Chapter 343 - Definition of the embellishment of words (śabda-alaṅkāra)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Fire-god said:

1-2. Alliteration is the repetition of letters in (inflected) word and sentence. The class of letters of repetition is twofold—single letter and many letters. Five kinds of mode are produced from the repetition of a single letter—sweet, soft, mature, graceful and harsh.

3-4. The consonant letters of the sweet (madhurāvṛtti) should occur below the last letters of the (respective) consonant classes: the letters ra and ṇa should be separated by short vowels, coupled with letter na and should be joined with hard aspirates and sibilants. The varga-varṇas (letters ka, ca, ṭa, ta and pa) should not be repeated in more than five ways. They are not to be followed by short syllables.

5. The soft one abounds in (the use of) ra^[1] and la. In the mature one, (the letters) pa, ṇa and (other) consonants are joined with (the letter) ra at the head. But neither the cerebral nor the fifth (letters of the consonants are joined).

6-10a. The remaining (letters) would be present in the graceful one. The harsh one is said to be that in which the sibilants are joined with the very same letters. There is abundant repetition of vowels excepting the letter a. The anusvāra and visarga are also constant in harshness. The sibilants are combined with ra. (The letters) a and ha are also abundantly joined for harshness. (They are also joined with) the semi-vowels, na and ma^[2]. Otherwise, if the conjunct is a hindrance, a hard consonant (is used) as the first letter for harshness. But the fifth one is not favoured. The harsh one is employed in censure and imitation of words.

10b-11a. Karṇāṭī, Kauntalī, Kauntī, Vāmanāsikā^[3], Drāvaṇī^[4] and Mādhavī^[5] (are) respectively (characterised) by the semivowels and sibilants.

11b-17. That which has repetition of many letters conveying different meanings is yamaka. It is of two kinds—contiguous and non-contiguous. The contiguous one (has the letters) in close succession. The non-continguous one (has the letters repeated) with intervals. These two become fourfold on account of two kinds of differences in the position (of the letters) and the (metrical) foot. (The first kind is) of seven varieties according (as yamaka occurs) in one, two and three at the beginning, beginning of the foot, in the middle and at the end (of the metrical feet). The other kind occurs in six ways when the commencement of one, two or three metrical feet is similar in each successive foot with reference to each preceding one. The third (variety) is threefold (according as yamaka) occurs at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of (the metrical) foot. Other yamakas are many. The prominent ten are: pādāntayamaka, kāñcīyamaka, saṃsargayamaka^[6], vikrāntayamaka, pādādiyamaka, āmreḍita, caturvyavasita and mālāyamaka.

18. The repetition of a word is twofold according as it is independent or dependent on others. Thus men know the repetition of words which have different purposes.

19. The compounded (repetition) arises from the compounding of two repeated words. The uncompounded (repetition) arises from the absence of compounding between the two words from dissolving the compounds in one part of the metrical foot.

20. The repetition of a sentence is said to be possible in this way. Alliteration is thus the foremost among the embellishments by virtue of its fitness though being short in the middle.

21. That alliteration, where the similarity of sound is enjoyed by means of any vṛtti (mode), having uninterrupted sequence of words, is charming.

22-23a. Citra (picturesque Kāvya) is said to be a composition of words exciting curiosity in a learned assembly. It is of seven different varieties—Praśna, Prahelikā, Gupta, Cyuta, Datta, Cyuta and Datta combined and Samasyā arising from union of different meanings.

23b-24. That is Praśna (query) in which a reply is given having similar arrangement of letters. It is twofold according to the difference of reply to the question asked by one or two. The query asked by one, again, is indeed twofold according as it is compounded or uncompounded.

25-26a. Prahelikā (riddle) consists of words having even two meanings concealed. It has two kinds—verbal and meaningful. The meaningful arises from the comprehension of meaning and the verbal from the knowledge of word. Prahelikā is said to be of six kinds.

26b-27a. That is Gupta (concealed) in which even a part of a sentence remains concealed and the resultant meaning for which there is expectancy by that part is not wholly true. It (is) also (called) Gūḍha (covert).

27b-28. Where there is the appearance of a different sense by means of dropping a part of a sentence etc. and there is expectancy raised by that part, it is known as Cyuta (dropped). It is fourfold arising from the dropping of the vowel, consonant, bindu (anusvāra) and visarga.

29. That is said to be Datta (added) in which a second sense is suggested, even though a part of the sentence is given. Its varieties are considered to be the same as in the previous by means of vowels and the like.

30. It is said to be Cyutadatta (dropped and added) in which there arises a different sense even when another letter is inserted in the place of the removed syllable.

31. That is Samasyā (union) in which one verse involves good puns and is composed of various verse fragments. (It arises) from the blending of the composition of others and of one’s own.

32-33a. Duṣkara (difficult) is that (which is) constructed with very great difficulty, indicating poet’s ability and producing great delight in clever persons in spite of tastelessness. It is threefold from niyama (restraint), vidarbha^[7] (variation) and bandha (structure).

33b-34a. Niyama (restraint) is considered to be the fulfilment of promise of the poet, who is delighted for his composition. It is threefold according as it (is regulated) by position, vowel and consonant.

34b-35a. Vikalpa (variation) is so called from the reverse and natural order (of letters). The reverse and natural order arises from word as well as sense.

35b-37a. The skillful composition (of different kinds) of the forms of various well-known objects by means of arrangement of letters repeated in many ways is said to be bandha (structure). It is (divided into) eight (varieties)—Gomūtrikā, Ardhabhramaṇa, Sarvatobhadra, Ambuja, Cakra, Cakrābjaka, Daṇḍa and Muraja.

37b-39a. (Gomūtrikā) would have similar alternate syllables in each metrical foot in each half (of a verse). Gomūtrikā (zigzagging like the cow’s urine) is twofold—the first kind is said to be Aśvapada (horse foot) by others. The last kind of Gomūtrikā is also called Dhenu (cow) and Jālabandha (net structure). An arrangement of these is made by two halves and by half metrical feet.

39b-47. That is indeed Sarvatobhadra (good in every direction) where (i) the letters (are arranged) one below the other in successive order, (ii) the letters are arranged one below the other up to the fourth feet, and (iii) (the letters are arranged) from the fourth foot onwards the half foot in the reverse order. It is threefold—Sarasīruha (lotus), Caluṣpatra (four-petalled) and Vighna, both of which are four-petalled. The uppermost (letters) of the first foot are the letters of the three feet. They occur indeed at the end of all feet. The last two letters of the preceding foot are at the beginning of the succeeding foot in the reverse order. The last two letters of the last foot (are in the same order) at the beginning of the first foot. This would be in (the lotus of) four petals. But there would be three letters in the lotus of eight petals. On the other hand, it is alternate, if it is a single letter, in (the lotus of) sixteen petals. A series of letters in the form of the petals should be drawn above the pericarp in the lotus of four petals and then made to enter the pericarp. One letter should be written in the pericarp and letters two at a time in the cardinal and intermediate (points) in the lotus of eight petals. The entrance and exit (of letters) should be made in the cardinal (points). The insertion of similar syllables (is done) in the middle of dissimilar letters occurring in the rows of petals on all sides in the lotus of sixteen petals.

48-52. Cakra (wheel) is twofold—consisting of four spokes and six spokes. The first one among these has the first and fifth letters in the quarter of the first half as similar. The fourth and eighth letters of the odd and even foot are in order in its northern, eastern, southern. and western^[8] spokes. The four halves of the (two) feet should be in the nave. Its first letter should be taken as far as the last spoke, the remaining two feet (being) in the circumference. It is said to be the Bṛhat-cakra (big wheel), if the third letter at the end of the fourth foot and the first two letters are similar, if the tenth letters of the three feet are similar, if there are six letters at its beginning and end and if (a letter) is separated by two letters in the last foot.

53-54. (The two) feet are written one by one gradually in the two front spokes. But the tenth letter should be drawn in the nave and the fourth foot in the circumference. The first, last and tenth letters of the verse are similar. The first and the last (letters) of the two even feet (are also similar). The first, fourth and fifth letters of the first and fourth feet are similar.

55-58. If the third (foot) is produced by reversing the second and the petals are arranged, it is the Daṇḍa (staff). (It is known as) Cakrābjaka (lotus-wheel), if the second and seventh (letters) are similar in the first petal of a composition, (if) the succeeding two petals are similar by the two second (letters in each), (if) the second, sixth, fourth and fifth letters are similar in the two halves, (if) the first and the last feet, the seventh letters of the extreme halves are also similar. Then one should arrange the fourth and fifth similar (letters) in order. Similarly the two fourth (similar letters) of the krama feet at the end of the petals should be arranged.^[9]

59-61. The first and the last of the two halves are similar in Muraja (drum). The letter occurs in the half-foot according to the natural or reverse (order). Muraja (drum) shape is obtained thus. The last is set in such a way that the fourth becomes the first.^[10]

62. The second (variety of) Cakra (circle) is accomplished with Śārdūlavikrīḍita.^[11] The Gomūtrikā (bandha) (is composed) in all the metres. But other bandhas (are set) in Anuṣṭubh^[12].

63. If the names of the poet and the poetic composition are not found in these, friends become delighted and enemies also do not feel depressed.

64-65. The arrow, bow, sky, sword, club, lance, meeting place of two, three or four^[13] roads, thunderbolt, mace, goad, chariotwheel, food of the elephant, pond and knife are (the different) bandhas (patterns in which verses are composed). Others (bandhas) should be known by the wisemen similarly.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The printed text reads va.

[2]:

The reading antasthābhinnamābhyāñca in the printed text has been changed to antasthābhirnamābhyāñca.

[3]:

The correct reading seems to be Vānavāsikā.

[4]:

Obviously wrong reading for Drāviḍī.

[5]:

Obviously wrong reading for Māthurī.

[6]:

Obviously wrong reading for samudgayamaka.

[7]:

Obviously vikalpa. See verse 34b.

[8]:

The text is wrong. It has been corrected as tasyodakprāgavākpratyagareṣu.

[9]:

This line is not intelligible.

[10]:

Verses 60-61 are cryptic and the idea conveyed is not clear.

[11]:

Metre consisting of ma, sa, ja, sa, ta, ta (gaṇas) and ga.

[12]:

Consisting of eight syllables.

[13]:

The reading dvicatuṣka seems to have sense instead of dvicaturtha in the text.