It is a notable work in the line of poeticians such as
Bhamaha,
Dandin and
Anandavardhana. It is divided into 16 chapters and it comprises 734 verses, excluding 14 verses in the 12th chapter on eight types of
Nayika, which are considered as the later interpolations. Most of the work was composed in the
Arya metre with a few exceptions, particularly at the end of the chapters. The 13th chapter, comprising only 17 verses is the shortest one. The 7th and the 8th chapters, comprising 111 and 110 verses are the longest. The first chapter begins with the invocation of
Ganesha and
Gauri. It is also noted among
chess historians for containing one of the earliest references to chess in India, and the earliest example of a
knight's tour. In Sanskrit literary theory, it is notable for articulating the idea of
auchitya, or propriety of theme. It represents, in a sense, the culmination of the
alankara-focused tradition in Sanskrit poetics.
Commentaries Three known commentaries are written on the
Kavyalankara. The most significant commentary was written by Namisadhu, a
Śvetāmbara Jain and pupil of Shalibhadra in 1125
Vikrama Samvat (1068-69). Other two commentaries on this work were written by Vallabhadeva and Gopalabhatta. Gopalabhatta's commentary is titled
Rasatarangini. ==Notes==