Kavya and its three shapes
Kavya means literature that is made beautiful by words and feeling. Sanskrit thinkers sorted it by shape: padya (verse), gadya (prose) and a mix called champu. Long story-poems in cantos are mahakavyas. In the 3D, blue is verse and orange is prose.
Mahakavya: features and famous works
Sanskrit teachers of poetry, such as Dandin and Vishvanatha, gave the traditional features of a mahakavya:
- It is divided into cantos (sargas), at least eight, and a canto usually ends with a change of metre.
- The hero is a noble person, a god or a royal of good birth.
- The story comes from history or from well-known tradition.
- One main feeling (rasa) leads, such as love, heroism or peace; others support it.
- It has long descriptions: seasons, sunrise, moon, mountains, sea, battles, weddings.
- It starts with a blessing or a salute.
Main works:
- Raghuvamsha and Kumarasambhava by Kalidasa (about 4thβ5th century CE): the kings of the Raghu family; the birth of Kartikeya from Shiva and Parvati.
- Buddhacharita by Ashvaghosha (about 1stβ2nd century CE): life of the Buddha.
- Kiratarjuniya by Bharavi (about 6th century): Arjuna meets Shiva disguised as a hunter (kirata), 18 cantos.
- Shishupalavadha by Magha (about 7th century): Krishna and the king Shishupala, 20 cantos.
- Naishadhiyacharita by Shriharsha (12th century): the story of Nala and Damayanti. Kiratarjuniya, Shishupalavadha and this work are often grouped as the "brihat-trayi" (greater three).
Gadya-kavya: poetic prose
Gadya-kavya tells a story in prose, but the prose is as rich as poetry: very long compound words, strings of pictures, play with sounds, and slow, detailed description. There are no verse lines holding it up.
- Kadambari by Banabhatta (7th century, court of Harsha): a long romance of rebirth and love. Bana left it unfinished and his son completed it. Bana also wrote Harshacharita, the life of King Harsha.
- Dashakumaracharita by Dandin: adventures of ten princes, lively and full of everyday people. Easier to read than Bana.
- Vasavadatta by Subandhu: a love story of a prince and Princess Vasavadatta, famous for clever word play.
Champu: prose and verse together
Champu is a work where prose and verse take turns in the same story. Verse carries feeling and fine pictures; prose moves the story along. Think of the stripes in the 3D.
- Nalachampu (also called Damayanti-katha) by Trivikrama Bhatta (10th century): Nala and Damayanti.
- Champuramayana by Bhoja (11th century): the Ramayana story told in champu form.
- Yashastilaka by Somadeva (10th century), a Jain author: a long tale with teaching.
Comparing the three, and how to answer in exams
| Feature | Mahakavya | Gadya-kavya | Champu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | Verse in cantos | Prose only | Prose and verse mixed |
| Example | Raghuvamsha | Kadambari | Nalachampu |
| Author | Kalidasa | Banabhatta | Trivikrama Bhatta |
To answer: (1) define the type in one line, (2) give two or three features, (3) name at least two works with their authors. Write the author beside each work.
Key formulas and definitions
- Mahakavya = verse + cantos (sargas, at least 8) + noble hero + description + rasa.
- Gadya-kavya = story in rich, poetic prose (long compounds, vivid pictures).
- Champu = prose and verse alternating in one work.
- Works: Raghuvamsha (Kalidasa), Kiratarjuniya (Bharavi), Shishupalavadha (Magha); Kadambari (Bana), Dashakumaracharita (Dandin); Nalachampu (Trivikrama Bhatta), Champuramayana (Bhoja).
Worked examples
1. Classify: Raghuvamsha, Kadambari, Nalachampu.
Raghuvamsha is a mahakavya (verse in cantos), Kadambari is gadya-kavya (poetic prose), Nalachampu is a champu (prose and verse mixed).
2. A poem has 6 cantos about a king. Is it a mahakavya by the traditional rule?
The traditional rule asks for at least eight cantos, so with 6 it would be called a shorter work, not a full mahakavya.
3. Name three mahakavyas with authors.
Raghuvamsha - Kalidasa; Kiratarjuniya - Bharavi; Shishupalavadha - Magha. (Others: Kumarasambhava - Kalidasa, Buddhacharita - Ashvaghosha, Naishadhiyacharita - Shriharsha.)
4. What is the difference between gadya-kavya and champu?
Gadya-kavya is only prose. Champu uses both prose and verse in turns inside the same work.
5. Who wrote Dashakumaracharita and what is it about?
Dandin wrote it. It tells the adventures of ten young princes in lively prose.
Common mistakes
- Writing "Kadambari is a mahakavya". It is prose, so it is gadya-kavya.
- Forgetting the author beside the work. Marks are given for both.
- Saying a champu is only poetry. It must have both prose and verse.
- Mixing Kalidasa with other poets: Kiratarjuniya is Bharavi, Shishupalavadha is Magha.