काव्यमीमांसा (महाकवि राजशेखर - कवि-रहस्य एवं देश-विभाग सटीक)

INTRODUCTION. XIX Rājaśekhara goes a step further and declares that the science of poetics leads the way to emancipation or Mokṣa, and as such its status is not different from the six systems of philosophy. In the third or the last Adhyāya of the introduction, Rājaśekhara shows how emancipation can be obtained by poets and how they can experience immense bliss and freedom from worldly troubles, through the correct understanding of the Sāhityavidyā and Kāvyapuruṣa, which are primarily designed for the emancipation of man. The systems of philosophy advocate the real knowledge of Dharma or Brahman as means of obtaining salvation; even so, the correct knowledge of Kāvyapuruṣa, the son of Brahman and Sarasvatī, leads to the realisation of Brahman and the consequential emancipation from the chain of existence. To return to the subject matter, the third chapter treats of the origin of the Kāvyapuruṣa, his connection with Kavi, Vālmīki and Vyāsa, his marriage with Sāhityavidyā, his wanderings with her throughout India, the creation of Vṛttis, Pravṛttis and Rītis at different places and the resolve of the couple to reside permanently in the minds of poets. While concluding the chapter, the author declares that those poets who become immortal by virtue of their compositions enjoy eternal bliss in heaven in a divine form; and those who can realise the Kāvyapuruṣa, obtain emancipation both here and hereafter.¹ As has been said already, the subject-matter of the first Adhikaraṇa or the Kavirahasya commences from the fourth chapter and may be sub-divided under three broad heads: (1) the equip- ments necessary for a poet, (2) the rules to be observed by him, (3) and the methods harmful to him. The first subject is treated of in six chapters (4–9) where such topics as Padavākyaviveka, Pāṭhapratiṣṭhā, Kāvyārthayoni, and Arthavyāpti are dealt with. The second subject as stated above is covered by the tenth chapter which is one of the most interesting chapters of the Kavirahasya. This chapter commences with the remark² that

1. Cf. तयोश्च कविलोकस्वर्गसर्गं तमकल्पयेताम् । यत्र काव्यमयेन शरीरेण मर्त्यमपिवसन्तो दिव्येन देहेन कवय आकल्पं मोदन्ते । इत्येष काव्यपुरुषः पुरा सृष्टः स्वयंभुवा । एवं विभज्य जानानः प्रेत्य चेह च नन्दति ॥ p. 10.
2. Cf. इत्थंकारं घनैर्यत्नैर्व्युत्पन्नमनसः कवेः । दुर्गमेऽपि भवेन्मार्गे कुण्ठिता न सरस्वती ॥ गृहीतविद्योपविधः काव्यक्रियायै प्रयतेत । p. 49.