This literary style, which includes both poetry and prose, is characterised by abundant usage of
figures of speech such as
metaphors,
similes, and
hyperbole to create its characteristic emotional effects. The result is a short lyrical work, court epic, narrative or dramatic work. Kāvya can refer to the style or the completed body of literature.
Aśvaghoṣa (c. 80–150 AD), a philosopher and poet considered the father of
Sanskrit drama, is attributed with first using the term.[citation needed]
Early kāvya
Although very little literature in the kāvya style written before the time of
Kālidāsa (5th century CE) survives, it can be assumed from quotations in
Patañjali's grammatical treatise the
Mahābhāṣya (2nd century BCE), as well as from poems written on various inscriptions of the 4th to 6th centuries CE, that it dates back to an early time.[2]
One early epic work in this style is the
Buddhacarita[A][a] by Aśvaghoṣa (2nd century CE). Only the first half of this survives in Sanskrit, and the rest in a Chinese translation made c. 420 CE.[4]
Mahākāvya
Kālidāsa[b][c] is believed to have lived in the early 5th century CE. He is the author of two epics, the
Raghuvaṃśa and
Kumārasambhava. These two epics are traditionally known as
mahākāvya "great epics".
Other writers of great epics were
Bhāravi (6th century CE), author of
Kirātārjunīya;
Māgha (c. 7th Century CE), author of
Śiśupāla·vadha, an epic famous for its linguistic ingenuity, and
Śrīharṣa (12th century CE), author of
Naiṣadhīya·carita. Another epic often called a mahākāvya, is
Bhaṭṭikāvya, which is simultaneously a narrative and a manual of grammatical instruction. It is believed by some to have been written by the 7th-century poet and grammarian Bhartṛihari.[2]
Prose writers
Those who wrote in prose included Subandhu (5th or 7th century CE?), author of
Vasavadatta, a romantic tale, and
Bāṇabhaṭṭa (also called Bāṇa) (7th century CE), author of
Kadambari, a romantic novel, and of
Harṣacarita, a biography written in poetic prose.
Another well-known writer of the period was
Daṇḍin (7th–8th century CE), who as well as poetry, wrote the
Kāvyādarśa, a discussion of poetics, and the
Daśa·kumāra·carita.[B]
This literary style, which includes both poetry and prose, is characterised by abundant usage of
figures of speech such as
metaphors,
similes, and
hyperbole to create its characteristic emotional effects. The result is a short lyrical work, court epic, narrative or dramatic work. Kāvya can refer to the style or the completed body of literature.
Aśvaghoṣa (c. 80–150 AD), a philosopher and poet considered the father of
Sanskrit drama, is attributed with first using the term.[citation needed]
Early kāvya
Although very little literature in the kāvya style written before the time of
Kālidāsa (5th century CE) survives, it can be assumed from quotations in
Patañjali's grammatical treatise the
Mahābhāṣya (2nd century BCE), as well as from poems written on various inscriptions of the 4th to 6th centuries CE, that it dates back to an early time.[2]
One early epic work in this style is the
Buddhacarita[A][a] by Aśvaghoṣa (2nd century CE). Only the first half of this survives in Sanskrit, and the rest in a Chinese translation made c. 420 CE.[4]
Mahākāvya
Kālidāsa[b][c] is believed to have lived in the early 5th century CE. He is the author of two epics, the
Raghuvaṃśa and
Kumārasambhava. These two epics are traditionally known as
mahākāvya "great epics".
Other writers of great epics were
Bhāravi (6th century CE), author of
Kirātārjunīya;
Māgha (c. 7th Century CE), author of
Śiśupāla·vadha, an epic famous for its linguistic ingenuity, and
Śrīharṣa (12th century CE), author of
Naiṣadhīya·carita. Another epic often called a mahākāvya, is
Bhaṭṭikāvya, which is simultaneously a narrative and a manual of grammatical instruction. It is believed by some to have been written by the 7th-century poet and grammarian Bhartṛihari.[2]
Prose writers
Those who wrote in prose included Subandhu (5th or 7th century CE?), author of
Vasavadatta, a romantic tale, and
Bāṇabhaṭṭa (also called Bāṇa) (7th century CE), author of
Kadambari, a romantic novel, and of
Harṣacarita, a biography written in poetic prose.
Another well-known writer of the period was
Daṇḍin (7th–8th century CE), who as well as poetry, wrote the
Kāvyādarśa, a discussion of poetics, and the
Daśa·kumāra·carita.[B]