On the Course of Sage Agastya (Canopus). A Literary Study of Bṛhatsaṃhitā’s Twelfth Chapter

Varāhamihira’s Sanskrit astrological and divinatory compendium, Bṛhatsaṃhitā (6th century CE), is distinguished for its adaptation of the kāvya style and aesthetics to several divinatory prognostications. Accordingly, the entire work may be classified as kāvyaśāstra, a scholarly treatise that incorporates elements of poetry. The uniqueness of its twelfth chapter, Agastyacārādhyāyaḥ ‘On the course of sage Agastya’ lies in the fact that the astrologer fashions it into a deliberate display of his poetic proficiency. In this chapter, the practical instructions concerning the observation and divinatory import of the star Agastya (Canopus) merge with poetic stanzas meant to demonstrate Varāhamihira’s acquaintance with various constituents of the kāvya style. The first aim of this study is to specify the poetic devices employed in the chapter, including a variety of classical Sanskrit metres, canonical themes, figures of speech, plot construction and intertextual references. The second aim is to recognise the purpose and significance of the chapter within the context of the entire work.