1. Alaṃkāra or the figures of speech (Introduction)

The satirical works of Kṣemendra are difficult to study and assess from literary perspective as is usually done in the case of Sanskrit Dṛśyakāvyas, and Śravyakāvyas etc. because, the very objective and therefore the nature of composition of these works are quite different as well as exceptional. Kṣemendra has depended upon some characters (persons) of different stages of life of the society, who are placed in the works as representatives of the contemporary society. Hence, in respect of characterization, delineation of rasa and other basic components of Sanskrit kāvyas much should not be expected herein as in the case of other conventional Sanskrit kāvyas. The theme of these works of Kṣemendra is purposefully placed for making certain improvement in the society and he utilizes his caliber as a satirist for achieving that purpose. But, it does not mean that those works of Kṣemendra are wanting in literary merits. With this background in mind, a brief assessment of the literary element of these works is done in the following few lines:

Alaṃkāra is one of the most important literary elements used in a poem. A kāvya is compared with a human body. Like a human body, poetry has also a body i.e. kāvyaśarīra which comprises śabda with a definite artha or sense and which are made charming by means of certain turns of expression to which the name of alaṃkāra is given. In one word, alaṃkāras embellish the constituent words and senses of a poem. When this embellishment relates to sound, it is called śabdālaṃkāra and when it connects to sense only then it is called arthālaṃkāra. Bhāmaha, Daṇḍin, Udbhata consider alaṃkāra as an essential element of poetry. Bhāmaha accepts the view presented by some other ālaṃkārika that the alaṃkāras like Rūpaka (metaphor) etc. are the ornaments for poetry because a damsel’s face without ornaments never looks beautiful although she is charming.^[1]

Vāmana opines that alaṃkāras are charm or beauty of a poem—

saundaryaṃ alaṃkāraḥ.^[2]

He suggests that poetry should be accepted from the view point of alaṃkāra—

kāvyaṃ grāyamalaṃkārāt.^[3]

Daṇḍin uses the word alaṃkāra in a general sense with the implication that which causes beauty in poetry—

kāvyaśobhākarān dharmānalaṅkārān pracakṣate.^[4]

Viśvanātha Kavirāja compares alaṃkāra to the bracelets and earrings that worn by a damsel—

alaṃkārāścakaṭaka-kuṇḍalādivat.^[5]

For him, as the ornaments enhance beauty of a girl so as the alaṃkāras of a poem heighten its beauty. The alaṃkāras are mentioned by him as non-permanent attributes of a word and its sense.^[6] He considers alaṃkāras as the cause of heightening rasa or sentiment. Bharata speaks of four alaṃkāras only-Upamā (simile), Rūpaka (metaphor), Dīpaka (illuminator) and Yamaka (repetition of words or rhyme).

Kṣemendra, in his satirical poems uses simple alaṃkāras. He has not employed much alaṃkāras. For him, alaṃkāras are only external embellishments.

In the Aucityavicāracarcā^[7], he remarks thus—

parasparopakāraruciraśabdārtharupasya kāvyasya upamotprekṣādayo ye pracurālaṃkārāste kaṭakakuṇḍalakeyūrahārādivad alaṃkārā eva, bāhyaśobhāhetutvāt.

Kṣemendra uses very simple words in his poems, stays away from lengthy compounds. The figures of speech used by Kṣemendra are apt to the occasion and are drawn from the sphere of daily life. They lack lustre and do not look prominent.’^[8] In his satirical poems, Kṣemendra uses both the varieties of alaṃkāras viz. the śabdālalaṃkāra and the arthālaṃkāra. The alaṃkāras employed in the satirical poems are as follows-

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

a. rūpakādiralaṃkārastasyānyairbahudhoditaḥ/
na kāntamapi nirbhūṣaṃ vibhāti vanitānanaṃ// Kāvyālaṃkāra ,I.13 b.
anena vāgarthavidāmalaṅkṛtā vibhāti nārīva vidagdhamaṇḍanā// ibid.,III.58

[2]:

Kāvyālaṃkārasūtravṛtti , I.I.2

[3]:

ibid., I.I.1

[4]:

Kāvyādarśa , II.1

[5]:

Sāhityadarpaṇa , I.p. 22

[6]:

śabdārthayorasthirā ye dharmāḥ śobhātiśāyinaḥ/
rasādīnupakurvanto’laṃkārāste’ ṅgadādivat// ibid.,X.1

[7]:

Aucityavicāracarcā , P.5

[8]:

Suryakanta, Dr., Kṣemendra Studies, p.31