पृष्ठम्:कादम्बरी-उत्तरभागः(पि.वि. काणे)१९१३.djvu/३४

एतत् पृष्ठम् अपरिष्कृतम् अस्ति

xxx INTRODUCTION is disgusted with the filthy intrigues of the ruffian heroes of that book.

Although Bana was fettered by the canons of 

Rhetoric which laid down that long compounds were of the essence of prose, he displays considerable variety of style. His diction is generally smooth and graceful and he could write with force and brevity when it suited his purpose to do so. In this connection we may refer to the stem advice of Kapinjala to Pundarika. Sana's prose is generally ornate and full of poetic fancies. He revels in the jingling assonance of sounds. Upama, Rupaka and Utpreksha are met with at eveiy step. Among the other figures of speech may be men- tioned Dipaka, SahSkti, Virodlia, Nidars'ana and Vishama. . He seems to have been a close observer not only of courts and kings, but even of the less bright aspects of human life. His description of the old Dravida ascetic, though somewhat longdrawn and tedious, shows that he had an eye for the ridiculous and the bizarre. His descriptions of court and life in cities present a vivid picture of the times in which he lived. The advice of S'ukanasa to Chandrapida is a masterpiece. It sets out very clearly all the evils that beset not only the path of Chandrapida, but of all princes in all climes. The works of Bana possess great interest for the antiquarian from the fact that they afford a vivid picture of Indian society in the 7th century and of the manners and customs of those far-off days.

Bana seems to have been a great lover of Nature. 

He is never tired of using for poetic purposes the flora and fauna of India. His references to plants and flowers, though sometimes overdrawn and fanciful, are generally charming.

Although some of the characters of the Kadambari 

are shadowy and some of them are in their second or even third birth, the poet's genius is so superb and his power of developing love and pathos is so great that the reader soon forgets the unreal character of the work and his mind is enthralled by the engrossing interest of the woes and happiness of the characters. ' We find ourselves face to face