Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c10.s5.3

c10.s5.3

Another important debate elucidated by Rājśekhara pertains to the value of *kāvya*. The puritans insist on doing away with all forms of *kāvya*. Rājaśekhara has cited three statements from these opponents of *kāvya* with the respective arguments advanced by each. The detractors of *kāvya* say that no one should engage with *kāvya* because *kāvya* subsists in falsehood, sin and vulgarity. Rājaśekhara enumerates these as three different prima-facie views¹⁷ and after elaborating upon their arguments, he takes them one by one for refutation with profuse examples. This in fact is a fight against the puritans with their Platonic ideas.