Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c78.s2.9

v2.c78.s2.9

**Kāvyas.**—Here the interesting reference forming the bulk of the section will be coming forth from the classical Sanskrit literature—the Kavyas of Kālidāsa, of Bāṇabhatta and Śrīharṣa, etc.—and without going into details of comments on them, they are being arranged here with short tabulations of the topics to facilitate a general understanding of the reader not acquainted with Sanskrit. It may, however, be further pointed out as this class of literature itself is simply very very vast and there is no dearth of pictorial references in practically each and every class of work Mahākāvyas, Khaṇḍakāvyas, Dramas, Campūs, Kathās, Ākhyāyikās, Prose-romances, Historical Kāvyas, etc., etc. therefore, a very judicious selection has to be made and only representative writers are to be selected to bring home to the reader only subject-in-hand namely wide appeal of the art and its culture as well as its training among not only the refined citizens of the day but also among the eminent writers, poets, and story-tellers. Accordingly Kālidāsa, Bāṇabhatta and Śrīharṣa may be selected, as they represent three broad periods of Indian history, early, early medieval and medieval and these were also the three broad periods of the development of Sanskrit Kāvya literature—adolescence, youth and maturity. For completeness' sake, however, a brief reference will also be made to the other classes of classical literature unattended in this general purview.