मधुराविजयम् /101
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imagine, think, and write in the manner of her great predecessors.
Imitation in her case is a process of spiritual assimilation. She
emulates the great writers. Spiritually she belongs to their
company. Hence what might appear as a cheap imitation in the
case of a lesser writer, appears differently in this work.
The descriptive passages sometimes cover a complete canto
in this work. These passages are subordinated to the central
purpose. The work develops Sringara and it also offers a delightful
and moving instruction. All the descriptive passages bearing on
Sringara refer to the hero alone. Thereby they contribute to the
development of what may be called dharma-sringara. Here we draw
the attention of the readers to the closing lines of the fifth canto.
And a close look at the text shows that Gangadevi planned the
text almost as a parallel to the Ramayana of Valmiki. A look
at the cantos shows how dharma-sring ara is developed systematically.
The first canto presents the birth of the hero. Cantos 2, 3, 4, 8
and 9 show heroism (Vira-rasa). The remaining cantos have
sringara. The hero's conquest of Mathura after that of Kanchi is
bridged by the descriptive passages.
Gangadevi was taught by an Andhra scholar and poet called
Viswanatha who was related to Vidyanatha (Agastya) and who
came from Warangal. She has mentioned only the Telugu poets
along with Sanskrit poets. She has not mentioned any Kannada
or Tamil poets. Her references to the earlier poets are placed
at the beginning of the text; and this has been the practice of the
Telugu poets down the centuries. Many poets and scholars from
Andhra desa were honoured by the Vijayanagara rulers in those
days. She was considered to be the most fitting wife to Kampa-
Raya (2.16). The present work shows traces of the expressions
we find in Telugu poetical works. Here one may note 2.23, 33,
Imitation in her case is a process of spiritual assimilation. She
emulates the great writers. Spiritually she belongs to their
company. Hence what might appear as a cheap imitation in the
case of a lesser writer, appears differently in this work.
The descriptive passages sometimes cover a complete canto
in this work. These passages are subordinated to the central
purpose. The work develops Sringara and it also offers a delightful
and moving instruction. All the descriptive passages bearing on
Sringara refer to the hero alone. Thereby they contribute to the
development of what may be called dharma-sringara. Here we draw
the attention of the readers to the closing lines of the fifth canto.
And a close look at the text shows that Gangadevi planned the
text almost as a parallel to the Ramayana of Valmiki. A look
at the cantos shows how dharma-sring ara is developed systematically.
The first canto presents the birth of the hero. Cantos 2, 3, 4, 8
and 9 show heroism (Vira-rasa). The remaining cantos have
sringara. The hero's conquest of Mathura after that of Kanchi is
bridged by the descriptive passages.
Gangadevi was taught by an Andhra scholar and poet called
Viswanatha who was related to Vidyanatha (Agastya) and who
came from Warangal. She has mentioned only the Telugu poets
along with Sanskrit poets. She has not mentioned any Kannada
or Tamil poets. Her references to the earlier poets are placed
at the beginning of the text; and this has been the practice of the
Telugu poets down the centuries. Many poets and scholars from
Andhra desa were honoured by the Vijayanagara rulers in those
days. She was considered to be the most fitting wife to Kampa-
Raya (2.16). The present work shows traces of the expressions
we find in Telugu poetical works. Here one may note 2.23, 33,