Alamkaras mentioned by Vamana

by Pratim Bhattacharya | 2016 | 65,462 words

This page relates ‘Alamkara-shastra according to Keshava-mishra (16th Century)’ of the study on Alamkaras (‘figure of speech’) mentioned by Vamana in his Kavyalankara-sutra Vritti, a treatise dealing with the ancient Indian science of Rhetoric and Poetic elements. Vamana flourished in the 8th century and defined thirty-one varieties of Alamkara (lit. “anything which beautifies a Kavya or poetic composition”)

24: Alaṃkāra-śāstra according to Keśava-miśra (16th Century)

Keśava-miśra has composed a work on Sanskrit Rhetoric named ‘Alaṃkāraśekhara’. He flourished in the 3rd quarter of the 16th century under the patronage of king Māṇīkyacandra[1] . The Alaṃkāraśekhara is composed in kārika-vṛtti style and the kārika portion of the text is based on some lost work of Bhagavan Śauddhadani. Keśavamiśra’s work consists of eight (08) ratnas or chapters and these chapters are subdivided into twenty-two (22) marīcis or sections. Keśava-miśra has mostly followed Mammaṭa and the junior Vāgbhaṭa in his commentary.

He defines kāvya or poetry in the 1st chapter of his work as—

kāvyaṃ rasādimadvākyaṃ śrutaṃ sukhaviśeṣakṛt/
  —Alaṃkāraśekhara (of Keśavamiśra) 1st marīci. p-2.

According to him the poetry is generally intended to yield happiness in the mind of the reader. Rasa is an essential part of the poetry.

In his vṛtti he has also included ‘alaṃkāraparigraha’ as a vital part of poetry—

ādipadenālaṃkāraparigrahaḥ/
  —Alaṃkāraśekhara (of Keśava-miśra) 1st marīci. p-2.

Keśava-miśra regards rasa as the soul of poetry and considers alaṃkāras as beautifying elements—

alaṃkārastu śobhāyai rasa ātmā/
  —Alaṃkāraśekhara (of Keśava-miśra) 2.1. p-6.

He clearly follows his predecessor in this regard—

uktaṃ ca bhagavatā-“śabdārthau kāvyasya śarīram, ātmārasaḥ, guṇā śauryādivat/ doṣāḥ kāṇatvādivat / alaṃkārāḥ kuṇḍalādivat' / iti /
  —
Alaṃkāraśekhara (of Keśava-miśra) 7th marīci. p-20.

He also cites that application of alaṃkāras render charm and beauty to even apparently flawless poem like ornaments studded with gems bestow beauty upon human body

guṇavatyapi nirdoṣe'laṃkāraiḥ kāvyarājani/
jāyate'nyaiva suṣamāratnālaṃkaraṇairiva//

  —Alaṃkāraśekhara (of Keśava-miśra) 10th marīci. p-27.

According to him the alaṃkāras generate a special and unworldly pleasure—

tat camatkāraviśeṣakāritvamalaṃkārasāmānyalakṣaṇam/
  —ibid
.

Keśavamiśra also tries to throw light upon the relative importance of guṇas and alaṃkāras in his work.

Following the popular notion he regards guṇas far more essential than alaṃkāras in poetic composition—

alaṃkṛtamapi śravyaṃ na kāvyaṃ guṇavarjitam/
guṇayogastato mukhyo guṇālaṃkārayogayoḥ//
alaṃkārasahasraiḥ kiṃ guṇo yadi na vidyate/
vikrīyante na ghaṇṭābhirgāvaḥ kṣiravivarjitāḥ//

  —Alaṃkāraśekhara (of Keśava-miśra) 7th marīci. p-20.

Keśava-miśra has mentioned eight (08) śabdālaṃkāras and fourteen (14) arthālaṃkāras in the chapter titled ‘Alaṃkāraratna’. This is the least number of figures admitted by any rhetorician other than Bharata.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

vedāntanyāyavidyāparicayacaturakeśavaṃ saṃniyujya
śrīmanmāṇikyacandraḥ kṣitipatitilako granthamenaṃ vidhatte/
  —
Abhijñānaśakuntala (of Kālidāsa) Ch-1.

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