Part 3 - Artha-alankaras in Vasantavilasa-mahakavya

Balacandra Suri's poetic skill can also be seen from his apt method of employing a number of Arthalankaras thorough out the Vasantavilasa. Of the figures of speech he has brought in, it is evident that he has given special preference for Uspreksa, Rupaka, Bhrantiman, Arthantaranyasa, Karanamala and Hetuman. A. Utpreksa Balacandra Suri being found of Utpreksa, has used it freely in his Mahakavya in all its varieties and shades. He employes the word iva more often than not to express poetic fancy. Otherwords expressing fancy are also used here and there. He is able to portray the various aspects of the objects of his description. He analysis and displays the various shades of their look and location with the flights of imagination which very few poets have reached. His success as a descriptive poet lies in his efficient use of Utpreksa. His description of city, water sports, battle scence, etc., abound in poetic fancies which often come in compitition one after the other. Utpreksa or poetic fancy is the representation of an Upameya as probably identical with a similar object i.c., with an Upamana.' Words like Manye, Sanke, Dhruvam, Prayah, Nunam, Uhr, etc., reveal the presence of Urprezsa, Iva, also included among the words of denoting Utprezsa when Upama

302 is such as is specially imagined by the poet, Iva suggests probability in Utpreksa. Following are some of the examples illustrating Utpreksa yatranuratram kila niskalankah sucarucandaropalacandrasalah | pratisphalancandrakalanka bhitibhrto rudantiva galanjalaughaih | | II. 28 Terraces full of Moon-stone due to the Moon-light falling on them ooze out currents of water; it appeared as if they were weeping being frightened by the dark-spot of the moon being reflected in them. 1 Here, Moon-stone of the terreces are ooze-out water, due to the Moon-light falling on them. It is fancied as if they were weeping being frightened by the dark-spot of the Moon being reflected in them. The word Rudantiva in this verse reveals the presence of Utpreksa. suryatapodyotitamahi cahni suryasmamayyo grhasalabhanjyah | sankrantadosakaralaksmadosavisuddhihetoriva sadhayanti | | 11.29 During day time, statues erected for sports in side the houses absorb Sun's rays and produce fire kindled by the Sun-shine. It appeared as if they wanted to purify due to the touch of the dark-spot of the Moon during the previous night. Here, the statues absorb Sun's rays and produce fire kindled by the Sun-shine. It is fancied as if they wanted to purify due to the touch of the

303 dark-spot of the moon during the previous night. The word Visuddhihetoriva in this line indicates the presence of Utpreksa. panai sriyam pankajabhaji vame vametare capi giram dadhanam | nijangabhasam bhrsamangabhajam netresu piyusamiva ksarantam || IX. 3 He (Brahma) was holding a lotus in his left hand and a book in the right hand. all his limbs were bristling with lustre and he was oozing nectar from his eyes. Here also the same figure of speech is used. The words bhasam, iva fancies the verse very charmingly. B. RUPAKA Rupaka or Metaphor is the identification of the Upamana and the Upameya. This identification must spring from extreme resemblence between the two. Another point to note is that the Abheda in Rupaka is Aharya or volitional. Though we identify the face with the Moon, we are quite conscious of the difference between the two.² this definition may be seen reflected in the following examples: malimasah paksayuge'pi ke'pi kaka ivamedhyadhiyo varakah | kavitvakarpuravanih kavinamativa saurabhyavatirdvisanti | 11.25

304 Crows hate sweet food and desire to eat only rotten and foul things; so too the wicked hate sweet and fragrant camphor-like good poetry. In this verse, Rupaka is seen in the word maravesu jaladesviva bhupesuditesu samupaiti yadiha 1 f sankha esa tadupaitu tadutko vyaktamesa bhujago'sti mamasih || It is true that my king Viradhavala is surrounded by desseret kings. But there fate will be of those clouds who rise on the desserts and go futile. And if your King Sankha is anxious to fight with me, here is my sword anxious to be his master. In this verse, Rupaka is seen in the word grits C. Bhrantiman The figure Brantiman consists in the comprehension of the Upameya as identical with another. And Bhrantiman arises when the Upameya is mistaken for the Upamana. Thus there are three points of consideration - 1) There is a mistake mr errmr of one thing for another. 2. The error is due to similarity between the two things. 3. The error is not intentional, but real or honest. The last point is expressed by saying that while in Rupaka and Atisayokti there is no real delusion; but Arisayokti there is no real delution; but in

305 Bhrantiman as the very name indicates, real delution is quite distinctly comprehended as being present. Another point of consideration is that Bhranti or illusion is a characteristic of the mind and as such can belong to a sentient being. It can not belong to the non-sentient or inanimate figure. The name applied to the figure is therefore, metaphorical, because the figure contains a description of the illution of the same santient being.³ There are more than ten examples of Bhrantiman figure, in the Vasantavilasa. One of them is explained below: sammukhagatabhatasivilunairdantidantasakalai rudayadbhih | renujalakamadhidyu balakamanditambudapadam pratipede || D. Arthantaranyasa That is Arthantaranyasa, where a general proposition or a particular proposition is corroborated by a proposition other than taht, either through similarity or dissimilarity.4 Following is an example : prasunadoladi vihaya khelanam striyah pracetturjalakelaye tatah | prabhukta vastuparimanditadari navam navam vastu jano'bhikanksati | |

, : 306 E. KARANAMALA If each preceeding thing becomes the cause of each succeeding one, then thre results the karanamalas Following is an example : yatkirtisindhoh kumudakaratvamami bhajante divi tarakaughah | kallolamaliyati candrikasau dindirapindiyati sitarasmih | The ocean like lake of his fame bore lotus-flowers in the form of stars in the sky, this ocean of fame is made to swell by the moon-light and the Moon is round orb of his fame.

Foot Notes 3. Arthalankaras in Vasantavilasamahakavya 1. Mammta, Kavyaprakasa, Ullasa, X. p.60. 2. Ibid., X. p.62. 3. Ibid., X. p. 110. 4. Ibid., X. p. 75. 5. Ibid., X. p.84. 307