Part 5z - Alaṃkāra (26): Svabhāvokti or natural description

Svabhāvokti or natural description is the description of such peculiar action or appearance of an object, as is not easily perceived by all.^[1] It may be mentioned here that a matter of fact description of a thing does not construe Svabhāvokti, it must be charming. The description must be in reference to the action and true nature of the thing, such as a child, lower animals etc. The actions and characteristics described must be peculiar to the object described and must not be such as to be common to it and others. Again, the description must be faithful and not hyperbolical. As for example, dayite vilokayati kāpi^[2] ……, īkṣāṃbabhūve śravaṇāntagai^[3] ……. The verse vigāhamānasturagatvamindraḥ^[4] ……., describes the glances of Uccaiḥśravas, the mount of Indra and those of a buffalo, the mount of Yama, towards Indra and Yama respectively, yoked to Lord Śiva’s chariot in the form of horses. Hence, it is an illustration of the figure Svabhābokti as it describes a peculiar appearance and action of of lower animals such as horses and buffaloes.