History of Sanskrit Poetics c6.119

c6.119

14 The divisions of Poetry. As in modern works poetry is divided into epic, lyric, dramatic, so in Sanskrit works also it is so divided. Classification of poetry is made from various stand-points. The first divison made by दण्डी is into गद्य, पद्य and मिश्र. While most English critics are agreed that versification is a sine qua non for poetry (though Prof. Moulton and a few others maintain the opposite view), all Sanskrit writers on Poetics are unanimous that versification is not a necessary condition of poetry. Not only so but a few like Vāmana say ‘गद्यं कवीनां निकषं वदन्ति’ (काव्या. सू. on I. 3. 21). दण्डी then speaks under पद्य of सर्गबन्ध (or महाकाव्य an epic) and मुक्तक (a single verse), कुलक (five श्लोकs), कोष and सङ्घात (compilations of unconnected verses). Under गद्य he refers to कथा, आख्यायिका, चम्पू. The मिश्र kāvya is constituted by नाटक and other varieties of plays. दण्डी also divides काव्य into संस्कृत, प्राकृत and अपभ्रंश; while रुद्रट (II. 31) divides it into six, संस्कृत, प्राकृत, मागध, पिशाच, शूरसेन and अपभ्रंश. For भामह’s divisions of काव्य, vide p. 82 above. वामन divides काव्य into गद्य and पद्य; the former into three varieties, वृत्तगन्धि (resembling verse), चूर्ण and उत्कलिकाप्राय; पद्य is of various sorts, but he gives two divisions of both गद्य and पद्य into अनिबद्ध (unconnected) and निबद्ध (connected i. e. a प्रबन्ध) and declares that among complete works, the drama is superior (सन्दर्भेषु दशरूपकं श्रेयः’ I. 3. 30). हेमचन्द्र (8th अध्याय) divides काव्य into प्रेक्ष्य and श्रव्य, and the former into पाठ्य and गेय and these into numerous varieties; श्रव्य is divided into महाकाव्य, आख्यायिका, कथा, चम्पू and अनिबद्ध. He further speaks of काव्यs composed in संस्कृत, प्राकृत, अपभ्रंश and ग्राम्याभ्रंश and regards आख्यान, निदर्शन, प्रवल्लिका, मल्लिका, मणिकुल्या, परिकथा, खण्डकथा, सकलकथा, उपकथा as varieties of कथा. Vide ध्व. pp. 174 ff and the लोचन thereon for several varieties of काव्य.