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

INTRODUCTION. XXXVII poets, and behind them paramours, courtezans, rope-dancers, jugglers, wrestlers and professional soldiers. ¹Literary Examinations. After giving a very glowing picture of what an ideal poet should be and how he should daily conduct himself, Rājaśekhara says that a king should hold assem- blies for the examination of the works of poets. He should patro- nize poets, become the Sabhāpati (President) like the ancient kings Vāsudeva, Sātavāhana, S'ūdraka, and Sāhasāṅka, honour and give donations to the poets, whose works stand the test. Assemblies of learned men (Brahmasabhās) should be held in big cities for examining poetical and scientific works; and the successful should be conveyed in a special chariot (Brahmaratha) and should be crowned with a fillet. Such assemblies for examining in poetry were held in Ujjaini. Kālidāsa, Meṇṭha, Amara, Rūpa, Sūra, Bhāravi, Harichandra and Chandragupta were examined here. Pāṭaliputra was the centre for examinations in sciences. It was after passing from here that ²Upavarsha, Varsha, Pāṇini, Piṅgala, Vyāḍi, Vararuchi, and Patañjali got fame as S'āstrakāras. Literary traditions noted in the Kāvyamīmāṁsā. Rāja- śekhara has noted several traditions which are important in the history of Saṁskṛita literature. ³Medhāvirudra and Kumāradāsa were born blind. ⁴S'iśunāga, king of Magadha, had prohibited 1 वासुदेवसातवाहनशूद्रकसाहसाङ्कादीन् सकलान् सभापतीन् दानमानाभ्यामनुकुर्यात् । महा- नगरेषु च काव्यशास्त्रपरीक्षार्थं ब्रह्मसभाः कारयेत् । तत्र परीक्षोत्तीर्णानां ब्रह्मरथयानं पट्टबन्धश्च । श्रूयते चोज्जयिन्यां काव्यकारपरीक्षा— “इह कालिदासमेण्ठावत्रामररूपसूरभारवयः । हरिचन्द्रचन्द्रगुप्तौ परीक्षिताविह विशालायाम् ॥ श्रूयते च पाटलिपुत्रे शास्त्रकारपरीक्षा— “अत्रोपवर्षवर्षाविह पाणिनिपिङ्गलाविह व्याडिः । वररुचिपतञ्जली इह परीक्षिताः ख्यातिमुपजग्मुः ॥” p. 55. 2 It may be noted that these names are in strict chronological order. This shows also that Pāṇini flourished in a period after the transference of the capital of Magadha from Rajagraha to Pataliputra.—B. B. 3 मेधाविरुद्रकुमारदासादयो जात्यन्धाः कवयः श्रूयन्ते । p. 12. 4 श्रूयते हि मगधेषु शिशुनागो नाम राजा; तेन दुरुच्चारानष्टौ वर्णानपास्य स्वान्तःपुर एव प्रवर्तितो नियमः; टकारादयश्चत्वारो मूर्धन्यास्तृतीयवर्जमूष्माणस्त्रयः क्षकारश्चेति । श्रूयते च शूरसेनेषु कुविन्दो नाम राजा, तेन परुषसंयोगाक्षरवर्जमन्तःपुर एवेति समानं पूर्वेण । श्रूयते च कुन्तलेषु सातवाहनो नाम राजा; तेन प्राकृतभाषात्मकमन्तःपुर एवेति समानं पूर्वेण । श्रूयते चोज्जयिन्यां साहसाङ्को नाम राजा; तेन च संस्कृतभाषात्मकमन्तःपुर एवेति समानं पूर्वेण । p. 50.