Variants from Venisamhara and the Kavyaprakasa of Mammata

Summary

Jagriti Pandya addresses the challenge of establishing reliable texts of Sanskrit literature by examining variant readings of verses from Bhattanarayana’s Venisamhara as cited in Mammata’s Kavyaprakasa. While scholars have critically edited Kalidasa’s works, similar efforts are needed for other authors. Pandya consults multiple editions of Venisamhara and numerous editions and commentaries of the Kavyaprakasa, listing them systematically. She analyses how specific verses appear across these sources, noting where no variation exists and where commentators propose different readings. The article does not attempt to fix a definitive version but highlights textual discrepancies, encouraging future editors to collate manuscripts carefully. The discussion demonstrates how verses travel between texts of poetics and how later commentators may adopt readings unsupported by manuscripts. By bringing attention to these issues, Pandya underscores the importance of rigorous text‑critical methods for preserving Sanskrit literary heritage.