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Studies in the History of Sanskrit Poetics v1.c20: VIII The Writer On Alamkara In The Agni-Purana

Studies in the History of Sanskrit Poetics v1.c20

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English

VIII The Writer On Alamkara In The Agni-Purana

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The writer on Alamkāra in the *Agni-purāṇa* (chs. 336-346) attempts to treat the subject in what may be described roughly as an eclectic fashion, but apparently follows at the same time a tradition which is distinct from and probably older than that of the Kashmirian school of Ānandavardhana. The date of this apocryphal work is uncertain; but there is enough evidence to show that the Alamkāra-section in it is chiefly a compilation by a writer, who was himself no great theorist but who wanted to collect together and present a workable epitome, conforming in essentials to the teachings of no particular system, yet gathering its material from all sources. This is apparent not only from its independent, if somewhat loosely joined and uncritical treatment, but also from the presence of verses culled from Bharata, Bhāmaha, Daṇḍin and probably other old unknown writers¹. Bharata is cited by name in *Agni* 339, 6, and a large part of its treatment of *nāṭya*, *nṛtya*, *abhinaya* and rasa follows Bharata’s exposition, even to the literal borrowing and paraphrase of some of his well-known verses. Thus *Agni* 338, 12 = Bharata vi 36, *Agni* 338, 7-8 = Bharata vi 39. The definition of poetry (*Agni* 336, 6) and of poetic figure (*Agni* 341, 17) are copied literally from Daṇḍin i 10 and ii 1 respectively. Cf also *Agni* 336, 13 = Daṇḍin i 29 = Bhāmaha i 27; *Agni* 336, 23, 25, 26 = Daṇḍin i 12, 15, 17 = Bhāmaha i 20. This will be enough to indicate not only the general nature of the work, but also the probability that these chapters of the *Purāṇa* were compiled later than Daṇḍin. Thus we get one terminus to its date at the first half of the 8th century. The other terminus is given by the anonymous quotation of *Agni* 338, 10-11 by Ānandavardhana (p. 222), who flourished in the middle of the 9th century¹. We cannot draw any definite inference from the *Agni-purāṇa*’s omission of a direct reference to Vāmana’s teachings, although the definition of the term *vakrókti* bears some resemblance (341, 33) to Rudraṭa’s novel characterisation of the same figure (ii 14-16)². On the other hand, this section of the *Agni-purāṇa* is not cited as an authority in the sphere of Poetics (if we except Bhoja’s anonymous appropriations) until we come to the time of Viśvanātha. Whatever may be the date of the *Purāṇa* as a whole, which is a kind of an ambitious cyclopaedia, incorporating sections on various departments of knowledge, we may, from what has been said, be justified in assigning the *alaṃkāra*-section to the beginning of the 9th century. This date is supported also by one of the most striking features of the work, which consists in the omission of all references to the *dhvani*-theory, although the concept of *dhvani* is casually included in the figure *ākṣepa*¹, after the manner of most old authors, who flourished before that theory came into prominence².

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¹ Thus the verse *abhidhevena saṃbandhāt* (*Agni* 344, 11-12), which is also cited anonymously by Mammaṭa (*Sabdavyāpā°* p. 8) and in the *Kāmadhenu* on Vāmana IV. 3. 8, is attributed to one Bhartṛmitra by Mukula (p. 17). The verse is not traceable in Bhartṛhari.

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¹ The tradition of opinion embodied in the *Agni-purāṇa* is followed and further developed by Bhoja in his *Sarasvatī-k*°; and this fact will certainly place the former work at least earlier than the 11th century.

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² This point need not be emphasised: for this idea of *vakrókti* was prevalent, as Ratnākara’s poem shows, in the 9th century.

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¹ The word *dhvani* is also used in the opening verse of this section (336, i; cf Bhoja i 1); but apparently it alludes to the grammatical word, which reveals the *sphoṭa* and which is indicated by the same term in the *Vākyapadīya*. Bhoja, in following this work, makes the same omission; but he betrays, in many places, a knowledge of the views of Ānandavardhana and his followers.

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² Cf Ruyyaka pp. 3f.

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Editions. The work has been printed frequently in India, of which the Biliotheca Indica ed. of Rājendralāla Mitra, 1878, is the most useful. Our references are to this edition. Translation into English in two vols. by Manmathanātha Datta, Calcutta 1903.

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MSS. See Aufrecht.

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