2.

Shitya/Kvya

Different Sanskrit words correspond more or less to the English ideas of poetry or
literature: shitya, which literally means something like togetherness (from sahita =
together); kvya, poetry (that which is produced by a poet, kavi).
According to one of the ancient authorities on the subject, Bhmaha, literature is the
togetherness of words and meaning:
Poetry is words and meaning placed together (abdrthau sahitau kvyam)

Dain offers a more extended definition of poetry/literature:

They (the past masters) have shown the body, and the ornament, of poems.
To begin with, the body is a string of words defined by a desirable meaning.1

Ancient authorities on Alakrastra have explained that when Dain speaks of a

desirable meaning he refers to a meaning that is capable of generating supra-mundane
joy, not just worldly joy (lokottara-hlda-janakatva). In this way, the definition of poetry
excludes statements like your enemy has died; your son has been born. These
statements may produce great joy, but this joy is entirely within the world, i.e. within
the immediate circumstances and concerns of ones own life.
Poetry can be divided into:
Poetry to be seen (dya) vs. poetry to be heard (ravya);
Verse (padya) vs. prose (gadya), and mixed (camp).

In Sanskrit verse in itself is not a sufficient reason to call something a poem. Writing in
verses is, in fact, very common: philosophical, medical and grammatical treatises, etc., are
also often written in verse (which is easier to memorize). Verse compositions are called

1 tai arra ca kvynm alakra ca darita | arra tvad irthavyavacchinn padval ||1.10 ||
Kvydara.

padya because most verses consist of four pada/pda (foot). For example, here is a
description of rphaakh, Rvaas sister, as she approaches Lakmaa:

dadhn valibha madhya

karajhavilocan |
vktvacentisarvea
candralekhva pakatau ||

She had a waist shining with folds,

And eyes stretched to the ear-base.
As her voice and skin surpassed all,
she was like the moon-sliver on the months first.

Among the mixed type, drama (nya) is especially important. Sanskrit dramas included
many performative elements, such as costumes, dances, and elaborate music.
Good poetry should avoid a number of defects such as being vulgar (grmya),
unintentionally using string of sounds that are actually referring to obscene things, being
too obscure, etc. Alamkrastra authors list several good qualities to be cultivated and
flaws to be avoided.