Bhamaha

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Bhamaha (Sanskrit: भामह, Bhāmaha) (c. 7th century[1]) was a Sanskrit poetician believed to be contemporaneous with Daṇḍin. He is noted for writing a work called Kavyalankara (Sanskrit: काव्यालङ्कार, Kāvyālaṅkāra) ("The ornaments of poetry"). In the last verse of his work, he mentions that he was son of Rakrilagomin. Except this information nothing is known about Bhamaha.[2]

Kavyalankara

Bhamaha's Kavyalankara is divided into six paricchedas (chapters).[1] It comprises 398 verses, including two verses at the end of the sixth chapter, which briefly describe the number of verses on each of the five topics.[2] In the first verse, Bhamaha mentioned his work as Kavyalankara.[3] The first chapter comprises 69 verses. After the invocation of Sarva, it defines kavya and describes the qualifications of a good poet. It also narrates various genres and styles of poems, which include Vaidarbhi and Gaudi. In the beginning of the second chapter, three gunas of poems, namely prasada, madhurya and ojah are discussed. It is followed by the discussion about the alankaras (figures of speech), which continues till the end of the third chapter. The fourth chapter mentions about the eleven types of doshas (blemishes) of kavya and defines first ten of these doshas with illustrations. The fifth chapter discusses the eleventh dosha and its causes. It is based on the Nyaya-Vaisheshika epistemology. The sixth chapter emphasizes the necessity of the grammatical accuracy and some practical hints to the poets are also provided.[2]

Commentaries

No commentary on this work has been found so far. It is known that a commentary titled Bhamahavivarana or Bhamahavritti on Kavyalankara was written by Udbhata, but this work is no more extant.[2][4]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Shastri, Gaurinath (1998) [1943]. A Concise History of Classical Sanskrit Literature. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. p. 151. ISBN 81-208-0175-X. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Kane, P. V. (1998) [1971]. History of Sanskrit Poetics. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 78–88. ISBN 81-208-0274-8. 
  3. ↑ Biswas, A. R. (2005). Critique Of Poetics. Vol.II. New Delhi: Atlantic. p. 473. ISBN 81-269-0438-0. 
  4. ↑ Sreekantaiya, T. N. (2001). Indian Poetics. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 22. ISBN 81-260-0807-5. 

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