Citations of “Setubandha” in Kāvyaśāstra Texts – A Study
By Parul N. Mankad
Summary
This Hindi article investigates how verses from the Prakrit epic “Setubandha” (also known as “Rāvaṇavadha”) were used by Sanskrit rhetoricians to illustrate poetic figures and metre. The anonymous author surveys major works of alaṁkāra‑śāstra, including Bhāmaha’s “Kāvyālaṅkāra,” Daṇḍin’s “Kāvyādarśa” and Mammaṭa’s “Kāvyaprakāśa,” noting where they quote “Setubandha” to exemplify simile (upamā), metaphor (rūpaka), hyperbole (atiśayokti) and other tropes. The article highlights specific passages where the heroine’s beauty or the grandeur of Rāma’s bridge to Lanka is invoked to demonstrate poetic ornamentation. It also examines how these citations influenced later commentaries; for example, Hemacandra elaborates on Bhāmaha’s examples to discuss the emotional resonance of a metaphor. By compiling and analysing these references, the author argues that “Setubandha” played a significant role in shaping Sanskrit poetics and that its vivid imagery made it a favourite sourcebook for theorists. The study concludes that recognising the intertextual links between Prakrit epics and Sanskrit treatises can deepen our understanding of how classical Indian literary theory evolved.
Conclusion
By tracing how Prakrit verses from “Setubandha” circulated within Sanskrit poetics manuals, this study shows that boundaries between languages and genres were permeable in classical India. The Prakrit epic supplied vivid examples of rhetorical devices that commentators reused and elaborated upon. Appreciating this cross‑pollination helps scholars see Sanskrit alaṁkāra‑śāstra not as an isolated tradition but as a conversation drawing on diverse literary sources.