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Studies in the History of Sanskrit Poetics v1.c2: Preface

Studies in the History of Sanskrit Poetics v1.c2

Language
English

Preface

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An announcement was made long ago, in the *Grundriss der Indo-arischen Philologie*, of a treatise on Sanskrit Poetics and Metrics from the able pen of Professor Hermann Jacobi, which would perhaps have rendered the writing of this work superfluous. On being informed, however, that the learned Professor has now abandoned the project of writing it, I have ventured to set forth, in the following pages, the results of some of my researches in the subject, with the hope of drawing the attention of scholars to a discipline which has not yet been systematically investigated, but which, forming as it does the foundations of a study of Classical Sanskrit Poetry, is not without its importance in the general history of Sanskrit literature. These investigations were originally embodied in my thesis for the Doctorate of the University of London (1921); but the present publication, though not altogether divested of the form of a dissertation, has been so considerably altered, re-written and supplemented that it may be taken as an entirely new work.

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My original intention was to write a comprehensive history of Sanskrit Poetics; but in the course of my studies I realised that the available materials were not enough for such an ambitious undertaking. In the following pages, however, I have attempted to approach the subject from the historical point of view, instead of presenting a mere epitome of the different topics of Alaṃkāra, as Regnaud's *Rhétorique Sanskrite* (1884) does. Presuming a general knowledge of the details of Sanskrit Poetics, which may be gathered from any standard text-book or even from Regnaud's useful résumé, and taking the representative writers (and, as far as necessary, the neglected commentators and so-called minor writers), I have made an attempt to trace the development of the discipline through its fairly long and varied course of history which covers more than a thousand years. The first volume of the work, therefore, deals with the preliminary but important question of chronology and sources, on the basis of which the second volume proceeds to set forth the history through its divergent systems and theories.

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Although the subject possesses great interest and importance, workers in the field cannot be said to be too numerous. Since Bühler's memorable discovery (1877) in Kashmir of the bulk of the old forgotten Alaṃkāra literature, the devoted enterprise, however, of a small but excellent band of scholars has brought to light and given us useful editions of most of the important texts, besides collecting a great deal of valuable information on the subject. There can be no doubt that much yet remains to be done in this direction, but these additions to our knowledge have shed so much light on the whole subject that little room is left for mere guess-work with regard to the general theme, and the historical method may be tentatively applied to a systematic presentation. It is now clear that the works on Alaṃkāra are not sporadic or isolated productions, but constitute an extensive literature, ranging over a fairly long period of time, and embodying, with an abstruse technique and ingenious theories, a systematic discipline which possesses an interesting course of history.

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It is needless to say that I have made, as the references will indicate, a careful use of the accumulated but scattered labours of previous workers, supplementing them with my own studies. But as some of the problems still require elucidation, while the proffered solutions in some cases have not received recognition, I have taken the opportunity of re-examining the disputed points, re-arranging the available data and re-thinking the entire subject. I have, however, avoided useless discussions as much as possible, confining myself to stating my own view and leaving it to speak for itself. Regarding questions of chronology, I have made extensive use of the chronological materials scattered throughout the various reports, journals, catalogues and notices of Sanskrit MSS. I have also enjoyed the privilege of utilising the manuscript-materials in the India Office, British Museum and elsewhere; and I take this opportunity of expressing my obligations to the authorities concerned for extending this privilege to me. My thanks are also due to Dr. Gaṅgānāth Jha for getting the entire MS of Abhinavagupta's bulky commentary on Bharata copied for my use, and to Dr. Thomas and the Curator of Madras Government Oriental MSS Library, as well as to my friend and colleague Pandit Anantakṛṣṇa Śāstri, for procuring for me transcripts of the rare MSS of Abhinava's *Locana* IV and Kuntala's *Vakrokti-jivita*. With the help of these transcripts I have been able to publish the texts of the last two works; and I have also in contemplation an edition of Abhinava's erudite commentary on Bharata, if I can collect sufficient materials towards it.

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In this work I have confined myself to Sanskrit Poetics and have not taken into consideration the numerous vernacular works on the subject which, together with the theme of Dramaturgy which I have also omitted, deserve more room for a detailed and separate treatment. The Bibliographies, which are meant to supply information about editions and MSS of texts and commentaries, do not pretend to be exhaustive; but it is hoped that no useful or important point has been overlooked. Instead of merely repeating the entries of different MSS in Aufrecht (as Dr. Haricand Śāstrī does), I have, in compiling these, economised space by simple references to his indispensable *Catalogus Catalogorum*, at the same time consulting the original catalogues when necessary and the original MSS when available, and correcting in this way what seemed to me wrong, misleading or superfluous entries. I have also tried to supplement them by entries from catalogues and reports published after the date of Aufrecht's monumental work.

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A word of explanation may be deemed necessary regarding the use of the term "Poetics" to designate a half-theoretical and half-practical discipline which is known in Sanskrit as the *Alaṃkāra-śāstra* or the *Sāhitya-śāstra*. Prof. Jacobi, who seems to have been the first to make this term current, has sufficiently explained its scope in *ZDMG* lvi, 1902, p. 393, fn 1. It may be remarked that the commonly used term "Rhetoric" is inadequate in explaining the standpoint of a study which includes a great deal more than a mere practical treatment of rhetorical categories; while the expression "Aesthetics" is misleading in this connexion, inasmuch as the theoretical scope of Alaṃkāra is not fully co-extensive with what is expressed by that term in modern philosophical studies.

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There remains for me now the pleasant duty of recording the manifold encouragement and help I have received in the course of these labours. I am greatly obliged to some scholars for their kind and prompt reply to my queries, especially to the late Professor Rhys Davids, and to Professors Keith and Jacobi. On learning that I was studying Sanskrit Poetics, Prof. Jacobi evinced a genuine interest in my work and encouraged me with suggestions from his expert knowledge of the subject. After I had finished my work in England, he invited me very kindly to Bonn, where I had the privilege of working with him and prosecuting these studies further, as well as of enjoying his genial friendship and hospitality. I had then the opportunity of laying the rough outlines of this modest work before that veteran scholar and profiting by his criticism. I must also thank Dr. Thomas of the India Office Library for his keen interest in my work and for his uniform courtesy and kindness in rendering me all facilities I required. I cannot also omit acknowledging my obligations to Sir E. Denison Ross for his many acts of kindness during the time I studied at the London School of Oriental Studies. I am also deeply grateful to Dr. L. D. Barnett, under whom I worked in the same School and with whom it was always a pleasure to work, for his goodness in watching the progress of this essay and reading patiently through its first draft, as well as for his unwearied help, kind sympathy and steady encouragement. It is a pleasure and privilege also to return my heartfelt thanks to many friends in England, Germany and elsewhere, whose kind words of sympathy never failed to cheer me in a foreign land.

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In a work like this, errors, both of omission and commission, are hard to escape; all suggestions for correction or improvement will, therefore, be thankfully received. To avoid unnecessary delay in printing and transmission of proofs, the book had to be printed in India; but those who are acquainted with the conditions of printing here will realise its difficulties and condone its imperfections. Although care has been taken to make this work free from errors of pen and print (and in this connexion I must thank the promptness and zeal of the Calcutta Oriental Press), a few obvious but unwelcome misprints and slips, especially with regard to diacritical marks, have unfortunately crept in, for which I express my apology to the generous reader.

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CALCUTTA May 15, 1923. } S. K. Dé

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