Sanskrit Poetry from Vidyakara's Treasury [Paperback]

In this rich collection of Sanskrit verse, the late Daniel Ingalls provides English readers with a wide variety of poetry from the vast anthology of an eleventh-century Buddhist scholar.

Although the style of poetry presented here originated in royal courts, Ingalls shows how it was adapted to all aspects of life, and came to address issues as diverse as love, sex, heroes, nature, and peace. More than thirty years after its original publication,Sanskrit Poetrycontinues to be the main resource for all interested in this multifaceted and elegant tradition.

Elegant and sophisticated poetry&this is a superb work.These floweringseemingly easytranslations are delightful to read& Blossoming of Love, Love in Enjoyment, and a few others, celebrate sex play that is sensuous and ecstatic, yet not lacking artistry and taste& Characterizations, Old Age, the Hero, various godson and on, there is an inexhaustible variety of subject, style, and tone& One is particularly grateful to Professor Ingalls for proving that it is delightful poetry even in translation& [He] carefully introduces Sanskrit poetry, as to form, metrics, imagery, poetics in general, so that one guesses the power and elegance possible in a tradition so subtly analyzed by its critics.In this rich collection of Sanskrit verse, Ingalls provides English readers with a wide variety of poetry from the vast anthology of an 11th-century Buddhist scholar. Although the style of poetry presented here originated at the royal courts, Ingalls shows how it was adapted to aspects of life as diverse as love, sex, heroes, nature, and peace.