Category: literaturePart of speech: nounDifficulty: CommonRecommended for ★ UPSC
महाकाव्यम्
/mahākāvyam/Roman
English meaning: epic poem, great literary composition
Sanskrit Definition
(संस्कृतम्)नायकस्य चरित्रमाश्रितं दीर्घं सर्गबद्धं काव्यम्।
English Definition
A long heroic epic poem following strict classical conventions of Sanskrit poetics.
Example
“रामायणं महाभारतं च भारतस्य महाकाव्ये स्तः।”
In English: “The Ramayana and Mahabharata are the great epics of India.”
Synonyms
- इतिहासः
- काव्यम्
Antonyms / Opposites
- खण्डकाव्यम्
Literary Heritage
“मन्दः कवियशः प्रार्थी गमिष्याम्युपहास्यताम्। प्रांशुलभ्ये फले लोभादुद्बाहुरिव वामनः।।”
/Mandah kaviyashah prarthhi gamishyamyupahasytam. Pramshu-labhe phale lobhadud-bahur iva vamanah./
“Feeble-minded yet aspiring to a poet's fame, I go to be ridiculed — like a dwarf reaching for high fruit.”
“रामो विग्रहवान् धर्मः साधुः सत्यपराक्रमः”
/Ramo vigrahavan dharmah sadhuh satya-parakramah/
“Rama is righteousness incarnate — virtuous and true in valour.”
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Language information
- Language
- संस्कृतम्
- Sanskrit
- Script
- Devanagari
- Family
- Indo-Aryan
- Speakers
- 5M