Prose (गद्यम्)

The essentials

गद्यम् is writing without metre. Sanskrit critics valued good prose highly — a well-known saying calls prose the touchstone of poets (गद्यं कवीनां निकषं वदन्ति). Daṇḍin in his Kāvyādarśa says that abundance of compounds (समासभूयस्त्वम्), which gives force or ओजः, is the life of prose. Class 12 prose selections come from such works and from modern writing, and are read for meaning, moral and language.

Key points

• कथा is an imagined story; कादम्बरी of बाणभट्टः is the classic example. आख्यायिका is based on history; Bāṇa's हर्षचरितम् is about King Harṣavardhana.
• शुकनासोपदेशः is a famous section of कादम्बरी in which the minister Śukanāsa advises Prince Candrāpīḍa about the dangers of wealth, youth and power before his coronation.
• दशकुमारचरितम् is a prose work by दण्डी, known for its lively style (पदलालित्यम्).
• पञ्चतन्त्रम् (attributed to विष्णुशर्मा) teaches practical wisdom (नीति) through animal fables in five parts: मित्रभेदः, मित्रसम्प्राप्तिः, काकोलूकीयम्, लब्धप्रणाशः, अपरीक्षितकारकम्.
• हितोपदेशः by नारायणपण्डितः, based largely on the Pañcatantra, has four parts: मित्रलाभः, सुहृद्भेदः, विग्रहः, सन्धिः.
• In fables, prose narrative is mixed with verses that state the moral.

Exam tips

• For a prose lesson, be ready to state the source book, author, speaker and listener of key lines, and the central message.
• Questions may also ask grammar from the lesson: sandhi-vicchheda, samasa, pratyaya, and synonyms.

Common mistakes

• Mixing up कादम्बरी (कथा) and हर्षचरितम् (आख्यायिका), though both are by Bāṇabhaṭṭa.