Pun in Sanskrit Literature- A New Approach (An Old and Rare Book)

About the Book The concept of Pun-Slesa' was limited. Hitherto, to a figure of speech. Here, in this work, it has been attempted to prove Slesa as a theory and it is proved here how Dhvani, Vakrokti and all other literary concepts, established by the ancient scholars of India, come under the purview of this theory.

As it is established here the theory of Pun, totally, is of six varieties of which Slesalankara' and 'Sleaguna' are already made known to the admirers of literature. Along with these two varieties there are four new varieties introduced here and they are called 'Vrttyanekatvasūcaka Ślesa, Prabandha Slesa, Avastha Ślesa and Pratika Slesa'. Ultimately, the whole world is shown ruled by the principle of Pun. New meanings are pointed out in the Vedas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas.

About the Author GURUPAD KRISHNAPPA HEGDE: Born at Umbale koppa, near Sirsi of North Kanara District in May 1941. Studied 4th standard and discontinued studies. Worked in paddy-field and areca garden till the age of 20. Resumed study since 1960. Did external S. S. C. in 1962.

Attended classes and took B. A. in 1966 with the 'Gurunath Bevoor Memorial' prize for securing first rank with a first class in Sanskrit and M.A. in 1968 with the 'C. D. Deshmuk Prize' for securing first rank with a first class.

Lecturer At Sagar since 1968. Wrote KAVYADALLI DHVANI' in 1971. Received the award of 'PANDIT NAVEENAM RAMANUJACHARYA SANSKRIT PRIZE' for a research article 'KANNADA VANMAYA VIKASE SANSKRITASYA PRABHÄVAH' published in the SANSKRITAVIMARŠAH in June 1974. Received the Mysore University Golden Jubilee Research Award of 1978 from Mysore University for 'SANSKRITAVYAKA RANADIPIKĀ published in 1976 by the Prasanga of the said University itself.

Preface The Principle of pun or the Slega-theory is as old as the Universe. It has been attempted here to propound SLESA as the hold-all theory of all the established ideas of literary criticism in Sanskrit. My Slesa-theory pervades even those vedic and mythological portions where all other theories, including Dhvani have no place. Sleşalankara, with all of its wider scope than any other figure of speech in Sanskrit, is a part and parcel of the theory of SLESA which is proved here, with its verbal, semantic, Situational, iconographic and all other forms, ubiquitous in literature, art and life. The Sanskrit-karakas in which I have established the theory of Pun are given in the APPENDIX for the sake of convenient reading.

The chronological order of Sanskrit works including those on poetics is maintained here throughout while explaining the subject matter pervaded in the Vedas and all types of Sanskrit-literary works.

My thanks are due to the university Grants commission, New-Delhi for its financial assistance extended to me in the form of contingent grant. The U.G.C. had approved of me as a Supervisor for a Scheme of Book-writing at university level and gave its consent, to my appeal, to write the book myself without any fellow, that too along with my usual duties in the college. In this context I must express my deep gratitude to Prof. S. R. Malagi of Banga lore, the retired principal of Lal Bahadur & S. B. S. College, Sagar for his incentive interest shown in my academic progress; I thank the succeeding principals also for the same.

**Contents and Sample Pages**