Description
Book SynopsisIn 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.
Trade ReviewElegant and sophisticated poetry…this is a superb work. * New York Times Book Review *
These flowering—seemingly easy—translations 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 gods—on 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. * Poetry *
Table of ContentsGeneral Introduction The Anthology 1.-3. The Buddha and the Bodhisattvas 4. Siva 5. Siva's Household 6. Visnu 7. The Sun 8. Spring 9. Summer 10. The Rains 11. Autumn 12. Early Winter 13. Late Winter 14. Kama 15. Adolescnece 16. Young Women 17. The Blossoming of Love 18. Words of the Female Messenger 19. Love in Enjoyment 20. The Evidence of Consummation 21. The Woman Offended 22. The Lady Parted from Her Lover 23. The Lover Separated from His Mistress 24. The Wanton 25. The Lady's Expression of Anger at Her Messenger 26. The Lamp 27. Sunset 28. Darkness 29. The Moon 30. Dawn 31. Midday 32. Fame 33. Allegorical Epigrams 34. Breezes 35. Characterizations 36. Greatness 37. Good Men 38. Villians 39. Poverty and Misers 40. Substantiations 41. Flattery of Kings 42. Discouragement 43. Old Age 44. The Cremation Ground 45. The Hero 46. Inscriptional Panegyrics 47. Mountains 48. Peace 49. Miscellaneous 50. Praise of Poets Appendix: Punning Verses A Note on the Pronounciation of Sanskrit Words References Index of Authors General Index
