A History of Sanskrit Literature: Classical Period, Vol. I c4.8

c4.8

Prof. Winternitz conteded that to know of the origin of ornate poetry we must know the origin of the Alaṃkāra literature and he seems to imply that that type of literature may be called ornate in which an acquaintance with the Alaṃkāra literature or its principles may be presupposed. He held further that surely Vālmīki did not as yet know any manual of poetics. But what is the reason for such an assurance? We know that *upamās* were well-known even in Vedic times and Yāska deals with *upamā* in a fairly systematic manner. Pāṇini also seems to be fairly acquainted with some of the fundamental types of *upamā*. We have also reasons to believe that the *alaṁkāra* type of thought had its origin in the Vyākaraṇa school. We do not also know that there were no treatises of *alaṁkāra* written before Vālmīki.