History of Sanskrit Poetics c6.1

c6.1

1. Early poetic efforts. It is extremely difficult to give an accurate definition of poetry and try to distinguish it from other forms of literature. But true poetry (leaving aside the question whether a work clothed in prose is poetry or not) is distinguished at least by three things, viz. by a certain peculiar diction, by its subject matter and by the spirit in which it approaches the handling of its themes. Judged from this stand-point, the most ancient monument of the Indo-Aryan languages, viz. the Ṛgveda, contains, though it is mainly a religious book of fervent prayers, a great deal of true poetry. Many of the hymns, particularly those addressed to Uṣas, exhibit fine specimens of poetry. For example, *vide* the following : अत्रातेव पुंस एति प्रतीची गर्तारुगिव सनये धनानाम् । जायेव पत्य उशती सुवासा उषा हस्रेव नि रिणीते अप्सः ॥ ऋ. I. 124. 7. This verse contains four *Upamās*, the last two of which may occur in the poetry of any country. In ‘द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिष्वजाते । तयोरैकः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्नन्नन्यो अभिचाकशीति ॥’¹ (ऋ. I. 164. 20) there is a fine idea, which would be regarded as the figure *atiśayokti* of the first kind (निगीर्याध्यवसानं तु प्रकृतस्य परेण यत् ) by Sanskrit *alaṅkārikas*. In ‘द्वादशारं न हि तज्जराय वर्वर्ति चक्रं परि द्यामृतस्य’ (ऋ. I. 164. 11), it may be said that the figure is *vyatireka*. One may trace the desire for *śleṣa* in such Vedic passages as ‘स्वसुर्जाः शृणोतु नः’ (Ṛg. VI. 55. 5) and ‘यत्रा सुपर्णा अमृतस्य’ etc. (ऋ. I. 164. 21 explained in निरुक्त III. 12 in two ways).²