Kāvya

prātaḥ-paṅkaja-kuḍmalaya-dyuti-padaṁ tat-keśarollāsavān

prātaḥ-paṅkaja-kuḍmalaya-dyuti-padaṁ tat-keśarollāsavān
artho’bhyantara-saurabha-pratinibhaṁ vyaṅgyaṁ camatkāri yat |
dvi-trair yad rasikaiś ciraṁ sahṛdayair bhṛṅgair ivāsvādyate
tat kāvyaṁ na punaḥ pramatta-kukaver yat kiñcid ujjalpitam ||
(An ancient; cited in the Adbhuta-ṭīkā on Prema-pattana: 12)

“That which is like an object possessed of the beauty of a morning lotus bud, the meaning of which is like a bearer of the splendor of that’s [i.e., a lotus bud’s] whorl, the wondrous suggested sense of which is like the inner fragrance [of that lotus bud], and which is long relished [only] by two or three [rare] bee-like cordial relishers of rasa (sahṛdaya rasikas) is [worthy of being called] poetry (kāvya), and not, rather, any sort of utterance of a blundering pseudo-poet.”

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sattvodrekād akhaṇḍa-sva-prakāśānanda-cinmayaḥ

sattvodrekād akhaṇḍa-sva-prakāśānanda-cinmayaḥ |
vedyāntara-sparśa-śūnyo brahmāsvāda-sahodaraḥ ||
lokottara-camatkāra-prāṇaḥ kaiścit pramātṛbhiḥ |
svākāravad abhinnatvenāyam āsvādyate rasaḥ ||
(Sāhitya-darpaṇa: 3.2–3; cited in Prīti Sandarbha: 110)

“Undivided, self-manifest, constituted of experience of bliss, free from the touch of any other object to be cognized, the brother of which is relish of Brahman, and the life (prāṇa) of which is extraordinary wonder—this, rasa, is relished by virtue of a predominance of sattva [within the mind] by some qualified perceivers as being non-different [from the self] like one’s body.”

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dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣeṣu vaicakṣaṇyaṁ kalāsu ca

dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣeṣu vaicakṣaṇyaṁ kalāsu ca |
karoti kīrtiṁ prītiṁ ca sādhu-kāvya-niṣevaṇam ||
(Bhāmahālaṅkāra: 1.2; cited in Sāhitya-darpaṇa)

“Cultivation [i.e., composition and study] of fine poetry (kāvya) leads to proficiency in dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa, and the arts, as well as renown and pleasure.”

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caturvarga-phala-prāptiḥ sukhād alpa-dhiyām api

caturvarga-phala-prāptiḥ sukhād alpa-dhiyām api |
kāvyād eva yatas tena tat-svarūpaṁ nirūpyate ||
(Sāhitya-darpaṇa: 1.2)

“Because attainment of the result of the caturvarga [i.e., dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa] occurs easily even for one of meager intelligence by means of poetry (kāvya), the nature of that [i.e., of poetry (kāvya)] is delineated [here in this text].”

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subhāṣitaṁ hāri viśaty adho galān

subhāṣitaṁ hāri viśaty adho galān
na durjanasyārka-ripor ivāmṛtam |
tad eva dhatte hṛdayena saj-jano
harir mahāratnam ivātinirmalam ||
(Kādambarī: 7)

“A captivating subhāṣita [‘fine statement’] does not enter
Farther than the throat of a wicked person,
Just as ambrosia [does not enter
Farther than the throat] of Rāhu.
A wise person holds that specifically [i.e., a captivating subhāṣita] with the heart,
Just as Hari [holds with his heart] the supreme, exceedingly taintless jewel [i.e., the Kaustubha].”

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kaṭu kvaṇanto maladāyakāḥ khalās

kaṭu kvaṇanto maladāyakāḥ khalās
tudanty alaṁ bandhana-śṛṅkhalā iva |
manas tu sādhu-dhvanibhiḥ pade pade
haranti santo maṇi-nūpurā iva ||
(Kādambarī: 6)

“The wicked, like shackles,
Sound strident, wound severely, and leave marks.
On the contrary,
The good, like jeweled anklets,
At every step [alt., with every word],
Captivate the mind with excellent sounds [alt., implied meanings].”

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tāvad gīti-sugadya-padya-racanāḥ kartuṁ spṛhā jāyate

tāvad gīti-sugadya-padya-racanāḥ kartuṁ spṛhā jāyate
garvas tāvad aho ahaṁ kavir iti prāyeṇa kharvo na hi |
śrīmad-rūpa-sanātanānukathanaṁ śrī-jīva-gosvāminaḥ
śrī-govinda-kaver vicitra-kavitā yāvan na karṇaṁ vrajet ||
(Ghanaśyāma Dāsa’s Govinda-rati-mañjarī: 1.9)

“The desire arises to compose
Songs and fine prose and poetry,
And aho!
The pride, ‘I am a poet (kavi)’
Seldom ever becomes crushed,
So long as the discourse of Śrīmad Rūpa and Sanātana
And the extraordinary poetry
Of Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī and Śrī Govinda Kavi
Shall not enter the ear!”

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upamīyate yena tad upamānam, yat tūpamīyate tad upameyam

upamīyate yena tad upamānam, yat tūpamīyate tad upameyam |
(Amṛta-ṭīkā on Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa: 1314)

“That with which comparing occurs [i.e., to which something is compared] is [called] the upamāna [i.e., the object of comparison], and that which is compared [to the upamāna] is [called] the upameya [i.e., the subject of comparison, e.g., in the phrase ‘lotus feet,’ the lotus is the upamāna and feet are the upameya].”

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rase sāraś camatkāraḥ sarvatrāpy anubhūyate

rase sāraś camatkāraḥ sarvatrāpy anubhūyate |
tac camatkāra-sāratve sarvatrāpy adbhuto rasaḥ ||
(Sāhitya-darpaṇa 3.3; cited in Prīti Sandarbha: 110)

“In rasa, astonishment is perceived to be the essence indeed in all cases. Therefore, because of the essence being astonishment, rasa is adbhuta [i.e., wonder] indeed in all cases.”

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