18: Definition of Dīpaka Alaṃkāra

Dīpaka is an ancient figure and is first mentioned by Bharata in his Nāṭyaśāstra.

Bharata defines the figure as—

nānādhikaraṇasthānāṃ śabdānāṃ saṃpradīpanaḥ/
ekavākyena saṃyogo yastaddīpakamucyate//
  —Nāṭyaśāstra (of Bharata) 17.96.

—The combination of words relating to different topics in a single sentence for their mutual illumination is called dīpaka.

This definition also highlights the etymological significance of the name dīpaka (light or illuminator).

Bhāmaha justifies the name dīpaka by considering the figure as an illuminator of meaning—

amūni kurvate'nvarthāmasyākhyāmarthadīpanāt/
  —Kāvyālaṃkāra (of Bhāmaha) 2.26.

Jagannātha has also thrown light on the implication of the name dīpaka given to the figure—

prakṛtārthamupātto dharmaḥ prasaṅgādaprakṛtamapi dīpayati prakāśayati sundarīkarotīti dīpakam / yadvādīpa iva dīpakam / saṃjñāyāṃ kan / dīpasādṛśyaṃ ca prakṛtāprakṛtaprakāśakatvena vodhyam /
  —Rasa-gaṅgādhara (of Jagannātha) Chapter-II, p-

Ruyyaka also explains the word dīpaka as—

prākaraṇikāprākaraṇikayormadhyādekatra nirdiṣṭaḥ samāno dharmaḥ prasaṅgenānyatropakārāddīpanāddipasādṛśyena dīpakākhyālaṃkārotthāpakaḥ /
  —Alaṃkārasarvasva (of Ruyyaka) pp-71-72.

These rhetoricians hold the view that in dīpaka one common property present in the sentence throws light upon both the prakṛta or prākaraṇika (contextual) and the aprakṛta or aprākaraṇika (non-contextual) objects. This common property in the figure dīpaka acts like a lamp which if placed anywhere in a dark room illuminates the room entirely.

Bhāmaha is the next rhetorician after Bharata who treats the figure. His definition of the figure is based on its classification—

adimadhyāntaviṣayaṃ tridhādīpakamiṣyate/
ekasyaiva vyavasthatvāditi tadbhidyate tridhā//
  —Kāvyālaṃkāra (of Bhāmaha) 2.25.

—Dīpaka is of three kinds referring to the beginning, the middle and the end. This three-fold classification is done because in this figure only one thing (common property) can occur in three places.

These three varieties of dīpaka (ādidīpaka, madhyadīpaka and antadīpaka) have been also accepted by Udbhaṭa, Vāmana and Vāgbhaṭa I^[1] .

Udbhaṭa improves on Bhāmaha in defining dīpaka—

ādimadhyāntaviṣayāḥ prādhānyetarayoginaḥ/
antargatopamādharmāyatra taddīpakaṃ viduḥ//
  —Kāvyālaṃkārasārasaṃgraha (of Udbhaṭā) 1.14.

—In dīpaka, the properties belonging to the prakṛta and the aprakṛta who have a sense of similarity implied in them are mentioned in the beginning, the middle or the end of a poetic composition.

The commentator Indurāja clarifies that in dīpaka, the properties of the prakṛta and the aprakṛta should be stated only once. If these properties are repeatedly mentioned, they give rise to the figure prativastūpamā^[2] . He also explains the definition of Udbhaṭāin the light of the etymological meaning of the word dīpaka^[3] .

Daṇḍin defines the figure as—

jātikriyāguṇadravyavācinaikatravartinā/
sarvavākyopacāraścet tamāhurdīpakaṃ yathā//
  —Kāvyādarśa (of Daṇḍin) 2.97.

—If a word indicating jāti (genus), kriyā (action), guṇa (quality) or dravya (subject-matter) and remaining in one place of a sentence, goes on to help (to understand the meaning of) the entire sentence, the figure thus formed is called dīpaka.

This definition clearly points out four primary varieties of the figure—

1. jātidīpaka,
2. kriyādīpaka,
3. guṇadīpaka and
4. dravyadīpaka.

These four varieties are each sub-divided into ādi, madhya and anta variants depending on the position of the common word.

Daṇḍin also illustrates four more varieties of the figure called:

1. mālādīpaka,
2. viruddhārthadīpaka,
3. ekārthadīpaka and
4. śliṣṭārthadīpaka.

He states that many more such varieties of the figure can be enumerated by the wise^[4] .

Bhoja almost follows Daṇḍin in verbatim while defining the figure dīpaka^[5] . He admits the primary divisions of the figure admitted by Daṇḍin. He also furnishes some interesting variants of the figure which are not found in Daṇḍin’s treatment of dīpaka^[6] . Vāgbhaṭa II seems to borrow from both Daṇḍin and Bhoja in his treatment of the figure^[7] . Rudraṭa (Kāvyalaṃkāra (of Rudraṭā) 7.64-65.) has admitted six varieties of the figure which includes kriyādīpaka and kārakadīpaka as the basic variants and ādi, madhya and anta as sub-varieties of each of them.

Vāmana seems to admit only kriyādīpaka out of the three primary varieties mentioned by Daṇḍin. He defines the figure dīpaka as—

upamānopameyavākyeṣvekākriyādīpakam/
  —Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛtti (of Vāmana) 4.3.18.

—If a single verb is common to the sentences bearing the upamāna and the upameya, the figure is called dīpaka.

In the following vṛtti this definition gets more clarified—

upamānavākyeṣūpameyavākyeṣu caikākriyāanuṣaṅgataḥ sambaddhamānā dīpakam/
  —Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛtti (of Vāmana) 4.3.18. vṛtti.

In dīpaka, the single verb which is common to both the upameyavākya and the upamānavākya helps in the comprehension of the relation between the two sentences.

The Kāmadhenu commentator, like Indurāja, mentions that this common verb should be stated only once to constitute the figure dīpaka^[8] . Later on Mammaṭa adds this feature in the very definition of the figure^[9] .

Vāmana follows the path of his predecessors in classifying the figure dīpaka into ādi, madhya and anta variants depending on the position of the common verb—

tattrividhyam, ādimadhyāntavākyavṛttibhedāt/
  —Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛtti (of Vāmana) 4.3.19.

The illustrations of these three varieties are as follows—

i) Ādidīpaka—

bhūṣyante pamadavanāni bālapuṣpaiḥ kāminyo madhumadamāṃsalairvilāsaiḥ/
brahmāṇaḥ śrutigaditaiḥ kriyākalāpaiḥ rājāno viralitavairibhiḥ pratāpaiḥ//

—Adorned are the palatial gardens with young flowers, ladies with beautiful graces rendered by the pleasures of spring, the Brahmins with the performance of duties endorsed by the Vedas and the kings with their valour capable of destroying the enemies.

Here the common verb is ‘bhūṣyante’ and it is placed in the beginning (ādi) of the verse.

ii) Madhyadīpaka—

vāṣpaḥ pathikakāntānāṃ jalaṃ jalamucāṃ muhuḥ/
vigalatyadhunādaṇḍayātrodhyogo mahībhujām//

—The tears of the wives of travellers, the rain from the clouds and the war expedition of the King are now continuously falling off.

Here the common verb is ‘vigalati’ and it is situated in the middle (madhya) of the verse. This verb implies for ‘dropping’ in the cases of tears and rain whereas it means ‘falling apart’ in case of the expedition of the King^[10] .

iii) Antadīpaka—

guruśuśruṣayāvidyāmadhugoṣṭhyāmanobhavaḥ/
udayena śaśāṅkasya payodhirabhivardhate//

—Knowledge by serving the preceptor, passion by drinking and the Ocean by the rising of the moon is increased.

Here the common verb is ‘abhivardhate’ and it is located in the end (anta) of the verse. The Kāmadhenu commentator observes that this principle of division of the figure dīpaka can be applied to the kārakadīpaka variety also^[11] . Thus he admits kārakadīpaka along with the kriyādīpaka already mentioned by Vāmana.

Jagannātha has rejected this ancient tradition of classifying dīpaka into ādi, madhya and anta variants. According to him, there is no special charm created when the word which denotes the common property is placed either in the beginning or the middle or the end of a sentence. Again, the word which expresses the common property may be near the beginning or near the middle or near the end of a sentence and so it will give rise to endless varieties of the figure^[12] . Rudraṭa, Ruyyaka, Mammaṭa, Vāgbhaṭa II, Viśvanātha etc. have recognised a variety of dīpaka called kārakadīpaka. In this variety, a number of words expressive of kriyās (actions) are grammatically connected with one kāraka. Jagannātha rejects this variety of the figure also. He cites ‘gauravadoṣa’ in admitting such a variety of the figure and includes it in the general sphere of dīpaka. Jagannātha also remarks that dīpaka should not be considered as a separate figure from tulyayogitā as both the figures have the same charm, the word expressing the common property occurs only once in both of them and in both the figures the similarity is implied^[13] .

Some rhetoricians like Vāmana, Udbhaṭa, Ruyyaka, Mammaṭa, Vidyānātha, Jagannātha etc. have emphasised that a sense of similarity is necessary to constitute the figure dīpaka. This similarity is suggested or implied. Bharata, Daṇḍin, Bhāmaha, Bhoja, Vāgbhaṭa I, Viśvanātha etc. have not expressed their stand in this matter. Rudraṭa (Kāvyalaṃkāra 7.11.) mentions the figure under ‘vāstava’ group which indicates that similarity is not an essential feature of the figure. Ruyyaka however, holds that the similarity in dīpaka is both ‘gamya’ and ‘vāstava’^[14] .

From the various doctrines put forth by Sanskrit rhetoricians regarding the nature of the figure dīpaka some basic traits of the figure can be sketched out.

They are as follows—

i) Dīpaka is formed when one common attribute or action establishes the relation between the upamāna-vākya and the upameya-vākya.

ii) The word denoting the common property or action can be placed anywhere in the sentence and it illuminates the relation between the upamāna and the upameya.

iii) The sense of similitude is suggested in dīpaka. A variety of dīpaka (kārakadīpaka) has been admitted by the rhetoricians which apparently does not involve similitude. However, even in kārakadīpaka a sense of comparison between the upamāna and the upameya is suggested innately.

iv) Majority of the later rhetoricians hold that in dīpaka the possessors of the common property must be partly prakṛta and partly aprakṛta. If they are either prakṛta or aprkṛta alone they would give rise to the figure prativastūpamā.

Vāmana has followed his predecessors in his treatment of the figure dīpaka. His classification of the figure follows an ancient tradition and it is not accepted by later rhetoricians like Jagannātha. However, by admitting the sense of similarity as the basis of the figure Vāmana has in fact echoed the modern concept of the figure.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

ādimadhyāntavartyekapadārthenārthasaṃgatiḥ/
vākyasya yatra jayeta taduktaṃ dīpakaṃ yathā//
  —VKL. 4.99.

[2]:

atra ca dharmāṇāmekavāramupanibandho draṣṭavyaḥ/asakṛdupādane hi teṣāṃ prativastūpamāṃ vakṣyati/
  —Laghuvṛtti, Kāvyālaṃkārasārasaṃgraha (of Udbhaṭā) 1.14.

[3]:

ata eva ca ekadeśavartināmapi teṣāṃ dharmāṇāṃ yau dvau upamānopameyabhāvena avasthitau vākyārthau bahavo vā tathāvidhāstaduddīpanahetutvāddīpakatā/
  —ibid.

[4]:

anenaiva prakāreṇa śeṣānāmapi dīpake/
vikalpānāmavagatirvidhātavyāvicakṣaṇaiḥ//
  —Kāvyādarśa (of Daṇḍin) 2.115.

[5]:

kriyājātiguṇadravyavācinaikatravartinā/
sarvavākyopakāraśceddīpakaṃ tannigadyate//
  —Sarasvatī-kaṇṭhābharaṇa (of Bhoja) 4.77.

[6]:

arthāvṛttiḥ padāvṛttirubhayāvṛttirāvalī/
saṃpuṭaṃ rasanāmālācakravālaṃ ca tadbhidāḥ//
  —ibid. 4.78.

[7]:

ādimadhyavartinaikena jātikriyāguṇadravyarūpiṇāpadārthena yatrārthasaṃgatistaddīpakam/
  —Kāvyānuśāsana (of Vāgbhaṭā II) Chapter-III, p-35.

Also—

asya ca kāraṇamālaikārthārthāvṛttipadāvṛ ttyubhayāvṛttyādayo bhehābhavanti/
  —Alaṃkāratilaka, Kāvyānuśāsana (of Vāgbhaṭā II) Chapter-III, p-35.

[8]:

ekasyaiva pradhānasambandhitayāsakṛdupāttasya padasya
vākyāntareṣu prasaṅgāt sambandho'nuṣaṅgaḥ/
  —Kāmadhenu, Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛtti (of Vāmana) 4.3.18.

[9]:

sakṛdvṛttistu dharmasya prakṛtāprakṛtātmanām/
saiva kriyāṣu bahvīṣu kārakasyeti dīpakam//
  —Kāvya-prakāśa (of Mammaṭa) 10.156.

[10]:

galanaṃ vāṣpajalayoḥ syandaḥ, daṇḍayātrodyoge nāśaḥ /
  —Kāmadhenu, Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛtti (of Vāmana) 4.3.19.

[11]:

evameva kārakadīpakamapyūhanīyam/
  —ibid.

[12]:

vastutastu dharmasyādimadhyāntagatatve'pi camatkāravailakṣaṇyā-bhāvāt traividhyoktirāpātamātrāt / anyathādharmasyopādyupamadhyo-pāntyagatatve tato'pi kiṃcinnyūnādhikadeśavṛttitve cānantabheda-prasaṅgāt/
  —Rasa-gaṅgādhara (of Jagannātha) Chapter-II, p-327.

[13]:

tulyayogitāto d īpakaṃ na pṛthagbhāvamarhati / dharmasakṛdvṛttimūlāyā vicchitteraviśeṣāt/
  —Rasa-gaṅgādhara (of Jagannātha) Chapter-II, p-326.

[14]:

tatrevādyaprayogādupamānopameyabhāvo gamyamānaḥ / sa ca vāstava eva/
  —Alaṃkārasarvasva (of Ruyyaka) p-72.