काव्यालङ्कार (आचार्य भामह - भारतीय काव्यशास्त्र एवं अलङ्कार-सिद्धान्त मूल महाग्रन्थ सटीक)

FIRST PARICCHHEDA 25
26. In it the hero relates his own story. It
may contain occasionally verses in the Vaktra and
Aparavaktra metres forecasting future events.
27. It should be impressed with certain fa-
vourite expressions of ideas peculiar to the poet.
It should deal with abductions of maidens, battles,
separations of lovers and material progress.
28. A Kathā does not contain verses of the
Vaktra or Aparavaktra metre nor is it divided into
Ucchhvāsas. It might be couched in the Sanskrit
or Prākṛt language or in an Apabhraṁśa dialect.
29. In it the hero’s story is told by others, not
by the hero himself. How will a noble-born person
expatiate on his own virtues?
25 to 29. These verses deal with two species
of prose composition viz., आख्यायिका and कथा. This
twofold classification can be traced to Agni Purāṇa
which refers to आख्यायिका thus:—
कर्तृवंशप्रशंसा स्याद्यत्र गद्येन विस्तरात् ।
कन्याहरणसंग्रामविप्रलम्भविपत्तयः ॥
भवन्ति यत्र दीप्ताश्च रीतिवृत्तिप्रवृत्तयः ।
उच्छ्वासैश्च परिच्छेदो यत्र या चूर्णिकोत्तरा ॥
वक्त्रं चापरवक्त्रं वा यत्र साख्यायिका स्मृता ॥
And then Agni Purāṇa refers to कथा thus:—
श्लोकैः स्ववंशं संक्षेपात्कविर्यत्र प्रशंसति ।
मुख्यार्थस्यावताराय भवेद्यत्र कथान्तरम् ॥