Prakrit Poetry and Sanskrit Poetics

This article by V. M. Kulkarni examines Prakrit poetry, specifically Maharastri Prakrit, and its relationship with Sanskrit poetics. The author confines the discussion to poetry in Maharastri Prakrit, noting that Sanskrit treatises on poetics frequently draw upon Prakrit poetic works for their illustrations. The principal work discussed is Hala’s Gaha-saptasati, also known as Sattasai, which the author dates to the first, second, or third century A.D. This anthology, comprising some seven hundred gathas divided into seven satakas, is the earliest known anthology of Maharastri Prakrit verses. Its value lies in demonstrating that Maharastri literature was once extensive and widespread, a claim supported by the large number of commentaries on it, scores of quotations in works on poetics, and praise from eminent poets like Bana, Udyotanastiri, Abhinanda, and Soddhalad. The anthology is mostly of erotic content, depicting village life, peasantry, and the family life of the lower strata of society, though the erotic aspect dominates. The gathas are artistic poems closely modeled on ancient songs. Next to love, the anthology portrays nature and glimpses of town and court life. It is rich in maxims and references to mythological events from the epics, with references to Vindhya, Sahya, and Godavari indicating the focal point of the composition of the majority of these gathas in the Deccan or more particularly, Maharashtra. The article also discusses other works. Ravapavijaya, now lost, is ranked by Bhoja and Hemacandra along with Harivijaya and Setubandha, though nothing is known about its author or contents beyond a solitary citation by Bhoja, repeated by Hemacandra in his Kavyanusaasana. Sarvasena’s Harivijaya, also now lost and dated to the first half of the fourth century A.D., is known through about forty citations, some of which are repetitions, which can be ascribed to Harivijaya on the strength of their contents or on the basis of clear reference by Anandavardhana and Bhoja. Many verses in Smgaraprakrta are in Mahasrflm and are composed in Skandhaka metre, and as they are not found in Setubandha, they are probably drawn from Harivijaya, especially in view of their similarity of ideas, phrases, diction, style, and metre. Pravarasena’s Setubandha, also known as Ravapavaho, dated to the first half of the 5th century A.D., is completely available with Sanskrit commentaries Setutatva-Candrika and Ramasetupradipa, and eight more unpublished commentaries. The Setubandha deals with a portion of the story of Rama from the return of Hanumat from Lanka with tidings of Sita to the death of Ravana, with special emphasis on the construction of the great causeway between the mainland and the island. It follows the story of Rama as related in the Ramayana with only a few minor variations. The Setubandha is the only extant Mahakavya written in Prakrit, and its affinity to the Sanskrit Mahakavya is one of the main causes of its popularity through the centuries. Vakpatiraja’s Mahumahavijaya and Gaidavaho, composed in the first half of the eighth century A.D., are also discussed. Of these two kavyas, Mahumahavijaya is now lost, though Vakpati himself refers to this work in his Gaidavaho. Abhinavagupta, while commenting on Daivanyaloka, cites a gatha as forming part of Vakpati’s speech, and another gatha cited by Anandavardhana in his Dhvanyaloka is most probably drawn from this mahakavya. Vakpatiraja’s second work, Gaidavaho, is completely available and is a unique history to celebrate the glory of his patron, King Yasovarman, with particular reference to his slaying of the Gauda King. The poem deals with various topics, including word-pictures of various devatas, Kavi-praustha, the glory and greatness of King Yasovarman, a picturesque description of Pragya, the lamentable condition of the wives of the King’s enemies, the king’s expedition

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