EXTRE ME P OETRY south asia across the disciplines SOUTH ASIA ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES edited by dipesh chakrabarty, sheldon pollock, and sanjay subrahmanyam Funded by a grant from the Andrew W Mellon Foundation and jointly published by the University of California Press, the University of Chicago Press, and Columbia University Press Extreme Poetry: The South Asian Movement of Simultaneous Narration by Yigal Bronner (Columbia) The Social Space of Language: Vernacular Culture in British Colonial Punjab by Farina Mir (California) Unifying Hinduism: The Philosophy of Vijnanabhiksu in Indian Intellectual History by Andrew J Nicholson (Columbia) Everyday Healing: Hindus and Others in an Ambiguously Islamic Place by Carla Bellamy (California) South Asia Across the Disciplines is a series devoted to publishing first books across a wide range of South Asian studies, including art, history, philology or textual studies, philosophy, religion, and the interpretive social sciences Series authors all share the goal of opening up new archives and suggesting new methods and approaches, while demonstrating that South Asian scholarship can be at once deep in expertise and broad in appeal extreme poetry the south asian movement of simultaneous narration Yigal Bronner columbia university press new york Columbia University Press Publishers Since 1893 New York Chichester, West Sussex Copyright © 2010 Columbia University Press All rights reserved Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bronner, Yigal Extreme poetry : the South Asian movement of simultaneous narration / Yigal Bronner p cm.—(South Asia across the disciplines) Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN9 78-0-231-15160-3( cloth: a lk.p aper)—ISBN9 78-0-231-52529-9( electronic) Sanskrit poetry—History and criticism I Title PK2916.B72 891'.21009—dc22 Puns and punning in literature II Series 2010 2009028171 Columbia University Press books are printed on permanent and durable acid-free paper This book was printed on paper with recycled content Printed in the United States of America c 10 p 10 References to Internet Web sites (URLs) were accurate at the time of writing Neither the author nor Columbia University Press is responsible for URLs that may have expired or changed since the manuscript was prepared For my parents, Dina and Fred Bronner ārat sabad jis kavit mem na hoi ārat sabad bāj rījhe na koi A poem that doesn’t have Dual-meaning words, Such a poem does not Attract anyone at all— A poem without Words of two senses —Ma{navī Kadam Rā’o Padam Rā’o of Fakhr-e Dn Nizm, p 133, translation ă by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi CONTENTS Figures and Tables xiii Acknowledgments xv A Note on Sanskrit Transliteration introduction xvii 1.1 Ślesa: A Brief Overview of the Mechanisms of Simultaneity 1.2 The Many Manifestations of Ślesa: A Brief Sketch 1.3 What (Little) Is Known About Ślesa 1.4 The Anti-Ślesa Bias: Romanticism, Orientalism, Nationalism 1.5 Is Ślesa “Natural” to Sanskrit? 13 1.6 Toward a History and Theory of Ślesa 17 experimenting with lesa in subandhu’s prose lab 20 2.1 The Birth of a New Kind of Literature 20 2.2 The Paintbrush of Imagination: Plot and Description in the Vāsavadattā 25 2.3 Amplifying the World: Subandhu’s Alliterative Compounds 2.4 Showcasing Ślesa: The Opening Lines of the Vāsavadattā 33 38 x contents 2.5 Teasing the Convention: The Targets of Subandhu’s Ślesa 2.6 Bāna’s Laughter and the Response to Subandhu 44 50 2.7 Conclusion 55 the disguise of language: lesa enters the plot 57 3.1 Kīcakavadha (Killing Kīcaka) by Nītivarman 58 3.2 The Elephant in the (Assembly) Room: Nītivarman’s Buildup 60 3.3 From Smoldering to Eruption: Draupadī’s Ślesa and Its Implications 64 3.4 Embracing the Subject: Ślesa and Selfing 71 3.5 Embracing Twin Episodes: Ślesa and the Refinement of the Epic 75 3.6 Flowers and Arrows, Milk and Water: Responses to Nītivarman’s Ślesa 78 3.7 Sarasvatī’s Ślesa: Disguise and Identity in Śrīharsa’s Naisadhacarita 82 3.8 Conclusion 88 aiming at two targets: the early attempts 91 4.1 The Mahabalipuram Relief as a Visual Ślesa 4.2 Dandin: A Lost Work and Its Relic 92 99 4.3 Dhanañjaya: The Poet of Two Targets 102 4.4 Lineages Ornamented and Tainted: On Ślesa’s Contrastive Capacities 106 4.5 What Gets Conarrated? Dhanañjaya’s Matching Scheme 4.6 Ślesa and the Aesthetics of Simultaneity 4.7 Why Conarrate the Epics? 119 115 112 342 Laksmanakavi, Pindiprōlu, 136, 256, 274 Laksmīnārāyana, Rāvipāti, 275 Lalitālaya (architect in Mahāmallapuram), 97 Lalitavistara, 22 language(s): bilingualism, 7, 122, 240, 278n18, 294n3, 295n21; competition between, 133, 138, 202, 239; disguise of, 57–90; iconic capability of, 31; Joyce and, 263; multilingualism, 138, 239, 260; puns and, 4–5, 13–16, 277n4, 279n43; Sanskritized, 134, 137; śles.a and, 13–16, 17, 127, 137, 238, 258, 279n43, 279n45, 296n54 See also description/descriptive language; figurative language; “vernacular revolution”; specific languages La]kāvijayamu (Laksmanakavi), 274 Lava]gikā, 78–79, 156 lexicographical boom, 16, 128–32, 157, 193, 234, 238, 295n21; commentators and, 129, 176, 179–80, 181, 193, 295n22; Sanskrit expansion and, 130–31 See also commentators lexicon(s): alleged naturalness of Sanskrit, 14–16; Amara’s famous, 130, 131, 172, 281n25; Dhanañjaya’s, 102–4, 129, 292n34; far-fetched items in, 162–63; Kavirāja and, 141 Lienhard, Siegfried, 8, 279, 280n12 Life of Naisadha See Naisadhacarita Light on Poetry See Kāvyaprakāśa lineage of ´slesa poets, 234–35, 247 linguistic cues (nibandhanas), 157 literary borrowing, 51–52, 125, 200, 234, 280n15 See also intertexts/ intertextuality; literary movement; śles.a literary language See poetics literary movement, śles.a, 2–3, 7, 123–132, 133, 155, 195, 203, 234–39 literature: Kannada, 133, 197, 269, 294n3, 295n37; kathā, 24, 28, 45, 55, 281n25; multilingual atmosphere in, 138, 239, 260; self-reflexivity in, 249, 252, 256, 263–65; visual arts interactions with, 97–98 See also kāvya; Sanskrit, belles lettres of; specific literary concepts index Lopez, Donald, 181 lotus-face simile, 196, 217–24, 229, 250, 310n106 Love See Kāma Lyly, John, 24 Mādhava: disguise of, 89; garland and, 78, 288n62; need to understand śles.a of, 156; selfing of, 78–79, 288n62 Māgha, 78–82, 91, 101, 102, 119, 156, 157, 232, 244, 294n5, 311n24; Bhāravi’s influence on, 79, 259; Bhoja’s mention of, 92, 119, 232; epic refi nement by, 89–90, 248, 259; Kr.s.n.a and messenger episode of, 79–82, 156, 157, 178, 244–45, 250, 255–56, 289n68, 289n72, 299n1; Rāmāyan.a’s influence on, 89; selfhood in works of Nītivarman/ Śrīhars.a and, 86–87, 244 Mahabalipuram relief, 94; aesthetics of simultaneity in Dvisandhānakāvya and, 116–18; Arjuna in, 93, 95, 96, 98–99, 118, 237; Bhāravi and, 93, 94, 119; Dan.d.in relation/visit to, 97–98, 238; date of, 290n7; elephants in, 118; inspiration for, 119; Narasimhavarman I and, 95; narrative interpretations of, 93–95; overview of, 93; penance and, 96, 116, 119–20; penance figure in center of, 96, 116; Śiva in, 93, 94, 95, 99, 116, 290n13; as visual śles.a, 7, 9, 92–99, 118, 237–38, 290n15, 291n20 Mahābhārata: age (yuga) of events in Rāmāyan.a vs., 120, 149, 150; allegorized, 182; Bhāravi’s choice of single episode of, 74–75, 76, 247; “Book of Virāt a, The,” narration of through, 57–60, 77–78, 288n50; commentaries on, 181–83, 192–94, 287n28; Dhanañjaya’s modifications to plot of, 113, 114, 293n53; epic refinement and, 75–78, 88–90, 146–47, 151–55, 246–49, 261; evolution of Rāmāyan.a and, 148–49, 246; Harivam.śa of, 120; intertextuality of Rāmāyan.a and, 143, 147, 148–54, 247–49, 261; Jain versions of, 104–6, 110, 115–16, 120, 292n40, 292n44, 293n53, 293n54, 293n56; Māgha’s narrative on “Book of the index Assembly Hall” from, 79–82; as ocean, 126, 147–48, 154, 248, 261; Rāmāyan.a as response to, 149–51; Rāmāyan.a as superior to, 114–15; rasa associated with, 148; retelling of “Forest Book” Nala story from, 82–83; troubling episodes in, 76, 247–49; violence in Rāmāyan.a vs., 149 See also episodes paired; Rāmāyan.a-Mahābhārata; Rāmāyan.a-Mahābhārata conarration; Vyāsa; specific characters; specific sections Mahāhavamalla, Arjuna as, 290n15 mahākāvyas (grand poems), 20, 115, 125, 245 Malamoud, Charles, 85 Mālatīmādhava (Bhavabhūti), 78–79, 156, 232, 244, 288n62, 299n10 Mallinātha (commentator), 80–81, 289n68, 289n72, 290n86, 305n9; on Meghadūta, 171–75, 175, 301n37, 301n43 Māmallapuram See Mahabalipuram relief Mammat a, 297n37; concern with the blurring of authorial responsibility, 194, 237, 257; on dos.as, 160–69, 300n19, 300n28, 300n31; on grades of poetry, 201; on kāvya’s three conditions, 240; Ruyyaka and, 201; on śles.a, 207, 209, 213, 223; “synonym test” of, 207; synthesis of poetics by, 160, 201; on upamā vs śles.a, 205, 223, 307n42 Mantharā, 108, 149, 298n88 mantras, Vedic, 206 Maratha court, 270, 278n17, 297n58 masks/masking: coalescence (tādātmya) and, 72–74; intertextuality and, 229, 251, 262; Māgha’s śles.a as, 81–82, 86; Shulman on, 72–74, 89; vakrokti (“crookedness” of poetic language) as system of, 220, 222, 229–30, 251, 252, 253, 257 See also disguise; selfi ng/ self-resumption McCrea, Lawrence, 82, 158, 199, 244, 306n25, 308n68, 308n70 meaning(s): Bhartr.hari on words with multiple, 210, 308n70; doubtful 343 (sam.digdham), 241, 300n19; ghost, 130, 131, 163; mutually incompatible, 260; ornaments of, 8, 206–9, 210, 213, 228, 280n13, 307n50, 307n51 See also ambiguity; lexicon(s); monosyllabic words; opposite meanings; specific faults (dos.as) Meghadūta (Kālidāsa), 252, 301n50; bitextuality not indicated in, 170; śles.a reading of, 169–76, 175, 183, 194 Meghavijayagani, 10, 124, 126, 234, 271 Meister, Michael, messenger(s), 57, 184, 239; cloud-, 170–75, 175; geese as, 83; Hanumān, 114; Kr.s.n.a’s, 114, 293n54; Lavan˙gikā, 78, 156, 299n1; Nala, 83; Śiśupāla’s, 79–82, 156, 157, 178, 244–45, 289n68, 299n1; Tamālikā, 25; in Vāsavadattā, 26, 44–45, 176–80, 180, 181, 194, 283n55 metaphorical identification See rūpaka meters: śārdūlavikrīd.ita (tiger’s play), 32; śloka, 21; vaktra, 45; ven.pā (Tamil), 137 middle-ground theory, 257–65 Mīmām.sā, 189, 196, 198, 199, 200, 208, 209, 305n4, 305n25 Minkowski, Christopher, 8, 124, 126, 139, 181, 270, 244n5, 313n8 Mirror of Poetry, The See Kāvyādarśa mixture See samsrsti modifier/head noun rotation, 140–42 monkey, on Arjuna’s flag, 70, 152–53, 298n97 monosyllabic words, 16, 128–29, 131, 164, 173, 180, 182, 238; resegmentation and, 128 moon: face compared to, 48, 61, 199, 205, 217–20, 222, 239, 250–52, 256, 311n39; kings compared to, 4–5, 16, 61, 275, 277n4, 284n124 mountain-lifting episode, 115–17, 120, 153, 249, 293n56 Mount Vindhya, 23, 25, 26, 32, 44, 45, 46, 133 Mrtyuñjayakavi, Krottala]kā, 136, 274 Mughal era, 176, 201, 202 multilingualism, 138, 239, 260; multilingual śles.as, 122, 203, 235, 294n3, 295n21, 297n58 Muttuppulavar, 137, 296n54 344 Nābheyanemikāvya (Hemacandrasūri), 269 Nāgacandra, 269 Naisadha See Nala Nais.adhacarita (Śrīhars.a), 82–83, 156, 232–33, 259, 289n78, 290n86; commentaries on, 83, 289n78; date of, 232; knots in, 87–88, 156, 240; Sarasvatī’s śles.a in, 84–88, 245; Telugu adaptation of, 134 See also Pañcanalīya Naisadhapārijāta (Krsnakavi), 270 Naisadhapārijātīyamu (Krsnādhvari), 273 Nala (Nais.adha), 43, 46, 47, 83–87, 89–90, 124, 125, 130, 134, 135, 136, 139, 156, 158, 233, 236, 245, 270, 271, 273, 276 Nalahariścandrīya (anonymous), 271 Nalayādavarāghavapāndavīya (anonymous), 271 Nalayādavarāghavapāndavīyamu (Ve]katakrsnayya), 276 Nāmamālā (Dhanañjaya), 102, 292n36 naming patterns of bitextual/ multitextual works, 125 Narahari (commentator), 172–75, 182, 193, 194, 257, 301n52 Naraharikavi, 125, 271 Narasimhavarman I, 95, 96, 290n7, 290n15 Nārāyan.a Bhat t a, 234, 286n1, 305n9 naturalistic description See svabhāvokti Nātyaśāstra (dramaturgy), 196, 198, 280n11, 280n13, 284n86 NCC See New Catalogus Catalogorum Nemi, 106–7, 124, 268, 269 Nemināthacarita (Sūrācārya), 268–69, 294n7 New Catalogus Catalogorum (NCC), 267, 297n62, 297n63, 313n7, 314n26 nibandhanas (linguistic cues), 157 Nicula, 171, 175 Nighantu, 292n34 nihatārtha, ślesa-related fault, 160–63, 173 nine gems, 12, 279n36 nirn.aya (resolution of doubt), 196, 218, 220, 221 Nirvacanabhāratagarbharāmāyanamu (Laksmīnārāyana), 275 index Nītivarman, 10, 57–60, 119, 148, 153, 156–57, 159, 178, 183, 232, 247, 257, 259, 286n3, 288n60, 290n89; Bhoja’s mention of, 58, 79, 92, 203, 236; claim of innovation by, 60, 236, 286n10; criticism of, 10; epic refi nement by, 75–78; influence of, 78–82; inspired by Bhāravi, 76; Māgha and, 86–87, 91; śles.a used by, 60–78, 86, 91–92, 101, 102, 157, 235, 243–44, 247–48, 286n11; Śrīhars.a and, 86–87, 235; yamaka used by, 60–64, 77, 157, 243, 286n13 obscenity (aślīla), śles.a-related fault, 160, 165–68, 300n21 oceans, kings and, 40, 43, 49, 224–26, 226, 239, 256 Odyssey, 1, Of Jesus and Kr.s.n.a (Gadēpalli Kukkut ēśvara Rao), 137, 276 O’Flaherty, Wendy Doniger See Doniger, Wendy omissions, epic refi nement and, 76, 144, 146, 261 onomatopoeia: Saussurian model and, 264; in Vāsavadattā, 34–36 On Puns: The Foundation of Letters (ed Culler), 12, 263 On Rāghava and the Pāndavas See Rāghavapāndavīya opposite meanings: depicted through śles.a, 6, 49, 79–82, 184, 245; śles.arelated fault (viruddhamatikr.t), 160, 163–64, 169 Orientalism, 9–13 ornamentation, Indologists’ attitude toward, 10–11, 278n28 See also alam.kāra oronyms, 5, 14, 207 See also resegmentation “othering,” 149, 298n89 overstanding, 158, 181 painting, 37–38; with imagination, 25–33, 50 palindromes, 124, 269, 294n7 Pallava dynasty, 95, 290n15; Chalukya armies and, 96–97; Dandin and, 99–100; panegyrics (praśasti), 95, index 290n15; visual/written arts interactions in, 97–98 Pāñcālīsvayam.vara (Nārāyan.a Bhat t a), 286n1, 305n9 Pañcanalīya (Five Nalas), 83–88, 134, 156, 233, 246, 299n1 Pañcasandhānakāvya (Śāntirāja), 125, 271 Pān.d.avas, 58, 59, 93, 142, 150, 270, 271; disguise of, 59, 60, 61, 63–64, 69, 145, 157, 244, 286n14, 288n60; in Dvisandhānakāvya, 108, 109, 112, 113, 139; in Jain epic versions, 104–5, 107, 112; kinship with Kauravas, 149, 298n86; in Kirātārjunīya, 76; marriage of paired with Rāma’s, 112–13, 293n53; in Rāghavapān.d.avīya, 142, 144, 145, 146; secret exile of, 58–60, 75, 142; selfi ng of, 68, 69, 71, 75; in Virāt a’s court, 60–64, 157, 182–83, 244, 288n50 panegyrics (praśasti), 8, 21, 40, 95, 161, 290n15 Pān.ini, 15, 45, 49, 127, 196, 227, 240 Pannāla Brahmanna, 275, 296n49 parisamkhyā (delimitation), in Vāsavadattā, 42 parody: Bān.a and, 52–53; Subandhu and, 50; vidūs.aka and, 254 parrot, 45, 49, 214; in Vāsavadattā, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, 37, 45, 46, 49, 282n32, 284n84 “partial equivalence.” See tulyayogitā Pārvatī: made from the standards of beauty, 312n41; Sītā and, 136; Śiva and, 7, 122, 124, 158, 192, 199, 232, 237; Śiva’s disguise and epiphany to, 74–75 Pārvatīrukmin.īya (Vidyāmādhava), 126, 133, 234, 268–69, 294n10, 296n47, 306n39 paryāyokta, 197, 305n9, 308n68 Paümacariya (Vimalasūri), 104, 105, 110, 115–16, 120, 293n52, 293n56 Pedarāmāmātyudu, Pōdūri, 274 penance episodes, 95, 98–99, 116, 119–20 Persian language, 7, 124, 139, 202, 279n45, 306n28 Peterson, Indira Viswanathan, 251, 252, 253, 312n41 Peterson, Peter, 278n27 345 phonemes, 15, 34, 35, 36–37, 101, 196, 206, 208 Pin˙gal.i Sūranna, 14, 134–37, 235, 259, 273, 296n41, 296n42, 297n68; bitextual techniques listed by, 296n52 plays, bitextual, 7, 125, 238, 271 plot(s): as connectives, 261; description vs., 25–33, 55, 108; Dhanañjaya’s modifications to Mahābhārata, 113, 114, 293n53; in Hars.a’s works, 72; Kīcakavadha’s hinging on Virāt a’s failure to understand, 157; neglect of, 9, 10; as pearls, 147–48, 248, 261; similarity/divergence of epic, 104, 108, 111–115, 116, 118, 119–20, 144–46; śles.a as device of, 57–90, 156–58, 232, 234, 244, 246; Subandhu’s innovative, 23–24; suspense in combination of, 141–43 See also episodes paired Poem of Seven Targets (Hemacandra), 124, 125–26, 128, 129, 133, 234, 269, 295n38 poems/poetry: bidirectional, 124–25, 126–27, 139, 154, 240, 270, 271, 294n5, 314n27; bilingual/multilingual, 7, 122, 203, 235, 240, 278n18, 294n3, 295n21, 297n58; disparaging (tit.t.ukāvya), 136, 256; extreme, 10, 19, 230, 240, 242, 248, 249, 257–65, 295n14; first/primal (ādikāvya), 20, 89, 149, 154, 246; grades of, 201; inscribed, 6, 8, 21, 22, 33, 40, 95, 132, 231, 234, 280n6; painting vs., 37–38; Sarasvatī as embodiment of, 84, 156, 203, 237, 245; “soul” of, 199, 227 See also intertexts/intertextuality; kāvya; mahākāvyas; śles.a; specific poems poet(s): anxiety of, 157, 159, 236; collective awareness of bitextual, 125–28, 234–39, 290n89; competition among, 51, 53, 126–27, 135, 139, 170–71; distinction/virtuosity of, 236, 239–42; Kannada, 103, 133, 295n37; lineage of, 103, 234–35, 247, 261; most celebrated śles.a, 10, 50–51, 285n108; pride/ prestige of, 12, 102, 119, 127, 138, 236, 239–40, 253–54, 292n31, 292n37, 297n57; readers as, 194; references/ tributes to other poets by, 51, 126, 148, 346 poet(s) (continued) 170–71, 234, 262, 285n108; role of, 249; self-composed commentaries by, 45, 129, 156, 238, 269, 270, 275, 295n23, 299n3; self-praise, 102, 126, 234, 285n108, 295n23, 299n3; subtle perception of, 33; titles given to, 138, 236, 273, 275, 297n57; of two targets, 102–6 See also authorial intention; specific poets poetic devices See alamkāra; poetics poetic intensification (atiśaya), 216, 307n44 poetics, 196–202, 208, 209, 250; called for by Culler, 262; Dan.d.in’s view on, 226–30; of dilemma, 149, 247; kavisamaya, 34, 44, 48, 55, 217–18, 220, 311n35; of perfection, 149, 150, 247 See also alam.kāra; Alam.kāraśāstra; kavisamaya; śles.a Pollock, Sheldon, 6, 196, 246, 285n108, 292n35; death of Sanskrit view of, 133; on “othering” in epic parallel, 149, 298n89; on Rāmāyana/Mahābhārata, 148, 149–50, 151; on “vernacular revolution,” 132–33 Porcher, Marie-Claude, 8, 270, 294n5 pornography, 165–66, 167, 168, 203, 257 practice (abhyāsa), 240, 241–42 prahasana (farce), 165, 254–55 prahelikā (riddle), 241 praise: blame and in Subandhu’s go-betweens’ speech, 177–78; for Dan.d.in, 100; for Dhanañjaya, 104, 292n32, 292n37; for Draupadī, 63; in inscribed poetry, 21, 280n6; for kings/mythical heroes, 41, 46, 56, 255; lighthearted, 52; for Nicula, 170–71; for Nītivarman’s patron, 60; self-, 102, 126, 234; for śles a/śles a poets, 159, 237; for śles a-using characters, 156, 299n1; for Subandhu, 51, 280n14; trick/false, 79–82, 163–64, 169, 197, 210, 245, 289n68, 289n72, 300n19 See also kavipraśam.sā; vyājastuti “praise of poets.” See kavipraśam.sā Prakrit, 7, 24, 104, 105, 132, 133, 274, 278n18, 294n3, 295n38 index praśasti (panegyrics), 8, 21, 40, 95, 161, 290n15 Prativāsudevas, 105, 106, 115, 116, 292n44 presupposition, literary, 220–21, 224, 225, 226, 229, 230, 250, 262 Primal Poem See ādikāvya Pritchett, Frances, 10–11, 279n39 Priyadarśikā (Harsa), 74, 232, 244 prose, 21–25, 55, 179, 231, 234, 281n25, 282n26; Bhoja on, 282n26; combining poetry with, 125; Dan.d.in’s works in, 22, 55, 100; fi rst stylized, 22; genres of, 281n25; śles.a’s history in, 231–32; three masters of, 18, 22, 55 prostitutes: Draupadī’s hairdresser disguise and, 61, 286n16; Subandhu’s comparison of Veda to, 49, 285n100 Pūjyapāda (Jain scholar), 103 Puns and Pundits, 12 puns/punning, 6, 7, 12, 39–40, 177, 204–5, 210; on authors’ names, 102, 107, 235–36, 292n32; commentators and, 177–79, 233; Dan.d.in on, 219–226; danger of, 210, 255; Derrida on, 264; language and, 4–5, 13–16, 277n4, 279n43, 279n44; meaning (in)stability and, 263–64; obscene, 167; postmodernism and, 263–64; prahelikā and, 241; renewed interest in, 12, 263; śles.a as subject of, 253, 292n31; śles.a larger than, 208, 255, 263; śles.a ornament vs., 228, 307n51; Subandhu’s, 38–40, 42–56, 82, 171, 193, 204, 231, 284n84, 301n38, 302n64; upamās (similes) containing, 205, 223–25, 228, 229, 253, 310n105; visual/ sculpted, 7, 97, 118, 237–38, 291n19 See also śles.a Purān.as, 24, 239, 298n93; Bhāgavata, 278n35; Brahminical, 120; Harivam.śa, 115, 120, 292n40, 293n56; Jain, 105; Rāmacandracaritra, 269; Vis.n.udharmottara, 197 queens See specific queens Rabe, Michael, 9, 93, 95–99, 118, 157, 237–38, 290n7, 290n8, 290n15, 291n20 Raghavan, V., 203, 278n21, 281n18 index Rāghavanais.adhīya (Haradatta Sūri), 129, 270, 275, 299n3 Rāghavanais.adhīyamu (tr Dorasāmiśarma), 275 Rāghavapāndavayādavīyamu (Vīrabhadrakavi), 275 Rāghavapāndavīya (anonymous), 268, 271 Rāghavapāndavīya (Cidambarakavi), 270 Rāghavapān.d.avīya (Kavirāja), 17, 18, 126, 133, 135–36, 140–54, 172, 232, 235, 269, 279n1, 298n74; commentators on, 140, 297n63; date of, 232, 269; epic parallels in, 142–47, 151–53, 204, 297n70; epic refinement in, 144, 146–54, 247–48; intertextuality and, 259, 260, 263; lack of scholarship on, 140; list of bitextual devices in introduction of, 140–41, 142; suspense in, 141–43; syllepses in, 260–61 See also episodes paired; Kavirāja Rāghavapāndavīya (Krsnapandita), 269 Rāghavapāndavīya (Pi]gali Sūranna), 134, 135, 273, 296n41, 296n42, 296n52 Rāghavapān.d.avīya (Śrutakīrti Traividya), 124, 269 Rāghavavāsudēvīyamu (Si]garācāryudu), 274 Rāghavayādavapāndavīya (Anantakavi), 271, 299n3 Rāghavayādavapān.d.avīya (Rājacūd.āman.i Dīks.ita), 270 Rāghavayādavapāndavīyamu (Bālasarasvatī), 273 Rāghavayādavīya (Someśvara Kavi), 271 Rāghavayādavīya (Vasupraharāja), 271 Raghuvam.śa (Kālidāsa), 312n41; twinning (yamaka) in, 21 Rājacūd.āman.i Dīks.ita, 270 Rājaśekhara, 100, 104, 292n32, 292n37, 311n35 Rājyalaks.mī (Kr.s.n.a Rao), 136–37, 276 Rāma: conarrated with Kr.s.n.a, 120, 125, 135, 269, 270, 271, 273, 274; contrasted with Yudhis.t hira in Dhanañjaya’s work, 108–12, 115, 118, 249, 261; Daśaratha and, 48, 108, 142, 143; marriage of compared to Arjuna’s, 112–13, 293n53; nobility of Yudhis.t hira 347 and, 147; paired with Yudhisthira, 101–2, 113, 141, 293n52; selfi ng/ selfhood of, 71, 89, 288n46; Sītā abandoned by, 43, 255; Sītā abducted from, 113, 136, 144–45, 146, 150, 151, 274; Sītā regained by, 113, 288n46; Subandhu’s punned critique of, 42–43; toys with Śūrpan.akhā, 111, 144, 293n53; Vālin killed by, 145, 146–47, 261 Rāmacaritam (Sandhyākaranandin), 8, 124, 241, 295n36; date/story of, 269 Rāmakrsnacaritra (Si]garācāryulu), 135, 273 Rāmakrsnārjunarūpanārāyanīyamu (Somaśekharakavi), 275 Rāmakrsnaśāstri, 276 Rāmakrsnavilomakāvya (Sūryadāsa), 270 Rāmakrsnōpākhyānamu (Śripādavē]katācalapati), 274–75 Ramanujan, A K.: crystal growth analogy of, 89–90, 120, 246; train story of, 3–4, 277n2 Rāmapāla (Pāla monarch), 8, 124, 269 Rāmarājabhūsanudu, 135, 136, 137, 139, 271, 272, 273 Rāmāyan.a: as ādikāvya (fi rst poem), 20, 89, 149, 154, 246; age (yuga) of Mahābhārata vs., 120, 149, 150; commentaries on, 181–83, 194; Dhanañjaya’s partiality to, 114–15; embarrassing episodes in, 76, 288n51; epic refi nement and, 76, 151, 247–49, 298n93; Gan˙gā’s descent story in, 95; influence on Māgha, 89; Jain counterparts of, 104–6, 115–16, 150, 293n52, 293n53, 293n56; older layer of, 150, 151; Pollock on “othering” and, 149, 298n89; Rāma’s selfi ng/selfhood in, 71, 89, 288n46; rasa associated with, 148; retellings of, 76, 247; Subandhu’s śles.a criticism of, 47–48; Vālin episode in and its refi nement, 145, 146–47, 261; Vālmīki’s curse in, 183 See also Rāmāyan.a-Mahābhārata; Rāmāyan.a-Mahābhārata conarration; specific characters 348 Rāmāyan.a-Mahābhārata: interrelated pair/set, 119–21, 148–53, 246–49; link between authors of, 148, 298n83; mutual evolution of, 246–47; poetics of dilemma vs perfection, 149, 150, 247; Pollock on “othering” and, 149, 298n89; Rāmāyan.a as response to Mahābhārata, 149–51; rasa associated with each, 148 See also Rāmāyan.a-Mahābhārata conarration; specific epics Rāmāyan.a-Mahābhārata conarration: amplifying intertextuality of, 148–53; Dan.d.in’s lost work, 99–102; dates of experiments with, 232; Dvisandhānakāvya’s scheme of, 92, 107–15, 249, 256, 293n52, 293n53, 293n55, 297n70; of exile passage in, 108–12, 148; of hunting expeditions, 142–43, 144–45, 148; of killing Vālin/ Kīcaka, 145–47; Rāghavapān.d.avīya’s scheme of, 140–47, 249; of Rāma’s/ Pān.d.avas’ marriage, 112–13, 293n53; simultaneity and, 115–18, 249; of Sītā’s/ Draupadī’s abduction, 144–45; śles.a’s contrastive capacity and, 106–12, 118, 249, 256, 261; of Śūrpan.akhā/Kīcaka, 111–12; of Śūrpan.akhā/Urvaśī, 143–44, 147; of Vibhīs.an.a/Ghat otkaca help epic heroes, 148; of wars, 114, 151 See also episodes paired; Rāmāyan.a-Mahābhārata; specific works rasa, 12, 37, 44, 148, 197, 199, 200, 201, 210, 211, 241, 304n114, 308n68 Ratnākara, 8, 122, 158, 159, 192, 232, 235, 236 Ratnaśrījñāna, 222, 223, 228, 309n101 Ratnāvalī (Harsa), 78, 125 Rāvan.a: in Dvisandhānakāvya/Jain tellings, 105, 106, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 117; infamy of, 254; paired with poet’s enemy, 136, 256, 274, 275, 296n49; in Rāghavapān.d.avīya, 144–45, 146, 149, 150, 151, 152; Śiśupāla and, 82, 89; Vāsavadattā compared to, 49 Ravicandra, Amaru reading by, 183–92, 193, 194, 257, 303n88, 303n91, 303n100, 304n112, 304n114 index “readerly” ślesa, 169–75; “writerly” vs., 169, 181–82, 302n77 readers: author intention vs interpretation by, 169–75, 181–82, 192–94; bitextual cognitive process of, 209–14; Damayantī as, 86–88, 156, 157–58; empowered, 157–58, 192; lexicons and, 129, 162, 172, 173, 176, 182; in listening characters, 156; as poets, 194; protection of, invocation for, 185; representations/instructions for, 156–59; virtuosity and, 240 readings, śles.a, 155–94; allegory and, 181–83, 302n77; of Amaru, 183–92; of epics, 181–83; of Meghadūta (Cloud Messenger), 170–75, 175; paradox of, 192–94; śles.a-related faults and, 159–69; of Vāsavadattā, 176–80 See also commentaries; commentators regional languages See “vernacular revolution” relief See Mahabalipuram relief religious competition, as context of South Asian epics, 104 Renou, Louis, 8, 279n1 repetition: generative, 89–90, 120, 246; of sounds, 33–37, 178, 179 See also anuprāsa resegmentation (oronyms), 5, 6, 13–14, 21, 192, 207, 208, 209, 223, 279n42; in Dan.d.in’s lost work, 101; in Dvisandhānakāvya, 117; monosyllabic lexicons/guidebooks and, 128, 131; in Rāghavapān.d.avīya, 141, 142–43, 145–46; śles.a-readers’ use of, 173–74, 179, 182; śles.a-related faults and, 163–64, 165–66, 168; in Vakroktipañcāśikā, 158 resolution of doubt See nirn.aya response: Bān.a’s to Subandhu, 50–55, 235, 285n111, 285n112; to Nītivarman, 78–82; to Rāmarājabhūs.an.ud.u’s Nalahariścandrīya, 139; Rāmāyan.a’s to Mahābhārata, 149–50; Śrīnāthud.u’s to Śrīhars.a’s challenge, 134; to Subandhu, 50–55 reverberation, 23, 33, 34–37, 38, 44, 153 rhyming See yamaka index riddles, 55–56, 97, 240, 242, 261; prahelikā and, 241; virodhābhāsa and, 40–42 Riffaterre, Michael, 260–61, 262, 312n63 rivers: bathing women’s standards of comparison and, 252; of blood, 77; comparison of war to bathing women and, 46; Godāvarī, 126–27, 139; of poetry, 127; Revā, 33, 46; Sarasvatī, 23; of tears, 64–65 See also Ganges River Romanticism, 9–13, 17, 233, 262 Roodbergen, A F., 8, 307n63 Rossetti, Gabriele, 193 royal courts, 123, 133, 140, 254, 295n37; kāvya subversion and, 254; Virāta’s, 60–64, 244 royal-divine simultaneity, 6, 38–42, 85, 124 Rudrat a: on bilingual/multilingual śles.a, 122, 235, 294n3, 295n21; on lexicographical mastery, 129, 159; on śles.a, 159, 203, 205, 208, 210, 211, 236–37, 239, 241, 293n51, 294n3, 306n37, 307n52, 307n65; on supercategories of ornamentation, 205, 214, 307n44; on vakrokti (intentional distortion), 122, 203, 236 Rukmin.ī, 124, 126, 269, 296n47 rūpaka (metaphorical identification), 196, 198, 199, 204, 205, 216, 217, 284n14, 305n4, 309n81, 311n39 Russell, Ralph, 10–11 Ruyyaka, 201, 204, 208, 209–10, 250, 306n39, 308n71, 311n39 śabda (sound), 206, 307n50 See also sound, devices of Śabdārthacintāmani (Cidambarakavi), 270 śabdaśaktimūladhvani (suggestion based on the power of the words), 211, 301n43 sādhana, second meaning of, 166, 168 Said, Edward, 11 sairandhrī, 286n16 śalākāpurus.as See Eminent Persons Salomon, Richard, 40 samānopamā (as-if simile), 223–24 samdigdham (doubtful meaning), 241, 300n19 samśaya (doubt), 196–97, 218, 220, 221 samsrsti (mixture of ornaments), 215, 309n82 349 sandhi (euphonic combination) resolution, 6, 13, 15, 101, 173, 179, 181, 187, 206, 208 Sandhyākaranandin, 8, 124, 133, 241, 269 Śan˙kara (commentator), 281n18, 285n123 Śan˙kara (philosopher): Amaru and, 188–92, 304n112, 304n114; debate with Sarasvatī, 189–92, 304n106; hagiographies on, 189–92, 304n106 Sanskrit: belles lettres of, 6, 24, 231; canon, 10, 12, 56, 119, 177, 184, 239, 245, 254; compounds/compounding techniques, 13, 35, 36, 101, 172; cosmopolis, 6, 132–33, 231; culture/ literary culture/tradition, 9, 12, 13, 15, 19, 46, 139, 148, 192, 194, 246, 250, 254, 259–60; grammar, 15, 159, 196, 239; homonyms, and, 13, 208–10; inscriptions, 6, 8, 21, 22, 33, 40, 95, 132, 231, 234, 280n6; lexicographical boom in, 16, 128–32, 157, 193, 234, 238, 295n21; lexicon of, 14–15, 130–31, 162, 179, 238; monopoly of, 132, 133, 233; monosyllabic words in, 16, 128–29, 164, 173 180, 182, 238; orthography, 14, 15, 208; Pollock’s theory on death of, 133; prose, 21–25, 55, 179, 231, 234, 281n25, 282n26; sandhi (euphonic combination) resolution in, 6, 13, 15, 101, 173, 179, 181, 187, 206, 208; śles.a absence in early, 20; śles.a as inherent/ natural to, 13–16, 17, 127, 137, 238, 258, 279n41, 279n43; synonyms and, 14–15, 130; syntax/word order, 13, 27, 101, 172, 192, 208; “vernacular revolution” and, 132–39, 153, 233; virtuosity and, 236, 239–42 See also Alam.kāraśāstra; kāvya; poetics Sanskrit poetics See Alam.kāraśāstra Sanskrit works, bitextual/multitextual, 123–28, 267–71; anonymous, 125, 139, 268, 271; before 1000 CE, 123, 268; late sixteenth-, seventeenth-, eighteenthcentury, 123, 125–28, 138–39, 270–71; 1000–1250 CE, 123–24, 268–69; of unknown date, 123, 271 See also specific works Śāntirāja, 124, 271 350 Saptasandhānakāvya (Hemacandra), 124, 125–26, 128, 129, 133, 234, 269, 295n38 Saptasandhānamahākāvya (Meghavijayagani), 126, 271 Sāra]gadharīyamu (Kāśīpati), 275 Sarasvatī: in Dhanañjaya’s Dvisandhānakāvya, 107; as poetry embodied, 84, 156, 203, 237, 245; Śan˙kara’s debate with, 189–92, 304n106; śles.a movement and, 203, 245; in Śrīhars.a’s Nais.adhacarita, 82–88, 89, 134, 157–58, 245; in Śrīnāthud.u’s Telugu response, 134; in Subandhu’s Vāsavadattā, 22–23 sarcasm, 65–66, 68, 163, 288n60 śārdūlavikrīdita (tiger’s play meter), 32 Sarvānandanāga (commentator), 286n10, 286n19 Sātyaki, 81, 82 Saussure, Ferdinand de, 210, 263, 264 scholarship: on ślesa, 7–16; Western, intertextuality and, 257–65 See also Indology sculpture, 7, 10–11, 97, 247, 311n9 See also Mahabalipuram relief; śles.a, visual sea-pearl image, 147, 148, 248, 261 selfi ng/self-resumption, 71–75, 78–79, 81–82, 86–88, 88–90, 116, 242–45, 286n11, 287n37, 288n46, 288n47, 288n49, 288n50, 288n62, 288n35 self-reflexivity, 50, 55, 221, 224, 228–29, 249, 251–53, 256, 262–65 sense See artha sentence structuring: Bān.a’s, 25, 51, 282n35; Subandhu’s, 27–28, 31, 33, 38–44 Śesācalapati, 12, 127–28, 270, 278n17, 294n14 sex/sexual references: chastity contrast in, 54, 253; degradation of Draupadī, 59, 76; “elephant trunk” maneuver, 167–68, 300n31; encounter of Us.ā, 29; Śan˙kara’s/Amaru’s exploits, 184–92; a sexual/pornographic śles.a reading, 80, 166–68, 257 See also eroticism Shah Jahan, 202 Shklovsky, Victor, 252–53 Shoaf, R A., 263 index Shulman, David, 8, 87–88, 291n18; on character/selfhood evolution, 71–75, 78, 89, 243–44, 287n36, 287n37, 288n49; on the poetic ideals of the epics, 149, 247; on Sanskrit–vernacular language interactions, 133 siddha girls, 170, 172, 174, 301n33, 301n52 signifier-signified relationship, 68, 181, 190, 193, 194, 205, 208, 210–11, 248, 253, 260–61, 263–65 silence, as connective device, 261 simile See upamā simultaneity: aesthetics of, 115–18, 153; mechanisms of, 3–6 See also śles.a Si]garācāryudu, Krottapalli, 274 Si]garācāryulu, Asūri Mari]ganti, 135, 273 Śiśupāla: deformation of, 81–82; trick praise of Kr.s.n.a by, 79–82, 156, 178, 250, 289n68, 289n72; true character of revealed, 82, 86, 88, 89, 244–45 Śiśupālavadha (Māgha), 79–82, 86, 88, 156, 157, 232, 244, 248, 255–56, 259, 289n68, 289n72 Sītā: abandoned by Rāma, 43, 255; abducted by Rāvan.a, 113, 136, 144–45, 146, 150, 151, 274; captured in Lan˙kā, 114, 141, 152; vs Draupadī, 110, 112, 125, 143, 145, 147, 150, 151; “othering” and, 149, 298n89; Pārvatī and, 136, 273; in Śūrpan.akhā episode, 111, 112; union with Rāma, 113, 288n46 Śiva: in Amaruśataka, 185; Arjuna and, 248, 288n50; in bitextual/multitextual works, 124, 269, 270, 274, 275, 276; bow of, 112; disguise of, 74–75; Indra and, 84; in Kirātārjunīya, 74, 76, 82, 244, 248; in lexicons, 131; in Mahabalipuram relief, 93, 94, 95, 99, 116, 290n13; Pārvatī and, 7, 122, 124, 158–59, 192, 199, 200, 232, 237, 269; in svabhāvokti, 214–15; in Vāsavadattā, 40, 49; Vis.n.u and, 7, 16, 124, 131, 162, 204, 212, 270, 274, 306n39, 308n67 Śivarāmābhyudayamu (Pedarāmāmātyudu), 274 Śivarāma Tripāt hin (commentator), 178–80, 280n14, 302n69, 302n72 Skanda, 303n91 index śles.a (embrace), 4–5, 7, 40, 73–74, 75, 76, 78, 234, 244, 247, 292n31; acting, 125, 238; as alam.kāra, problems with, 203–5, 213; alam.kāra classification of, problems with, 206–9, 307n52, 308n67; anuprāsa’s division of labor with, 44–45, 283n55; as augmenting all vakrokti (“crookedness” of poetic language), 215, 217, 222, 226, 228–30, 237, 253; author alerting readers to, 156–57, 159, 177; Bān.a’s view/use of, 51–55; Bhāmaha’s notion of, 203–4, 213, 216–17, 309n82; Bhīs.ma’s speech to Duryodhana as, 70, 77, 89, 288n60; bilingual/multilingual, 7, 122, 203, 235, 240, 278n18, 294n3, 295n21, 297n58; birth of, 20–25, 279n1; boom of, 123, 123–28, 131–32, 132–39, 193, 232–33, 238; charm of, 206–7, 210, 237; cognition of, 209–14, 248, 307n57, 308n70, 308n71; commentators on, 18, 22, 129, 155–56, 169–194, 234–35, 287n28, 299n10, 302n64, 304n114; contrastive capacities of, 46–47, 79–82, 106–12, 118, 249, 256, 261; criticism of, 9–13, 91, 241, 278n27; Dan.d.in on, 203–4, 208, 214–30, 309n101; Dhanañjaya’s, 102–3, 106–12, 114, 118, 140, 141; dhvani’s similarity to, 211–12, 228, 289n68, 301n43, 307n65, 308n66, 308n67, 308n68, 308n70; difficulty of composing/comprehending, 2, 12, 127, 141, 176, 240–42; dos.as (poetic faults) related to, 159–69, 192, 254, 300n19; Draupadī’s, 64–71, 76–77, 82, 89, 156–59, 243–44, 257, 287n32; earliest record of term, 23; eighthcentury, 119, 232; gender-based, 112, 293n51; guidebooks for composing of, 128; homonymy-homophony and, 208–11; Indology on, 7–16; as inherent/natural to Sanskrit, 13–16, 17, 127, 137, 238, 258, 279n41, 279n43; intertextuality and, 45–46, 48, 51, 76, 143, 194, 220–21, 223, 225–26, 229–30, 242, 247–48, 249, 250–53, 257–65; in Kālidāsa, 21, 22; kings made fun of with, 43–44, 52, 351 163–64; lexicographical boom and, 16, 128–32, 157, 193, 234, 238, 295n21; as literary movement, 2–3, 7, 123–132, 133, 155, 195, 203, 234–39; marginalization of, 9–13, 91, 233, 278n27; mechanism, overview for, 3–6; most celebrated poet of, 10, 18; ninth-century, 119, 122, 131–32, 232; Nītivarman’s, 60–78, 86, 91–92, 101, 102, 157, 235, 243–44, 247–48, 286n11; occasional use in stray verse, 57, 231–32, 235, 286n1; in opening lines of Vāsavadattā, 38–44; paradox of authorial intention, 192–94, 257; as peripheral to description/imagery, 117–18; as plot device, 57–90, 156–58, 232, 234, 244, 246; popularity of, 82–83, 88, 168, 247–48; pride/prestige and, 12, 102, 119, 127, 138, 236, 239–40, 253–54, 292n31, 292n37, 297n57; “pure” cases of, 204–6, 212, 306n37, 306n39, 308n67; “readerly,” 169–75, 181, 192–94; reading, 155–94; refi nement of the epic and, 75–78, 147–54, 246–49; relevance to contemporary theories, 257–65; removal from curricula, 10, 278n27; Rudrat a on, 159, 203, 205, 208, 210, 211, 236–37, 239, 241, 293n51, 294n3, 306n37, 307n52, 307n65; selfi ng and, 67–75, 78, 86–90, 191, 242–45, 286n11, 288n46, 288n50; seventh-century trends, 57–58, 88, 91–92, 119, 232; side effects of, 162–63, 168, 193–94; of Śiśupāla’s messenger, 79–82, 156, 157, 245, 256; sixth-century, 20–22, 40, 41, 55, 119, 131, 231–32; in Śrīhars.a’s Nais adhacarita, 82–90, 134, 156, 157–58, 232–33, 234, 236, 245, 290n89; Subandhu’s targets of, 38–40, 44–50; tādātmya masking with, 72–74; in Tamil, 14, 137–39, 233, 236, 242, 296n54; in Telugu, 7, 8, 14, 135, 136, 233, 235, 242, 272–76, 296n41, 296n46, 296n52, 297n68; theoretical problem of in Sanskrit poetics, 203–14; upamā (simile) and, 204, 216–17, 222–26, 226, 253, 307n52; vakrokti (“crookedness” of poetic 352 śles.a (embrace) (continued) language) and, 215, 217, 222, 226, 228–30, 237, 253; Vedic scripture continuity with, 15, 279n1; visual, 7, 9, 92–99, 118, 237–38, 291n19, 291n20; yamaka’s division of labor with, 60, 63–64, 69, 77–78, 157, 178, 243, 273, 283n55, 286n11, 302n64 ślesopamā (simile subcategory), 222, 224 śloka meter, 21 Smith, David, socioaesthetics, kāvya’s, 48, 75, 150–51, 246, 249, 254 Somaśēkharakavi, Ōruganti, 275 Someśvara Kavi, Viñjam˜uri, 271 sound: “bites,” 35; devices of, 206–9, 283n55, 283n63, 307n50, 307n51; effects, 32, 35, 197; repetition of, 33–36, 178, 179; sense devices vs those of sound, 34, 183, 206–9, 213, 228, 280n13, 307n50, 307n51; śles.a based on, 241, 294n3; śles.a’s division of labor with, 44–45, 60, 63–64, 69, 77–78, 157, 178, 243, 273, 283n55, 286n11, 302n64 See also anuprāsa; onomatopoeia; yamaka South Asia, fi rst millennium CE in, 132–39 Spink, Walter, 291n24 split consciousness, 72–75 spring, contradictory comparisons of, 49 Śrīhars.a, 129, 134, 156, 234, 235, 236, 240, 259, 290n89; Māgha/Nītivarman compared to, 86–87; Pañcanalīya, 82–90, 134, 156–59, 233, 245 See also Nais.adhacarita Śrīnāthudu, response to Śrīharsa’s challenge, 134 Srinivasachariar, T V., 176, 179, 281n19, 283n55, 285n124, 302n64 Śrīpādavē]katācalapati, 274–75 Śrutakīrti Traividya, 124, 269 stylized prose, fi rst, 22 Subandhu, 12, 20–56, 57, 85, 88, 91, 101, 102, 127, 197, 231, 234, 236, 253, 261, 263, 281n20; alliterative compounds of, 23, 32, 33–38, 44, 283n55, 283n63; Bān.a’s response to, 50–55, 235, 285n111, 285n112; Bān.a vs., 51, 285n113; index commentaries on, 22, 50, 129, 176–80, 180, 193, 194, 237, 241, 280n14, 302n57, 302n64, 302n74; criticism of, 9–10, 26; date of, 21–22, 280n14, 285n111; Hueckstedt on, 28, 34, 52, 283n55; iconoclasm of, 42–44, 46–47, 56, 80, 82, 255; innovative plot of, 23–24; Kavirāja and, 91, 126, 237; lack of scholarship on, 25; lexicographical knowledge of, 129; punning of, 22–23, 38–49, 52, 157, 163, 171, 204, 224, 240, 301n38; response to, 50–55; sentence structuring of, 27–28, 31, 33, 38–44; śles.a/anuprāsa, alternate use of, 44; śles.a pioneer, 21–23, 153, 203; śles.a targets of, 38–40, 44–50; subversion of convention by, 44, 56, 88, 177, 254–57; suspense in style of, 26–27, 32, 51; use of apparent contradictions (virodhābhāsas) by, 40–44, 51; use of similes (upamās) by, 9–10, 38–42, 48, 56, 204 See also Vāsavadattā subversion, through śles.a, 44, 56, 88, 104, 163, 177, 224, 229, 254–57 suggestion See dhvani Sugrīva, 141, 145, 146, 147 Sundarakān.d.a, 50, 151–52, 246, 249, 299n97 Sundararāmaya, Krotapalli, 136, 275–76 Sūrācārya, 124, 268–69, 294n7 Sūranna, Pin˙gal i See Pin˙gal i Sūranna Sūri, Haradatta See Haradatta Sūri Śūrpanakhā, 113, 293n53, 316n91; Kīcaka episode paired with, 111–12, 293n51; Urvaśī-Arjuna paired with, 143–44, 147 Sūryadāsa, 124–25, 126–27, 139, 270 Sūryaprakāśakavi, Mantri Pregada, 136, 274 suspense: epic parallels and in Kavirāja’s poem, 141–43; śles.a in Śrīhars.a’s work and, 83; Subandhu’s style and, 26–27, 32, 51 Suvrata, 106–7 svabhāvokti (factual description), 32, 206, 214–17, 221–22 svayam.vara (groom-choice ceremony): Damayantī’s, 43, 83–87, 245; Draupadī’s, 286n1; of epics matched, 112, 148; Vāsavadattā’s, 25, 45, 284n84 index Śyāmala, 52–53 syllables, pattern of long-short, 32 See also monosyllabic words syllepsis, 260–62 synonyms: proliferation of in Sanskrit, 13–15, 130; test, 207 tādātmya (coalescence of self), through masking, 72–74 Tamal, Aya, 172 Tamālikā, 25–26, 282n32 Tamil, 8, 14, 279n45, 296n54; adaptation of Dan.d.in in, 197; region, 123, 132, 176, 202, 232–33, 255; śles.a poetry in, 137–39, 233, 236, 242; śles.a specific to, 14, 137, 296n54; Virāt a in, 298n95 tantra (speech of dual purpose), 92, 236, 286n3 targets: of Subandhu’s jibes, 44–50, 256; three-seven, 123–26, 129, 133, 295n38; two/dual, 57–58, 79, 91–121, 133, 162, 169, 203–4, 236, 292n31, 292n32 tattvākhyāna (reality talk), 219, 221 Telugu bitextual/multitextual works, 7, 8, 14, 135, 233, 235, 242, 272, 296n46; eighteenth-century, 135, 136, 273–74; nineteenth-century, 135, 274–75; seventeenth-century, 135, 273; sixteenth-century, 135, 242, 273; twentieth-century, 135, 136–37, 275–76; of unknown date, 276 Telugu poets/poetry, 91, 127, 133–36, 138, 140, 279n45, 296n52, 297n98; first bitextual poems, 135, 296n41; Sanskritized, 137; titles/prestige of śles.a-trained poets in, 138, 297n57; tit.t.ukāvya (disparaging poetry) genre of, 136, 256 See also Pi]gali Sūranna temple architecture, ślesa in, 7, texts: Dandin’s lost, 99–102, 291n24; lost, 24, 99–102, 124, 126, 130, 268, 269, 270, 271, 273, 281n16, 284n86, 291n24, 294n7, 296n41 See also literature; readers theoreticians, warnings of, 159–69 thesauri, 16, 128–31, 173, 176, 238, 240 See also lexicographical boom; monosyllabic words 353 tiger’s play meter (śārdūlavikrīdita), 32 Tippanaka (commentator), 268–69 tittukāvya (disparaging poetry), 136, 256, 274, 275 tobacco, 137–38 Tolstoy, Leo, 253 train analogy, 3–4 Traividya, Śrutakīrti See Śrutakīrti Traividya transformation See selfing/ self-resumption translations, parallel, 5, 64, 100–101, 108–10, 164 trees: barren, 64, 70, 85; Sāla, 223–24; Saptacchada, 216; Veda and courtesans compared to, 49; vociferous, 36; wish-granting, 70, 85–86, 290n89 triads/triangles: Dan.d.in’s place in, 100, 103, 126, 291n26; Dhanañjaya’s place in, 103; of Eminent Persons in Jain epics, 105–6, 150, 292n44; Kavirāja’s place in, 126, 237; of prose writers, 22 tributes by śles.a poets to their predecessors, 51, 124–27, 235, 271 trick praise See vyājastuti Tripāthin, Śivarāma See Śivarāma Tripāthin Tubb, Gary, 21, 87–88, 241 tulyayogitā (partial equivalence), 306n39 twinning See yamaka Udayana, 72, 74, 78, 89, 125, 288n49 Udbhat a, 198–99, 204–5, 209–11, 213, 260, 305n11, 305n15, 307n63 ullekha, 116 underinterpretation, 155, 157, 193 Unni, P N., 171 Upadhye, A N., 277n12, 292n34, 294n7 upamā (simile): Appayya Dīks.ita on, 251, 311n39, 312n40; basic device for paring down objective and figurative, 251–53; Bhāmaha on, 216, 309n81; Dan.d.in on, 215, 217–20, 221, 308n76, 309n101; dhvani and, 211, 307n65; face-lotus, 196, 217–23, 229, 250, 310n106; face-moon, 48, 61, 199, 205, 217–20, 222, 239, 250–52, 256, 354 upamā (simile) (continued) 311n39; Indurāja on, 207–8; intensification (atiśaya) and, 216; king-ocean, 40, 43, 49, 224–26, 226, 239, 256; Mammat a on, 205, 307n44; puns inherent in, 224–25, 229, 301n105; Rudrat a on, 205–6; śles.a and, 204, 216–17, 222–26, 226, 253, 307n52; Subandhu’s use of, 9–10, 38–42, 48, 56, 204; subcategories of, 222–24, 309n101; vakrokti (“crookedness” of poetic language) and, 215–16, 222–24; Vāmana on, 198 Upanisad, comparison of lover to, 50 Urdu poetry: Indology lagging behind with respect to, 279n39; śles.a criticism and, 10–11, 278n28; śles.a in, 7, 279n45 Urvaśī-Arjuna episode, Śūrpanakhā episode paired with, 143–44, 147 Usā-Aniruddha story, Vāsavadattā as intertextuality with, 28–30, 45 Uttara, Arjuna and, 69, 76, 78, 287n32 Vaisnava commentators, 182 vakrokti (“crookedness” of poetic language): as all poetic devices, 215–16; Dan.d.in’s model of, 219, 226–30, 308n77; disguise and, 219, 222, 230, 251, 253, 310n106; intensification (atiśaya) and, 216; intertextuality and, 221–22; path of, 235, 237; simile (upamā) and, 215–16, 222–24; śles.a as pervasive of, 215, 217, 222, 226, 228–30, 237, 253; svabhāvokti vs., 215–17, 222 vakrokti (intentional distortion), 122, 158, 159, 203, 216, 236, 294n3 Vakroktipañcāśikā (Ratnākara), 122, 158, 159, 192, 232 vaktra meter, 45 Vālin, 141, 145, 146–47, 261, 298n81 Vālmīki: Bilhan.a on, 254; curse by, 182–83; date of, 150; lineage of poets started by, 247, 261; paired with Vyāsa, 148–50, 298n83; tetrad with Vyāsa, Dan.d.in, and Dhanañjaya, 103–4, 126; triad with Vyāsa and Dan.d.in, 100; triad with Vyāsa and Kavirāja, 154; violence banished by, 246 Vanavāsi, 140, 295n37 index Vāsavadattā (Subandhu), 9–10, 282n35; anuprāsa (alliteration) in, 33–38, 178; Bāna influenced by, 52; Bāna’s desire to outshine, 51, 285n112; classification of, 24–25, 281n25; commentaries on, 22, 176–80, 280n14, 302n57, 302n62, 302n64, 302n69, 302n74; date composed, 22; descriptive language in, 25–33, 44, 284n81; editions of, 281n19; genre of, 24–25, 281n25; Kalāvatī in, 26, 282n31; longest sentence of, 27; lover’s internal vision in, 29–30, 282n44; messenger speech in, 176–80, 180, 302n62; modern critics on, 28; nine gems verse of, 12, 279n36; number of commentaries on, 22; onomatopoeias in, 34–36; opening lines of, 38–44; painting hypothesis, 30–31; parrot in, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, 37, 45, 46, 49, 282n32, 284n84; plot/description in, 25–33; praise of, 51, 280n14; preface to, 129; scholarship on, 24; signature verse of, 22–23, 281n19; ślesa designation in, 21; story overview of, 25–26; suspense in, 27–28; syntax of long descriptive sentences in, 27; Tamālikā in, 26, 282n32; UsāAniruddha intertextuality with, 28–30 Vāsavadattā (Subandhu’s titular character): compared to Duryodhana and Rāvan.a, 49; compared to texts, 45, 49–50, 53 Vāsudeva (commentator), 177, 302n57 Vāsudevas, 105–6, 115–18, 120, 141, 150, 153, 292n44 Vasupraharāja, 271 Vasusvārocisōpākhyānamu (Sundararāmaya), 136, 275–76 vāyu (wind), Mammata on use of word, 300n28 Vedic scripture, 181, 206; grammar science and, 15; and Mīmām.sā and Nyāya, 196, 198–99; śles.a continuity with, 15, 279n1; tree analogy for 49; trilogy and, 100 Ve]katācāryulu, Śrī Tirumala Bukkapattanam, 273, 296n47, 297n57 index Venkatachalapathy, A R., 137–38 Ven˙kat ādhvarin, 125, 255, 270, 294n5 Ve]katakrsnayya, Gunugutūri, 276 “vernacular revolution,” 132–39, 153, 233; Pollock and 132–33; Sanskrit at height of, 139; Tamil in, 137–39; Telugu and, 133–36, 138 versified poetry, yamaka (twinning) and, 21, 231, 280n12 vidūsaka (buffoon), 254, 312n52 Vidyāckravartin (commentator), 311n39 Vidyāmādhava, 124, 126, 133, 234, 269, 296n47, 306n39 viloma (bidirectional poetry), 124–25, 126–27, 139, 154, 240, 270, 271, 294n5, 314n27 Villiputtūrār, Tamil Pāratam of, 298n95, 299n98 Vimalasūri, 104–5, 115–16 violence, 105; Rāmāyan.a vs Mahābhārata, 149, 246 Vīrabhadrācāryulu, Kaneganti, 276 Vīrabhadrakavi, Aiyyagāri, 275 Vīrarāghavakavi, Nellūri, 274 Virāt a: Bhīma’s speech to, 68–69; cattle war of, 69–71, 77–78, 141, 144; court of, 59–64, 146, 244, 288n50; Draupadī’s indictment of, 65–68, 243–44; failure to understand Draupadī’s śles.a, 157–59; Sugrīva and 145–46; in Villiputtūrār’s Tamil version, 298n95 Virāt.aparvan (Book of Virāt a), 58–59, 76–78, 151–52, 246–49, 288n50, 288n61, 295n95; Bhagavadgītā and, 76–78; śles.a reading of, 182–83, 192–93, 194 virodhābhāsa (apparent contradiction), 40–44, 51, 97 virtuosity, 239–42, 254, 292n37 viruddhamatikr.t, śles.a-related fault of unintended/opposite meaning, 160, 163–64, 169 Vis.n.u, 7, 38, 39, 40, 43–44, 97, 150, 172, 185; incarnations (avatars) of, 39, 43, 48, 89, 120, 150; kings compared with, 39–40, 49; mountains and, 115, 120; Śiva paired with in śles.a poetry, 7, 162, 204, 212, 276, 306n39, 308n67; 355 śles.a vocabulary for, 16, 115, 131, 141, 157 Viśruta story, Dandin in, 291n24 visual arts: contrasted with the literary, 28–33, 37–38, 50; interactions with literary, 97–98, 116; ornamentation (alam.kāra) found in poetry and, 97; śles.a in, 7, 92–99, 237–38, 291n19, 291n20; subject to same criticism as the literary, 7, 278n28 Viśvagunādarśacampū (Ve]katādhvarin), 255 Vogel, Claus, 128, 129, 130 vyājastuti (trick praise), 81–82, 163, 169, 197, 289n68, 289n72, 300n19 Vyāsa: paired with Vālmīki, 148–50, 298n83; tetrad with Vālmīki, Dan.d.in, and Dhanañjaya, 103–4, 126; triad with Vālmīki and Dan.d.in, 100; triad with Vālmīki and Kavirāja, 154 vyatireka (distinction), 217, 224–26, 226, 252–53, 284n80, 310n106 war: cattle-, 59, 76–77, 112; compared with beautiful women bathing in river, 46; compared with theater, 117; Rāmāyana vs Mahābhārata, 114, 151 Warder, A K., 8, 280n14, 281n18, 292n37 Western scholarship, intertextuality and, 257–65 wish-granting trees, 70, 85–86, 290n89 Wordsworth, William, 10, 11, 262 Yādavabhāratīyamu (Chennakrsnakavi), 274 Yādavarāghavapāndavīyamu (Vīrarāghavakavi), 274 Yādavarāghavīya (Naraharikavi), 125, 271 Yādavarāghavīya (Ve]katādhvarin), 270 yaks.a, 170, 172–73 yamaka (twinning), 21, 179, 197, 206, 231, 280n7, 280n11, 283n55; division of labor with ślesa, 60, 63–64, 69, 77–78, 157, 178, 243, 273, 283n55, 286n11, 302n64; in Kālidāsa, 21; in Kīcakavadha, 60–64, 77, 157, 243, 286n13; twin episodes and, 75–78; versified poetry and, 21, 231, 280n12 356 Yēsukr.s.n.īyamu (Gadēpalli Kukkutēśvara Rao), 137, 276 Yudhis.t.hira: in Bhoja’s citation of Dan.d.in’s lost work, 101–2; Daśaratha paired with, 110; disguised as Brahmin in Nārāyan.a Bhat.t.a’s Pāñcalīsvayam.vara, 286n1; Draupadī snatched away from, 145; Draupadī’s speech to, 64–67; Jain saints paired with, 124; Kan˙ka as his alias, 63, 182; leafless tree compared index with, 70, 74; Nīlakan.t.ha exculpates him from lying to Virāt.a, 182, 192, 194; outside Jain pantheon, 256; peace advocated by, 115; Rāma contrasted with in Dhanañjaya’s work, 108–12, 115, 118, 249, 261; Rāma paired with, 101–2, 113, 141, 293n52; Rāma’s nobility and, 147; in Śiśupālavadha episode, 79, 289n72; truth abandoned by, 48, 261; Virāt.aparvan’s plot and, 58–59 ... Congress Cataloging -in- Publication Data Bronner, Yigal Extreme poetry : the South Asian movement of simultaneous narration / Yigal Bronner p cm.— (South Asia across the disciplines) Includes bibliographical... deep in expertise and broad in appeal extreme poetry the south asian movement of simultaneous narration Yigal Bronner columbia university press new york Columbia University Press Publishers Since... time in the making, and along the way I have incurred many debts It is my pleasant duty to thank all those who helped me in the process of researching, writing, and editing it and bringing it into