Can you provide a list of Sanskrit literary terms and their meanings?

 Here is a list of some key Sanskrit literary terms along with their meanings:

1. Sanskrit (संस्कृतम्):

   • Meaning: "perfected" or "refined," Sanskrit is the classical language in which many ancient Indian texts, including religious and literary works, were composed.

2. Kavya (काव्य):

   • Meaning: Poetry or literary composition. Kavya is a broad term encompassing various forms of classical poetry.

3. Mahakavya (महाकाव्य):

   • Meaning: Epic poetry. Mahakavya refers to longer narrative poems, often depicting heroic tales or mythological stories.

4. Alankara (अलंकार):

   • Meaning: Ornament or figure of speech. Alankara refers to the use of rhetorical devices and embellishments in poetry.

5. Rasa (रस):

   • Meaning: Essence or flavor. Rasa is a fundamental concept in Indian aesthetics, representing the emotional or aesthetic experience invoked by a work of art.

6. Dhvani (ध्वनि):

   • Meaning: Suggestion or resonance. Dhvani refers to the power of suggestion or the evocation of emotions through language, especially in poetry.

7. Anukramanika (अनुक्रमणिका):

   • Meaning: A list of contents or an index. Anukramanika provides a summary or index of the topics covered in a literary work.

8. Prabandha (प्रबन्ध):

   • Meaning: A type of composition or literary work. Prabandha is a generic term for various types of narrative compositions.

9. Upama (उपमा):

   • Meaning: Simile or metaphor. Upama is a figure of speech in which one thing is likened to another to create a vivid comparison.

10. Vakrokti (वक्रोक्ति):

    • Meaning: Oblique expression. Vakrokti refers to the use of indirect or oblique expression, often associated with the aesthetic use of language.

11. Vritti (वृत्ति):

    • Meaning: Style or manner of expression. Vritti encompasses different styles of expression, such as the plain style (sarasvati vritti) and the grand style (panini vritti).

12. Subhashita (सुभाषित):

    • Meaning: Well-spoken or wise saying. Subhashita refers to a collection of concise and eloquent verses or aphorisms conveying moral and philosophical teachings.

13. Vyakarana (व्याकरण):

    • Meaning: Grammar. Vyakarana is the study of the rules of grammar and linguistic analysis, and it plays a crucial role in Sanskrit literature.

14. Samasya (समस्या):

    • Meaning: Problem or difficulty. Samasya refers to a poetic device involving the deliberate introduction of ambiguity or a puzzle for the reader to solve.

15. Sthayibhava (स्थायिभाव):

    • Meaning: The dominant emotional theme. Sthayibhava represents the primary emotional sentiment or mood conveyed in a literary work.

16. Varna (वर्ण):

    • Meaning: Letter or phoneme. Varna refers to the basic units of sound in a language, and in Sanskrit, these are organized into a set of consonants and vowels.

These terms offer a glimpse into the rich and nuanced world of Sanskrit literary theory and aesthetics. Each term contributes to the understanding of the various elements that make up classical Sanskrit literature.