Kavi Kaustubh

The provided text is a Jain text titled "Kavi Kaustubh" (कविकौस्तुभः), authored by Raghunath Manohar and published by Rajasthan Puratan Granthmala in 1968. The text is a treatise on poetics, specifically focusing on identifying and explaining various defects (doshas) in Sanskrit poetry.

Here's a comprehensive summary of its content:

Introduction and Publisher's Information:

• The book is part of the "Rajasthan Puratan Granthmala" series, with Fateh Singh, M.A., D.Litt. as the Chief Editor and Director of the Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute, Jodhpur.
• The publication was delayed from its original intended printing in 1951.
• The work includes a preface by the editor, acknowledging the delayed publication and expressing satisfaction in presenting the work.
• The editor highlights that the book is based on comments, appendices, and author introductions written by the late Professor P. K. Gode, cited from 'Poona Orientalist'.
• The text is a concise work of 16 pages (although the provided text is much longer, indicating the original is a specific section or the page numbering in the preface refers to an introduction/summary rather than the full text).
• The core focus of "Kavi Kaustubh" is the exposition of "doshas" (defects) in poetry, specifically "vākya-doshas" (defects in sentences) and "pada-doshas" (defects in words).
• The author has provided examples for each defect, often citing verses from renowned Sanskrit works to illustrate them, and sometimes even using his own compositions as examples.

Content of "Kavi Kaustubh":

The main body of the text meticulously defines and illustrates two major categories of poetic defects:

I. Vākya-doshas (Sentence Defects):

The text enumerates and explains various defects that can occur at the sentence level. These include:

1. Chando-bhrashta (छन्दोभ्रष्ट): Defects related to meter, where a verse deviates from its prescribed metrical structure. Examples are given from works like 'Chhanda Ratnavali' and 'Shishupalavadha'.
2. Kriyāvyasta (क्रियाव्यस्त): Defects where the verb is misplaced or its intended meaning is unclear. Examples are cited from Raghuvamsha and other works.
3. Krama-hīna (क्रमहीन): Defects related to incorrect order of words or ideas within a sentence, disrupting the natural flow. Examples are shown from Raghuvamsha and 'Ratnamala'.
4. Asammita (असंमित): Defects of disproportion or incongruity between words and their meanings, leading to a lack of balance. Examples from 'Sringara Manjari' and 'Naishadha' are presented.
5. Apārtha (अपार्थ): Defects where the sentence lacks a coherent or meaningful interpretation, potentially due to absurd combinations of words. Examples from Raghuvamsha are used.
6. Vyasta-sambandha (व्यस्तसम्बन्ध): Defects arising from jumbled or improper connection of words, making the sentence difficult to understand. Examples from 'Chandra Shekhar's Kavya Kutuhala' and 'Kiratarjuniya' are shown.
7. Shlishta (श्लिष्ट): Defects where words are used in a manner that is overly connected to the prose order, lacking poetic embellishment. Examples from 'Sahitya Ratnakara' and 'Mahabharata' are cited.
8. Agama-virodhi (आगमविरोधि): Defects that contradict scriptural injunctions or established norms, rendering the statement illogical or incorrect based on prior authority. Examples from 'Kiratarjuniya' are given.
9. Yati-bhrashta (यतिभ्रष्ट): Defects related to the incorrect placement of the caesura (yati) within a metrical line, breaking the intended rhythm. Examples from 'Sangeet Ratnakara' and 'Bhartrihari' are illustrated.
10. Nyūna-pada (न्यूनपद): Defects where a word is missing from the sentence, rendering it incomplete or grammatically deficient. Examples from 'Rutupaňchasika' and Raghuvamsha are provided.
11. Ekārtha (एकार्थ): Defects of redundancy where the same meaning is repeated unnecessarily. Examples from Raghuvamsha are used.
12. Vyartha (व्यर्थ): Defects where a part of the sentence contradicts another part, leading to a meaningless statement. Examples from 'Kavya Mandana' and 'Shishupalavadha' are cited.
13. Rīti-bhrashta (रीतिभ्रष्ट): Defects related to the misuse or mixture of different poetic styles (Gaudī and Vaidarbhī). Examples from Kumarasambhava and Raghuvamsha are presented.
14. Avastha-virodhi (अवस्थाविरोधि): Defects where a character or object is described with attributes inappropriate to its current state or condition. Examples from Raghuvamsha and 'Shrungara Kaumudi' are shown.
15. Dravya-bhedaka (द्रव्यभेदक): Defects related to contradictory properties of substances, often involving seasons or elements. Examples from 'Shrungara Tarangini' are used.
16. Desha-virodha (देशविरोध): Defects where something is described as existing in a place where it is not typically found, contrary to regional or poetic conventions. Examples from 'Kama Pradipa' and other works are provided.
17. Kalā-viruddha (कलाविरुद्ध): Defects related to the misuse or misunderstanding of artistic conventions or arts (kalas).
18. Nyāya-viruddha (न्यायविरुद्ध): Defects that contradict logical reasoning or established principles. Examples from 'Prabodhachandrodaya' and 'Hemaadri' are used.
19. Kāla-viruddha (कालविरुद्ध): Defects where something is described as happening in an inappropriate time or season, contrary to natural or poetic conventions. Examples from Raghuvamsha and other works are presented.
20. Hetu-viruddha (हेतुविरुद्ध): Defects related to incorrect causality or illogical reasoning in cause-and-effect relationships. Examples from Raghuvamsha are used.
21. Khandita (खण्डित): Defects where a statement is broken or incomplete due to the intrusion of another thought or sentence. Examples from 'Kiratarjuniya' and Raghuvamsha are shown.
22. Adhipada (अधिपद): Defects where a word is used redundantly or unnecessarily, having already served its purpose. Examples from 'Kiratarjuniya' and Raghuvamsha are cited.
23. Hīnopama (हीनरोपम): Defects where the simile or metaphor is diminished or inappropriate, failing to provide a proper comparison. Examples from 'Saranga' and other works are presented.

II. Pada-doshas (Word Defects):

The text then moves on to discuss defects that affect individual words:

1. Svasanketa-prakliptārtha (स्वसंकेतप्रक्लृप्तार्थ): Defects where a word is used with a meaning that is private or conventionally adopted by the poet, not the generally understood meaning. Examples from 'Kiratarjuniya' and 'Shishupalavadha' are provided.
2. Aprasiddha (अप्रसिद्ध): Defects where a word or its meaning is obscure or not commonly known, making it difficult to understand. Examples from 'Kutumbaka' and other works are given.
3. Alakshana (अलक्षण): Defects where a word is used in a manner that is grammatically incorrect or violates established linguistic rules. Examples from 'Kiratarjuniya' are presented.
4. Agaurava (अगौरव): Defects of lacking dignity or gravitas in the choice of words. Examples from Raghuvamsha are cited.
5. Shrutikatu (श्रुतिकटु): Defects where words are harsh or unpleasant to the ear. Examples from 'Lalla Muhurta Sara' and other works are provided.
6. Punarukti (पुनरुक्ति): Defects of unnecessary repetition of words or phrases. Examples from Raghuvamsha and 'Sahitya Ratnakara' are used.
7. Asammata (असंमत): Defects where a word is used in a way that is not in agreement with established texts or logic. Examples from Raghuvamsha are shown.
8. Vyāhata-ārtha (व्याहतार्थ): Defects where a word carries a meaning that contradicts the overall sense of the sentence. Examples from 'Naishadha' are presented.
9. Grāmya (ग्राम्य): Defects of using vulgar or common language inappropriate for sophisticated poetry. Examples from 'Kuvalayananda' and 'Kiratarjuniya' are cited.

Concluding Remarks:

• The text concludes by stating that not all excessive or problematic statements necessarily constitute a defect, especially when they serve a specific purpose or when the exceptional becomes like nectar.
• It emphasizes that poetry free from all defects, pleasing to the mind, and gracefully constructed will endure for a long time.
• The work is dedicated as an ornament for the learned.
• The colophon confirms the author as Raghunath Pandit, son of Bhikam Bhatta, and grandson of Krishna Pandit, with the surname Manohara. The work is titled "Dūshaṇa Kathanam" (Discourse on Defects), being the second jewel (ratna) in the "Kavi Kaustubha" Mahakavya.

Author's Genealogy and Chronology (from the Appendix):

• The author is identified as Raghunath Pandit, son of Bhikam Bhatta, grandson of Krishna Pandit, bearing the surname Manohara.
• The work "Kavi Kaustubha" is estimated to have been composed between 1675 and 1700 AD.
• Raghunath Manohara is also known as the author of "Vaidya Vilasa," a medical treatise composed in 1697 AD.
• He also composed a work on prosody called "Chhanda Ratnavali," which is quoted within "Kavi Kaustubh."
• His native place is identified as Champavati, likely Chaul, south of Bombay.
• The text cites numerous earlier Sanskrit works and authors, placing Raghunath Manohara in the late 17th century.

In essence, "Kavi Kaustubh" is a detailed and systematic guide to the various flaws that can mar Sanskrit poetry, providing scholarly definitions and illustrative examples from classical literature. It is a valuable resource for understanding the nuances of Sanskrit poetics and the critical standards of classical Indian literary theory.