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’