An Anthology of Sanskrit Court Poetry

Book excerpt: The stylistic difficulties of Sanskrit court verse and its boldness in dealing with love have hitherto prevented the translation of any of the great Sanskrit anthologies. Daniel Ingalls presents a vivid and unpedantic rendering of the 1739 verses found in the recently discovered anthology of Vidyākara. Separate essays are provided on the style and conventions of the poetry in each of the 50 sections of the collection, while the introduction gives the first general criticism by a Western scholar of the techniques and aims of Classical Sanskrit poetry. The notes offer a wealth of information on Sanskrit style and literature and on Indian antiquities.