The Adventures of the Ten Princes
Quick Summary
The Adventures of the Ten Princes, also known as the Dashakumaracharita, is a Sanskrit prose romance by the Indian writer Dandin, who flourished in the late 6th and early 7th centuries. The work tells the coming-of-age stories of ten princes as they pursue love and seek to reunite with their friends. It blends realistic depictions of human flaws with supernatural elements, including divine intervention.1
Dandin is also known for Kavyadarsha ("The Mirror of Poetry"), a significant work of literary criticism that defined stylistic ideals for different genres of Sanskrit poetry. His writings have been highly influential, with Kavyadarsha being considered one of the most important works on literary theory in Asian history.1
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IndiaSociety and culture(7th century); in Dandin’s Dashakumaracarita, a collection of popular stories (6th century); and in Bhavabhuti’s play Malatimadhava. Tamil literature flourished as well, as evidenced by two didactic works, the Tirukkural (by Tiruvalluvar) and Naladiyar, and by the more lyrical Silappadikaram and Manimekhalai, two Tamil epics. Representing a
Read More(7th century); in Dandin’s Dashakumaracarita, a collection of popular stories (6th century); and in Bhavabhuti’s play Malatimadhava. Tamil literature flourished as well, as evidenced by two didactic works, the Tirukkural (by Tiruvalluvar) and Naladiyar, and by the more lyrical Silappadikaram and Manimekhalai, two Tamil epics. Representing a
Read More- South Asian artsNarrative literature
A fine example is the Daśakumāracarita (“Tales of Ten Princes”), by Daṇḍin (6th/7th century), in which, within the framework of a boxing story, the picaresque adventures of 10 disinherited princes are described in prose. While tending overly to description, the work remains eminently readable for the modern reader, a quality…
Read MoreA fine example is the Daśakumāracarita (“Tales of Ten Princes”), by Daṇḍin (6th/7th century), in which, within the framework of a boxing story, the picaresque adventures of 10 disinherited princes are described in prose. While tending overly to description, the work remains eminently readable for the modern reader, a quality…
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