Alamkaras mentioned by Vamana
by Pratim Bhattacharya | 2016 | 65,462 words
This page relates 鈥楢lamkara-shastra according to Mammata (11th century)鈥� of the study on Alamkaras (鈥榝igure of speech鈥�) 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. 鈥渁nything which beautifies a Kavya or poetic composition鈥�)
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14: Ala峁僰膩ra-艣膩stra according to 惭补尘尘补峁璦 (11th century)
惭补尘尘补峁璦 (c. 11th cen.鈥�12th cen. A.D.) is one of the most popular and influential rhetoricians of the Kashmirian school of 础濒补峁僰腻谤补艣腻蝉迟谤补. He is influenced by the Dhvani-theory of 膧苍补苍诲补惫补谤诲丑补苍补 but he has also borrowed ideas from some older schools of Sanskrit Poetics like the 础濒补峁僰腻谤补蝉 chool, the Rasas chool etc. 惭补尘尘补峁璦鈥檚 elaborate work on Sanskrit Poetics is named 鈥�碍腻惫测补辫谤补办腻艣补鈥� and it is divided into ten (10) 鈥�耻濒濒腻蝉补蝉鈥� or chapters. In this work he has elaborately discussed the main issues regarding Sanskrit Poetics and he has put forth an orderly and wholesome treatment of these issues in accordance with his predecessors.
惭补尘尘补峁璦鈥檚 famous definitio n of poetry throws light upon the author鈥檚 view on the importance of 补濒补峁僰腻谤补蝉 in poetic composition鈥�
迟补诲补诲辞峁耻 艣补产诲腻谤迟丑补耻 sagu峁嚹乿anala峁僰峁泃墨puna岣� kv膩pi /
鈥�碍腻惫测补-辫谤补办腻艣补 (of 惭补尘尘补峁璦) 1.1.
惭补尘尘补峁璦 opines that poetic figures are not always necessary to Poetics. 鈥�Anala峁僰峁泃墨puna岣� kv膩pi鈥� means that a composition consisting in words and sense, devoid of defects and possessing poetic excellences can be regarded as poetry even if it does not contain poetic figures[1] . 惭补尘尘补峁璦 clarifies his view with the help of a well-known verse composed by Kashmirian poetess 艢墨l膩bha峁弓膩rik膩[2] .
He then comes to the conclusion that in the said verse the embellishment has been done by the superiority of rasa and not the 补濒补峁僰腻谤补蝉鈥�
atra sphu峁� o na ka艣cidala峁僰膩ra岣� /
rasasya ca pr膩dh膩ny膩nn膩la峁僰膩rat膩/
鈥�碍腻惫测补-辫谤补办腻艣补 (of 惭补尘尘补峁璦) 1.1. (惫峁泃迟颈).
惭补尘尘补峁璦鈥檚 definition of 补濒补峁僰腻谤补蝉 also justifies the said argument.
According to him, the poetic figures belonging to word (艣补产诲补) and sense (artha) like 补苍耻辫谤腻蝉补, 耻辫补尘腻 etc are like ornaments on a human body. They only adorn the words and senses which constitute the body of poetry. The place of 补濒补峁僰腻谤补蝉 in poetry is justified by their relation to rasa鈥�
upakurvanti ta峁� (谤补蝉补峁�) 蝉补苍迟补峁� ye'峁単adv膩re峁嘺 j膩tucit/
丑腻谤腻诲颈惫补诲补濒补峁僰腻谤腻蝉迟别'苍耻辫谤腻蝉辞辫补尘腻诲补测补岣�//
鈥�碍腻惫测补-辫谤补办腻艣补 (of 惭补尘尘补峁璦) 8.67.
These 补濒补峁僰腻谤补蝉 are considered as mere varieties of expression in the absence of rasa鈥�
yatra tu 苍腻蝉迟颈 谤补蝉补蝉迟补迟谤辞办迟颈惫补颈肠颈迟谤测补尘腻迟谤补辫补谤测补惫补蝉腻测颈苍补岣�/
鈥�碍腻惫测补-辫谤补办腻艣补 (of 惭补尘尘补峁璦) 8.67 (惫峁泃迟颈)
Although 惭补尘尘补峁璦 considers poetic figures as indirect or secondary embellishments to poetry he has elaborately analysed and explained a large number of poetic figures in the last two chapters of his work.