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Chitrakavya (Sanskrit: चित्रकाव्य, IAST: citrakāvya) refers to various forms of constrained writing in Sanskrit poetry. Originally it was used in the specific sense of "picture-" or "shaped-poetry" by Rudrata. They are not regarded as great literature, but poets occasionally employed such forms anyway, such as Bharavi in the 15th canto of his Kiratarjuniya and Magha in the 19th canto of his Shisupala Vadha.

Shabdachitra, Arthachitra, Ubhayachitra

Repetition

Chitra, specifically

Although shaped poetry occurs elsewhere, e.g. in technopægnia found in Ancient Greek poetry…

The Sanskrit forms are unique in that they involve the interlocking of syllables from different parts of the verse, unlike notable examples of shaped verse in English, such as the tale/tail of a mouse in Alice in Wonderland, which rely merely on typographical arrangement.

Chakrabandha

A verse from Magha's Shishupala Vadha.

Reactions

Anandavardhana, who developed the theory of dhvani or poetic suggestion as the criterion of good poetry, criticised such verses in the harshest possible terms. He noted that as they contained no rasa, or in any case their rasa was subordinate to their "tricks", such verses had no place in literature. He condemned poets who used them, and felt that they ought to restrain themselves from producing such execrable verses even if they had the ability to do so.

Similarly, in his classification of poetry into uttama, madhyama and adhama, Mammata classified such verses chitrakavya verses which contain no rasa or dhvani as adhama, the worst kind of poetry (Vereses where dhvani (suggestion) is predominant are the best kind (uttama), and those where dhvani exists but is subordinate to other features are madhyama.)

Despite such fierce criticism, poets continued to indulge themselves and exhibit their skills, including, ironically, Anandavardhana himself.

References

• Jha, Kalanath (1975), Figurative Poetry in Sanskrit Literature, Motilal Banarsidass Publ., ISBN 9788120826694
• Gerow, Edwin (1971), A glossary of Indian figures of speech, Walter de Gruyter, ISBN 9783110152876

External links

• Chitrakavya- Chitrabandha by Sreenivasarao S
• The Hindu
• Extreme Poetry
• Ramakrishna Viloma Kaavyam - A rare palindromic sanskrit Composition