Text 4.90

[This illustrates meanings implied from these padāṃśas respectively: avyayī-bhāva compound, and karma-bhūtādhāra (the location in the object case):]

anu-pikokti giras tava ced anu-smara-śaraṃ tu kaṭākṣa-paramparāḥ |
paripaṭhanti tadākhila-subhruvām adhivasasy amalāṅgi śikhā-maṇīn ||

anu-pika-ukti—similar^[1] to a cuckoo’s utterance; giraḥ—words; tava—Your; cet—if; anu-smara-śaram—similar to Cupid’s arrows; tu—only; kaṭākṣa-paramparāḥ—many series of sidelong glances; paripaṭhanti—fully learn (or teach) (or burst forth); tadā—then; akhila-subhruvām—of all those who have nice eyebrows; adhivasasi—You inhabit; amala-aṅgi—O woman whose body is pure; śikhā-maṇīn—the crest jewels.

O young woman with an immaculate body, if your speech, which resembles a cuckoo’s utterance, and a series of your sidelong glances, which are akin to Cupid’s arrows, burst into being, then you rule the best beautiful women.

atra pikoktīnāṃ smara-śarāṇāṃ ca gauṇyam, girāṃ kaṭākṣāṇāṃ ca tataḥ prādhānyam, tenāyatnād eva jagad-vaśī-kārād ity avyayī-bhāvasya, samasta-sundarī-vṛnda-garva-sarvasva-hārī tava saundarya-rāśir iti vyāpti-sūcakasya karma-bhūtādhārasya ca. atra svarūpa-mahimnaiva vyaṅgyāvagatiḥ, vigrahādau vācakatva-taulye’pi tad-abhāvāt.

Here, “a cuckoo’s utterance” and “Cupid’s arrows” have a secondary status, whereas Her words and Her sidelong glances have predominance over them. Therefore the avyayī-bhāvas anu-pikokti and anu-smara-śaram suggest this: “[You rule the best beautiful women] because you effortlessly bring the world under your control.”

In addition, the karma-bhūtādhāra (a location which is the object of the verb) (in śikhā-maṇīn, crest jewels, i.e. “the best”), which implies a complete rulership, hints at this: “Your immense beauty takes away the pride of all beautiful women, which is their all in all.”

In this matter, understanding the implied sense occurs only by the greatness of the nature (the elevatedness of the grammatical forms), since there is no understanding of an implied sense when the literally expressive words have equal status in the analysis of a compound or in a sentence.

Commentary:

The two avyayī-bhāva compounds in the verse are used adjectively. They are: (1) anu-pika-ukti (similar to a cuckoo’s utterance) and (2) anu-smara-śaram (similar to Cupid’s arrows). In an avyayī-bhāva compound, the meaning of the first word is grammatically predominant. The notions that “a cuckoo’s utterance” and “Cupid’s arrows” have a secondary status in those two avyayī-bhāva compounds is so only because anu, the first word, has a grammatically predominant status in an avyayī-bhāva compound, not because “Her words” and “Her sidelong glances” have predominance over those two. When a word outside a compound is said to be predominant, it is because that compound is a bahuvrīhi. Therefore, since there is no bahuvrīhi here, the said predominance of Her words and of Her sidelong glances is not directly correlated with the secondariness of “a cuckoo’s utterance” and of “Cupid’s arrows.” Only the fact that “a cuckoo’s utterance” and “Cupid’s arrows” have a secondary status in those avyayī-bhāvas is suggestive, not expressive, of the preeminence of Her voice (giras tava) and of Her glances (kaṭākṣa-paramparāḥ).^[2]

The padāṃśa called karma-bhūtādhāra (a location which is in the accusative case) is so called because the locative (ādhāra = adhikaraṇa) has become (bhūta) the accusative (karma). This happens when the verb has the prefix adhi. That prefix denotes supremacy: adhi syād adhikāre cāpīśvare ca nigadyate, “Adhi is used in the senses of adhikāra (rulership) and īśvara (a superintendent)” (Medinī-kośa). Yāska states: adhi ity upari-bhāvam aiśvaryaṃ vā, “Adhi has the sense of either ‘being above’ or ‘might’” (Nirukta 1.3).^[3]

Furthermore, the term paramparā (a series) already denotes a plurality, therefore the plural in the word paramparāḥ suggests that the speaker highly esteems her sidelong glances. This vastu-dhvani arises from the padāṃśa called vacana (the number), by the rule: pūjya-vācibhyas tv ādarādhikye, “After a word expressive of honor, the plural is used in the sense of great reverence” (Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa 622).

This verse shown by Mammaṭa exemplifies the suggestiveness of the padāṃśas called pratyaya (suffix), avyayī-bhāva compound, and karma-bhūtādhāra (the location in the object case):

taruṇimani kalayati kalām anu-madana-dhanur bhruvoḥ paṭhaty agre |
adhivasati sakala-lalanā-maulim iyaṃ cakita-hariṇa-cala-nayanā ||

“When her youthfulness is showing its skills and the arches of her eyebrows are learning from Cupid’s bow nearby, this young woman whose eyes are fickle like the eyes of a fearful fawn rules all the finest femmes fatales.”

This verse shows how special grammatical forms raise the eminence of the vibhāvas, etc., so that the relishment of the sthāyi-bhāva is enhanced. Mammaṭa expounds: atra, imanij-avyayībhāva-karma-bhūtādhārāṇāṃ svarūpasya taruṇatve iti dhanuṣaḥ samīpe iti maulau vasatīti tv ādibhis tulye, eṣāṃ vācakatve, asti kaścit svarūpasya viśeṣo yaś camatkāra-kārī sa eva vyañjakatvaṃ prāpnoti, “Given that the literal expressions by means of the suffix iman[ic] in taruṇimani (when the youthfulness), of the avyayī-bhāva “anu-madana-dhanuḥ” (near Cupid’s bow) and of the karma-bhūtādhāra “maulim” (the top, i.e. the finest) are semantically equalled by these ordinary synonymous expressions respectively: svarūpasya taruṇatve (when youthfulness of the nature occurs), dhanuṣaḥ samīpe (near the bow), and maulau vasati (she stays at the top), only a distinct particularity of the grammatical forms that generates astonishment reaches the state of being suggestive” (Kāvya-prakāśa, verse 110 vṛtti).

Narahari Sarasvatī Tīrtha explains: viśeṣaḥ, imanij-ādīnāṃ svarūpeṇa vibhāvādi-dvārā tathā pāramparyeṇa vyajyata ity arthaḥ, “By means of the vibhāvas, etc., via the grammatical forms of the suffix iman[ic] and so forth, a distinct particularity is implied by such a series” (Bāla-cittānurañjinī).

Nāgeśa Bhaṭṭa comments: pūrva-padārtha-pradhānāvyayī-bhāvena ca dhanuṣo guṇatāṃ prakāśayatā tato’py atiśayita-vaśīkārakauśalaṃ bhrū-latāgrasya pratyāyyate, “The arches of the creepers in the form of brows have an expertise in bringing about a complete subjugation: They are even more expert than Cupid’s bow. And that expertise is also hinted at by the avyayī-bhāva “anu-madana-dhanuḥ” (near Cupid’s bow), in which the meaning of the first word is predominant and which is shedding light on the secondariness of the bow” (Uddyota).

The verse features many more poetical elements, notably: (1) A rūpaka-dhvani (implied metaphor): Her sidelong glances are a form of Cupid’s arrows, (2) An anugrāhya anugrāhakatā saṅkara (a mix of dhvanis that facilitate each other; 4.97) of two implied rūpaka ornaments (metaphor): The brows are the students and the bow is the guru,^[4] (3) A stated upamā ornament (simile): Her eyes are fickle like the eyes of a fickle fawn.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Here anu has the sense of sādṛśya (similarity), by the rule: sādṛśye (HNV Bṛhat 1839) (Aṣṭādhyāyī 2.1.6). Alternatively, anu has the sense of yogya (being equal to). Jīva Gosvāmī gives the example: anu-kṛṣṇaṃ pradyumnaḥ, “Pradyumna is equal to Kṛṣṇa” (HNV 983).

[2]:

The theory regarding compounds is as follows. There are six major kinds of compounds: tatpuruṣa, dvigu, karma-dhāraya, avyayī-bhāva, dvandva, and bahuvrīhi. They are grouped in four categories: (1) uttara-pada-pradhāna (the last word is predominant): The tatpuruṣa, the dvigu, and the karma-dhāraya, 2) pūrva-pada-pradhāna (the first word is predominant): The avyayī-bhāva (ref. iti pūrva-pada-pradhānāvyayī-bhāvāḥ, HNV 986), 3) ubhaya-pada-pradhāna (both words are the main thing): The dvandva, and 4) anya-pada-pradhāna (a word outside the compound is the main thing): The bahuvrīhi. For more details, consult the Amṛta commentary on Hari-nānāmṛta-vyākaraṇa 921.

[3]:

The rules are:(1) adhi-śīṅ-sthāsām ādhāraḥ karma, abhiniviśo vā, “The location related to “adhi + śī[ṅ],”“adhi + ṣṭhā,” and “adhi + ās” takes the accusative case, and the location related to“abhi + ni + viś” optionally takes the accusative case” (Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa 650) (adhi-śīṅsthāsāṃ karma, Aṣṭādhyāyī 1.4.46), or (2) upānv-adhy-āṅbhyo vasa ādhāraḥ karma, “When the verbal root vas comes after upa, anu, adhi, or ā[ṅ], the location connected with it takes the accusative case” (Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa 651) (upānv-adhy-āṅ-vasaḥ, Aṣṭādhyāyī 1.4.48). In the verse (śikhā-maṇīn adhivasati), the second sūtra applies.

[4]:

punaḥ kasmin sati, śiṣya-bhūta-bhruvor agre guror madana-dhanuṣaḥ samīpe paṭhati sati, “while the arches of the two brows, the students, are learning near Cupid’s bow, the guru”(Uddyota).