Kavya Lakshana

The elements of Poetics or Kavya-agama are said to be ten:
(1) Kavya-svarupa (nature of poetry); causes of poetry, definition of poetry, various classes of
poetry and purpose of poetry;
(2) Sabda-Shakthi, the significance of words and their power;
(3) Dhvani-kavya , the poetry suggestive power is supreme ;
(4) Gunibhuta-Vangmaya-kavya , the poetry where suggested (Dhvani) meaning is secondary
to the primary sense;
(5) Rasa: emotive content;
(6) Guna: excellence of poetic expression ;
(7) Riti ; style of poetry or diction;
(8) Alamkara : figurative beauty of poetic expressions ;
(9) Dosha ; blemishes in poetic expressions that need to be avoided; and ,
(10) Natya-vidhana the dramatic effect or dramaturgy.
Kavyam is considered the most prestigious form in the Sanskrit literature.[weasel words] The
genre evolved from the earlier epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Despite the length of
mahākāvyas (15-30 cantos, a total of about 1500-3000 verses), they are still much shorter than
the Ramayana (500 cantos, 24000 verses) and the Mahabharata (about 100000 verses).
[citation needed]
As mentioned above characterstics are fulfilled by Ramayan and Mahabharata (Ramayana by
Maharshi Valmiki and Mahabharata by Ved Vyasa - itihasa) to a greater extent, they are called
There are five Maha Kavyas in Sanskrit literature which are considered as Panca Mahakavyas
the five epic poems. They are
1. Raghuvamsa of Kalidasa deals with Raghu’s dynasty in 19
cantos 2. Kumara Sambhava of Kalidasa, the wedding of Shiva and Parvati, birth of
Kumaraswamy in 17 cantos
3. Kiratarjuniya of Bharati deals with the war between Shiva in the form of Kirata and Arjuna in
18 cantos
4. Sisupalavadha of Magha deals with the killing of Sisupala by Lord Krishna in 22 cantos
5. Naishadiya Charita by Sri Harsha deals with the story of King Nala and Damayanti in 22
cantos. All these five kavyas contain the whole list of characteristics of Great poem - Maha
Kavya given by Dandi.
Kalidasa is revered and well known for upama
Bharathi - for artha gowravam - meaning
Shishupalavadham by Magha - combines pada lalityam as sweet as Dandi, upama as kalidasa
and artha as bharathi
Naishadhiyacharitam by Sri Harsha - supreme knowledge - difficult to comprehend. on par with
sarswathi.
Topics in the epic should cover like : king , his lineage , place that he rules , ministers ,
advisers ,wealth of things , achievements , fame , his enemies , greatness , war , victory of the
enemy , war setting , advice of advisors , war strategy , war plans and initiations, preparation of
war details , soldiers staying place and magnanimities , having fun with ladies in garden and
water places ,drinks , sex, raise and setting of sun and moon and weathers ,6 seasons , war
details , victory , result of war, doing good to the people … all these topics will be in the epic
(divided variously as eighteen lakshanas)
The writing style should have details , poetic reflections skills got from goddess saraswathi
Dandin in his Kavyadarsa gives an elaborate definition of Mahakavya, the summit of Kavya
genre – sargabandho mahākavyam ucyate tasya lakṣaṇam :
The composition in Cantos (Sargabandha) begins with a benediction (asis or Mangala), or a

salutation (namaskriya) or an indication of the plot (Vastu-nirdesha) – āśīrnamaskriyā
vastunirdeśo vāpi tanmukham .
Its story (Katha) is based on a traditional narrative (itivrtta), or on a true event (ithihasa) from
one or the other sources – itihāsa kathodbhūtam itarad vā sadāśrayam .
It deals with the fruits of the four aims of life (chatur-varga phala Purushartha) and four types of
heroes – catur udātta-nāyakam . Its hero or the principal character (Nayaka) is well
accomplished in all the arts, graceful and noble (Dhirodatta). The Anti-hero (Prati-nayaka) lacks
all such virtues; but is powerful , passionate and full of anger.
The sequence of events in the Sarga-bandha should be structured in Samdhis (junctures)

providing for a logical progression of the events in the story. Accordingly, a Kavya should begin
with an happy opening (Mukha or Adi-mangala) , against which is set the second Samdhi (Prati-
mukha) . Following which the third Samdhi , the Garbha (embryo) gradually unfolds the plot.
That leads to the fourth Samdhi , the Vimarsa the crisis or the testing-times in the life of the
principal character (Nayaka). And, his trails and tribulations are resolved (Nirvahana) in the fifth
Samdhi. And , the Kavya is concluded on an auspicious note ( Antya-mangala).
Adorned (Alamkara) with eighteen (ahsta-dasha-varnana) types of descriptions including that of

the king and his lineage and forefathers,
the kingdom and cities (nagara and capital); ministers and advisors, the kingdoms fame, fortune
or prosperity, trials and tribulations (sorrows, obstacles , difficulties)
and enemy that is comparable, the war, the tactics and strategies in warefare, the armies and
equipment
oceans (arnava); mountains (shaila); seasons (vasantadi ritu); the raising of the sun and moon
(chandra surya-udaya-asthamana);
– nagarā arṇava śailā rtu candrā arka udaya varṇanaiḥ ;
playing in pleasure-parks (vana vihara), (udyana), and in water (jala krida); drinking parties , first
blossoming of love (Purva-raga) and the delights of love-making (madyapana surata); weddings
(vivaha); the separation of lovers (viraha) – udyāna salila kṛīḍā madhu pāna aratotsavaiḥ;
discussions with the wise (vipralambha), weddings, the birth of a son (putrodaya)
– vipralambha vivāhaiś ca kumāro udaya varṇanaiḥ;
state-craft (raja-mantra); gambling or dispatching messengers (dyuta); wars (yuddha);

campaigns (jaitra-yatra); and, accomplishments of the hero (nayaka abyudaya)
– mantra dūta prayāṇāji nāyakā abhyudayair api.
It is not too condensed; but , is pervaded with Rasa (aesthetic mood) and Bhava (basic
emotion) – alaṃkṛtam asaṃkṣiptaṃ rasa bhāva nirantaram;
having Cantos (Sarga) that are not overly diffuse; composed in meters that are pleasing to
hear, with proper junctures , and ending with different meters (that is, meters different from the
main or the carrying meter of the Canto)
– sargair anativistīrṇaiḥ śravyavṛttaiḥ susaṃdhibhiḥ .
Such a Kavya pleasing to the world and well ornamented (Sadalamkriti) will last until the end of
creation
– sarvatra bhinna vṛttāntair upetaṃ loka rañjanam ; kāvyaṃ kalpāntara sthāyi jāyate sad
alaṃkṛti.

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The elements of Poetics or Kavya-agama are said to be ten:

The composition in Cantos (Sargabandha) begins with a benediction (asis or Mangala), or a

The sequence of events in the Sarga-bandha should be structured in Samdhis (junctures)

Adorned (Alamkara) with eighteen (ahsta-dasha-varnana) types of descriptions including that of

– nagarā arṇava śailā rtu candrā arka udaya varṇanaiḥ ;

– vipralambha vivāhaiś ca kumāro udaya varṇanaiḥ;

state-craft (raja-mantra); gambling or dispatching messengers (dyuta); wars (yuddha);

– mantra dūta prayāṇāji nāyakā abhyudayair api.

– sargair anativistīrṇaiḥ śravyavṛttaiḥ susaṃdhibhiḥ .

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