Kristubhāgavatam, the Slaughter of Innocents, and the Requirements of the Mahākāvya Genre
Year: 2023
Type: article
Abstract: The paper analyzes selected passages from Kristubhāgavatam (“On Holy Christ”), a Sanskrit epic (mahākāvya) on the life and deeds of Jesus composed by P.C. Devassia (1906–2006). Focusing on the episode of the Slaughter of the Innocents, the author examines how Devassia interpreted and adapted the formal requirements of the mahākāvya genre and what literary techniques he used to construct an epic that conforms to the classical model outlined by theoreticians. Furthermore, through an analysis of selected verses, the article shows how Devassia enriched the narrative of Jesus with numerous references to Indian culture and how he skillfully wove in the fabric of the poem to bring the story of Christ closer to the contemporary Indian reader. The paper also considers the readership and relevance of modern Sanskrit works, arguing that that although such literary production lies outside the mainstream of contemporary Indian literature, it still attracts attention and finds its recipients.
Source: Perspektywy Kultury
Author: Hermina Cielas Leão
Language: English
Topic: Indian and Buddhist Studies
Subfield: Religious studies
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7110287990