Buddhivinodakavya (A specimen of Paryayakavya)
By D. R. Mankad, Jayashankaren
Summary
This article publishes and analyses the poem ‘Buddhivinodakavyam’, which the author discovered among the manuscripts of Suryashankar T. Shastri. The poem is written on paper and appears to have been copied about seventy‑five years ago. Its author is unknown, but the colophon attributes the commentary to Kilidasa, who calls the poet a ‘great poet’. The editor classifies the work as paryayabandha, a subtype of citrakavya in which each verse is linked by the use of synonyms and elaborate linguistic patterns. He cites the Dhvanyaloka and Abhinavagupta’s commentary to explain paryayabandha. According to Abhinava, paryayabandha is a poetic form where a single subject is depicted through successive variations. The author argues that every verse of the Buddhivinodakavyam exemplifies paryayokta (synonymic expression) and that the poem constitutes a continuous description of nature without digressions, making it comparable to modern short poems. He points out that this type of composition is rare in Sanskrit literature, which generally favours either isolated verses or long mahakavya poems. The article includes the Sanskrit text of the poem with commentary, offering transliteration and explanation of difficult words and phrases. By highlighting the poem’s technical features and aesthetic appeal, the author advocates for recognising paryayakavya as a distinct genre deserving further study.
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Conclusion
The study concludes that Buddhivinodakavyam is a rare example of paryayakavya and illustrates the skilful use of synonymic variation in Sanskrit poetry. Its continuous description of nature and sophisticated wordplay distinguish it from more common poetic forms. The author encourages scholars to explore similar works and to appreciate the diversity of Sanskrit literary genres.