Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Poetry and Palindrome

Found this via one of my interesting mails & felt it's worth sharing.

“For those who are not aware of Shishu pala, He was killed by Lord Krishna for opprobrious insult that too after 100 times. A poem was written about Shishupala’s death and it is called perfect palindrome.

The poem is noted for its intricate wordplay, and textual complexity. The 19th canto contains the following stanza which is an example of what has been called “the most complex and exquisite type of palindrome ever invented”. It was devised by the Sanskrit Aesthetics, who termed it Sarvatobhadra, that is, “perfect in every direction” - it yields the same text if read forwards, backwards, down, or up:

sa-kA-ra-nA-nA-ra-kA-sa-
kA-ya-sA-da-da-sA-ya-kA
ra-sA-ha-vA vA-ha-sA-ra-
nA-da-vA-da-da-vA-da-nA.
(nA da vA da da vA da nA
ra sA ha vA vA ha sA ra
kA ya sA da da sA ya kA
sa kA ra nA nA ra kA sa)
Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shishupala_Vadha

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