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Alamkaras mentioned by Vamana

by Pratim Bhattacharya | 2016 | 65,462 words

This page relates ‘Definitions and characteristics of figures� of the study on Alamkaras (‘figure of speech�) mentioned by Vamana in his Kavyalankara-sutra Vritti, a treatise dealing with the ancient Indian science of Rhetoric and Poetic elements. Vamana flourished in the 8th century and defined thirty-one varieties of Alamkara (lit. “anything which beautifies a Kavya or poetic composition�)

The definitions and characteristics of figures have varied in course of time in Sanskrit Poetics. But the basic characteristics of the majority of figures have more or less remained unchanged. Yamaka and Գܱ can be regarded as the core figures of word whereas ܱ貹 holds the crown of supremacy among ٳṃk. ʳܲԲܰٲ seems to be the only prominent member of the śṃk section.

A detailed and comparative discussion on definitions and characteristics of the figures mentioned by 峾Բ has been carried out in the previous two chapters of this work. 峾Բ treats yamaka and Գܱ—the two most prominent figures of words. He furnishes a detailed discourse on the mother figure ܱ貹. He follows the common or traditional notion on the characteristics of some figures like ananvaya, Ծ岹ś, sahokti, 貹ṛtپ, ܱ貹DZ貹 etc. The treatment of some of the figures like ٳԳٲԲ, ٳܳٲśṃs, ǰپ, prativastu, sasandeha, ǰپ etc. by him seems to indicate the primary developing stage of the individual figures. Again, the treatment of some individual figures like ṣe貹, vakrokti, karma, ٳܱⲹDz, śṣoپ etc. by him is distinctive in the history of Sanskrit Poetics. It is probably his rigidness to stick to the principle of similarity in defining individual figures which has made his doctrine different from others.

It is also worth mentioning that the particular definitions of most of the individual figures put forth by 峾Բ are very much unique from his predecessors as well as his followers. This could be because of the fact that 峾Բ has formulated his work on the �ūٰ-ṛtپ� format of the Grammarians. The chief characteristic feature of a ūٰ is its terseness and compactness. So, 峾Բ’s definitions of individual figures which are in the form of ūٰs are also very terse and compact in nature.

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