Shringara-Prakasha

A specialist on the subject, Sivaprasad Bhattacharya, considered Shringara-Prakasha as the most "detailed and provocative" discourse on rasa.^[3] According to P.V. Kane, Shringara-Prakasha can be considered as an encyclopaedia of various branches in Sanskrit literature such as Darsanas, poetry, and dramaturgy, written extensively by quoting numerous works which existed in that period.^[4] Some have argued, however, that no Sanskrit literature was developed after Abhinavagupta's rasa literature – Abhinavabharati. But scholars such as V Raghavan and Sheldon Pollock disagree with this view and assert that Bhojadevs's Shringara-Prakasha can be considered as an equally profound Sanskrit literature as Abhinavaguptas' Abhinavabharati.^[5] Carl Olson translated the title as "Revelation of Love" and described it as an expression of self-love, which according to Bhoja, was a much higher and most often expressed form of emotion in the world. He further interprets the poetry as an emotion of love which refines the human ego Ahamkara and develops self-consciousness Abhimana in a person.^[6]

Though many scholars have attempted to translate this magnum opus of Raja Bhojadeva, Sheldon Pollock's and Dr. V Raghavan's works are considered as dominant interpretations.^[7] Pollock notes that in spite of the fact that the Shringara-Prakasha is so relevant in the current time because of its content and its similarity with existing Sanskrit literature including its organization and style, it had not attracted much attention except in South India and Bengal. During the mid-20th century, there were claims of only four incomplete manuscripts available, out of which two were transcripts of a third one. But, V. Raghavan's translated commentary based on the fourth manuscript is considered valuable among scholars even today.^[8]