A Critical Study of 'Chitrakāvya' According to Indian Rhetoricians

Abstract: Early Indian rhetoricians initially focused on external attributes like Alamkara, Guna, and Rīti, but later recognized that superior poetry transcends literal meaning (Vāchyārtha). This led to a hierarchical classification of poetry based on the prominence of suggested sense. While poetry was fundamentally divided into Dr̥ śhyakāvya (dramatic) and śhravyakāvya (auditory)—further categorized into Gadya, Padya, and Champu—the core debate shifted toward defining the Kāvyātmā (Soul of Poetry). Within the Dhvani school, Ānandavardhana introduced a three-tier division, which was later formalized by Mammata Bhatta into three distinct grades. This was further expanded into four categories by Panditarāja Jagannātha. This research paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of various rhetorical perspectives on 'Chitrakāvya', often labeled as 'inferior' poetry due to its reliance on verbal ingenuity over deep aesthetic suggestion.