The Doctrine of Dosas in Sanskrit Poetics

Summary

The article on the doctrine of dosas in Sanskrit poetics by K. Krishna Moorty explores the concept of faults (dosa) in classical Indian aesthetics. Ancient rhetoricians considered poetry to be successful when it evoked rasa (aesthetic emotion) without lapses in sound, meaning or structure. Drawing on treatises like Bharata’s Natyasastra, Bhamaha’s Kavyalankara, Dandin’s Kavyadarsha, Anandavardhana’s Dhvanyaloka and the Sahityadarpana, the author traces how dosas were defined and classified. Early theorists emphasised flaws of expression, such as harshness, ambiguity or redundancy, while later writers developed elaborate taxonomies distinguishing faults of sound (sabda‑dosa), sense (artha‑dosa), ornamentation (alamkara‑dosa) and poetic composition (riti‑dosa). The article explains examples of each category, showing how poets were advised to avoid discordant consonant clusters, mixed metaphors, contradictory statements and excessive ornamentation. It also notes debates among scholars about whether dosas are merely absence of poetic qualities or separate negative entities. By comparing Sanskrit poetics with similar discussions in Tamil and Prakrit treatises, the article highlights the pan‑Indian concern for stylistic refinement. It concludes that an understanding of dosas is essential not only for textual criticism but also for appreciating the discipline of poetry and its craft. Through critical analysis of primary sources and commentaries, the author demonstrates that the doctrine of dosas provided poets with a framework for self‑regulation and contributed to the development of sophisticated literary standards in classical India.