KAVIJIHVABANDHANA
1.
Kavijihvabandhana (ಕವಿಜಿಹ್ವಾಬಂಧನÀ)
2.
kavijihvAbanDhana
3.
Ishvarakavi
4.
1300
A.D. (approximately)
5.
Niduvani (niDuvANi)
6.
Prosody
7.
‘Kavijihvabandhana’ by Ishvarakavi,
who was bestowed with title Abhinava
Keshiraja, is a treatise on prosody and other basic elements, which are
to be mastered by those who want to compose poetry. This is a highly prescriptive
text that lays down very stringent rules for poets. The poet goes to the extent
of enumerating the punishments that will be meted out to those who break the rules
of prosody. This work is divided into four parts and comprises all together, 246
verses. The verses are composed in Vruttas and Kandapadyas. He takes the well known aksharaganas
namely ma, ya, ra, sa, ta,
ja, bha and
na and ascribes to them various vehicles, stars, planets, directions,
poetic rasas, castes and genders. All this belongs to
the realm of fiction rather than facts. The second chapter delineates different
rhyme patterns that are used in Kannada poetry and gives some information about
'Vadi'(vaDi) a specific
feature found in Telugu poetry. The third chapter takes up every letter in the alphabet
and ascribes auspicious and inauspicious qualities to them. Their usage in various
combinations are either approved or strictly forbidden. The fourth and the concluding
chapter begins with a descriptions of various dialectical patterns of Kannada such
as oLugannaDa, beLugannaDa,
paLagannaDa, sakkajaganaDa
etc and gives a few illustrations. This section is all too brief to be of any use
to glean some information about the state of Kannada during those times. Finally,
the work meanders in to some irrelevant details about erotica.
Kavijihvabandhana follows the pattern of structuring the work as though
it is narrated by the author to his wife. Over all this is an insignificant work
on an important topic. No wonder that many poets hardly follow the mechanical restrictions
prescribed by the theoreticians.
8.
1. H.
Sheshayyangar, 1939, Published in the ‘Annals of Oriental
Research’
2. R.S.Panchamukhi,
1950, Kannada Research Institute, Dharwar
3.A.R.Krishnashastry,
1952, Kannada Sahitya Parishath,
4. Kannada Chandassamputa
Ed. L.Basavaraju, 1974, Geetha
Book House,
9. Edited by using four manuscripts found in
10. Meaning
of the title: ‘Restriction to the tongues
of poets’