About the Book

This is a comprehensive anthology of Sanskrit poetry in the best English translations available. The first ever of its kind, it brings together excerpts form a full range of original works, translated by over forty distinguished writers including poets and scholars, savants and seers, and two winners of the Nobel prize for literature.
Drawing form sacred as well as classic and folk literature, this collection features a wide variety of poetry in translation. It includes nature hymns and mystic utterances; epic narratives and love lyrics; songs and reflections on the human condition; verses devotional and philosophic, heroic and tragic, erotic and satiric; courtly epigrams and inscriptions, and simple poems form the countryside.
English translations from Sanskrit have a history of over two centuries. The finest of these renderings have been compiled in this volume by a well-known Sanskritist to present the ancient language's poetic splendour, not through learned discourse, but by letting the poetry speak for itself.

About Author

A.N.D. Haksar is a long time student of Sanskrit literature, some works of which he has translated into English prose as well as verse. A career diplomat for many years, he served as Indian High Commissioner to Kenya and the Seychelles, Ambassador to Protugal and Yugoslavia, Dean of the Foreign Service Institute and President of the Program.

Contents

Foreword, Acknowledgements, Introduction, The Vedas, The Upanishads, Vyasa, Valmiki, Asvaghosha, Bhasa, Hala, Sudraka, Vishnu Sarma, Kalidasa, Syamilaka, Subandhu, Bharavi, Magha, Bhartrihari, Dharmakirti, Visakhandatta, Bana, Divakara, Amaru, Dandin, Kumaradasa, Bhatta Narayana, Sankara, Yasovarman, Saraha, Ravigupta, Kouhala, Govinda, Bhavabhuti, Vidya, Damodaragupta, Murari, Sila Bhattarika, Asaga, Vikatanitamba, Vallana, Abhinanda, Narayana, Damodaramisra, Rajasekhara, Kshemisvara, Siddha, Ananta, Kalasaka, Bhojya Deva, Atula, Kshemendra, Somadeva, Bilhana, Dhanesvara, Jayadeva, Haribhatta, Manovinoda, Nayachandra Suri, Rupa Gosvamin, Jagannatha, Nilakantha Dikshita, Anonymous verses from anthologies, other anonymous verses, A Seasonal anthology, Poerty from inscriptions, Appendix

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