Studies in the History of Sanskrit Poetics v2.c80.36

v2.c80.36

¹⁵ One need not emphasise the point that the Sanskrit theorists define poetry so as to include any literary work of the imagination in its scope, and absolutely refuse to make of rhyming or versing an essential. This tradition is so well established that the question is nowhere discussed and never doubted. Thus the theorists include under the head of poetry romances like *Kādambarī* or *Harṣacarita* which are written for the most part in prose. Vāmana even quotes a dictum which says that prose is the touchstone of the poets (*gadyam kavīnām nikaṣam vadanti*, cited in *vṛtti* on I. 3. 21).