A History of Indian Literature v3.c35.s8.172

v3.c35.s8.172

By the side of the erotic lyrics moved along also the old religious lyric and in addition to the large number of hymns dedicated to Sūrya, Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, Śiva, Durgā and other divinities that we find in the purāṇas and tantras, there are many pieces that are really ornate poetry. Many of these stotras are wholly philosophical, particularly containing ideas of the Vedānta; and often it is impossible to distinguish whether a work is to be included in the purāṇa and tantra literature or among the philosophical texts or in ornate poetry. Side by side with numberless prayers and litanies, that very often are nothing but invocations to and names of gods, besides in many prayers that are, however, small in number and appear as expression of a deep religious ardour, there occur numerous ornate poems in which the most difficult metres and all the devices of poetics have come into play. The divinities too were believed to be won over better by use of rare and most difficult figures of speech. Most of these stotras probably are of recent origin Frequently they have the form of śatakas or "centuries".