History of Sanskrit Poetics c6.28.1

c6.28.1

3. Early beginnings of Poetics. Epigraphic records of the 2nd century A. D. and onwards show that before that period a theory of Poetics had been evolved. Vide on this part of the subject and in general for the development of Poetics my articles in I. A. for 1912 pp. 124-128 and pp. 201-208 and on the epigraphic material in Buhler’s essay ‘Die Indische Inschriften etc.’ (translated by Prof. Ghate in I. A. for 1913 pp. 29, 137, 172, 188, 230, 243). In ‘seven Brāhmī Inscriptions from Mathurā’ E. I. vol. 24 pp. 199 ff. Prof. Lüders says that in one of them occurs a verse in the भुजङ्गविजृम्भित metre and that therefore it must be conceded that *Kāvya* poetry was fully developed before 1st century B.C. The Inscription of रुद्रदामन् at Junagad (dated 150 A.D.) sheds very great light on the stage Poetics had reached by that time. Vide ASWI vol. II p. 128 and E. I. vol. VIII. p. 36 for the inscription. The preserved portion contains only two verbs, it is written in prose with long compounds, it is full of alliteration and other tricks with words. A brief quotation will convey an idea of the nature of the inscription: सर्वक्षत्राविष्कृत-वीरशब्दजातोत्सेकाविधेयानां यौधेयानां प्रशसोत्सादेन... शब्दार्थगन्धर्व्वन्यायानां विद्यानां महतीनां पारणधारणविज्ञानप्रयोगवाप्तविपुलकीर्तिना... स्फुटलघुमधुरचित्रकान्तशब्दसमयोदारालङ्कृतगद्यपद्य... यमधिगतमहाक्षत्रपनाम्ना नरेन्द्रकन्यास्वयंवरानिकमाल्यप्राप्तदाम्ना महाक्षत्रपेण रुद्रदाम्ना (p. 44). This shows that in or before the second century A. D.