Sound Play and the Madhurā Vijaya of Gaṅgādevī

Translating the form a verse takes, as opposed to simply its meaning, is a challenge that modern translation techniques largely fail to address. This article discusses the issues involved in translating one particular type of form-centric poetry – sound play or figures of sound from Sanskrit to English. After looking at the work of contemporary translators in this regard, the authors quote from their recently published translation of a rare Sanskrit court epic, the Madhurā Vijaya, which makes extensive use of sound play.