggested idea of the poem, and at the same time will help to indicate the poet's conception of the role of ideological and cultural heritage in the emergence of a work of art if he had really written his poem with that object in view. Comments, expositions and criticisms concerning the Kalāpūrnödayam are to be studied with the main purpose of ar- riving at the real purport of the poem and finding out whether any questions remain unanswered if the suggested meaning is not taken into account. In the light of these findings, the merits of the poem are to be explored so as to ascertain which of them are required by the exigencies of the form and content, and which by the poet's own theory of Beauty and Literature.

The results accruing from this enquiry provide reasons for or against maintaining that the Kalapurnodayam was written to suggest the nature of Beauty in general, and of literature in par- ticular. When these happen to substantiate the positive aspect, the poet's philosophy is to be investigated and determined, be- cause, without it there cannot be any consistent and genuine theory of Beauty. From the epistemology and metaphysics of the poet's philosophy, the theory of Beauty in general and literature and its value in particular are to be carefully deduced. In the light of the broad principles thus obtained, the poet's own theory of Beauty as suggested by the Kalāpurnodayam has to be ex- plained. When a wrter believes in and suggests a certain theory, it will be rather improbable that he should not follow the very principles thereof. Those very principles, therefore, are to be il- lustrated from his own work, and then evaluated. This very same method is followed, but its success depends upon the extent to which dispassionate and disinterested enquiry is brought to bear on it. Besides, there are two grave dangers - firstly, when a regular source having a different purport is traced and established. But this possibility seems to be rather negligible in view of the fact that the Kalapurnodayam has an inseparable connection with the other works of the poet. Secondly, when his- tory comes into possession of more facts than it has now on hand and proves that the Kalāpūrnodayam is the direct result of some other outlook than that of Visistadvaita, thew hole essay, it is needless to say, simply collapses like a house of cards. In that case the poem once again becomes an enigma for the critic. This essay does not claim infallibility, or perfection. The author is too well aware of its limitations. It is necessary to mention that the author is deeply indebted in producing this essay to the learned Mr. Nidudavolu Venkata Rao, Senoir Lecturer and Head of the Department of Telugu, at the University of Madras. Words fail the author to express his gratıtude to Mr. K.V. Gopālaswāmy, M.A. (Oxon.), Barrister-at-

law, Registrar, Andhra University, without whose sympathetic and benevolent encouragement this essay would never have been attempted. He has to express his thanks to the authorities of the University of Madras for permitting him to have his thesis pub- lished and to Mr. S.P. Ragland, M.A., L.T., Principal, V.S.R. Col- lege, Tenali, for going through the press copy and making invalu- able suggestions. The author in this context, cannot but express his deep gratitude to Mr. K. Madhavaiah and to Mr. M. Chalapati Rão for extending all the facilities to print and publish this thesis.

TENĀLI G.V. Krishnarāo.

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