Part 4.2 - Ascertaintion and Division of Kāku (poetic intonation)

Rājaśekhara think that, Kāku (poetic intonation) is a quality of recitation or reading modulation of voice, which trying to bring out the meaning intended by the poet.

C.f.

“abhiprāyavānpāṭhadharmaḥ kākuḥ |” iti yāyāvarīyaḥ ||

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 31

However, Rudraṭa think that, Kāku (poetic intonation) is an alaṃkāra called Vakrokti.

C.f.

“kāku rva (va)kroktirnāma śabdāmaṅkāro'yam” iti rudraṭaḥ |

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 31

Bur Rājaśekhara doesn’t agree with him and says; it is only a modulation of voice and it can never be designated as an alaṃkāra. Dhvanikāra AV also posits the same with Rājaśekhara and treats it as a variety of intonation which is intended by the poet.

Then Rājaśekhara divided Kāku into two divisions i.e.

1. Sākāṅkṣā and
2. Nirākāṅkṣā.

C.f.

“sā ca dvidhā sākāṅkhā nirākāṅkhā ca |”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 31

Here Rājaśekhara’s classification of Kāku is seems the influence of Bharatamuni, who also divided Kāku in his Nātyaśāstra into two as Sākāṅkṣā and Nirākāṅkṣā.

C.f.

“tadyathā saptasvarāḥ, trīṇi sthānāni, catvāro varṇāḥ, dvividhā kākuḥ, ṣaḍalaṅkārā, ṣaḍaṅgānīti |”

-Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharata: XVII/ 102

Sākāṅkṣā Kāku is that, which raises expectancy about another sentence and Nirākāṅkṣā Kāku is that which ends once the answer is provided.

C.f.

“vākyāntarākāṅkhiṇī sākāṅkhā |
vākyottarabhāvinī nirākāṅkṣā |”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 31

Again, Sākāṅkṣā Kāku is divided into three types i.e.

1. Ākṣepa-garbhā (intonation pregnant with an expressed censure),
2. Praśna-garbhā (pregnant with a question) and
3. Vitarka-garbhā (pregnant with a doubt).

Then the Nirākāṅkṣā Kāku also divided into three types i.e.

1. Vidhi,
2. Uttara and
3. Nirṇaya.

These all the types of Kākus are related one to each other’s and Rājaśekhara illustrated all of them with suitable examples.

(1) Ākṣepagarbhā:

The Ākṣepagarbhā Kāku is express by the Dūtī, who had become faithless to her.

C.f.

“yadi me vallabhā dūtī tadā'hamapi vallabhā |
yadi tasyāḥ priyā vācaḥ tanmamāpi priyapriyāḥ || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 31

Here, if this śloka is stated simply, the meaning would be both the lady-messengers and pleasant speech.

(2) Praśnagarbhā:

The example of Praśnagarbhā is:

“gataḥ sa kālo yatrāsīnmuktānāṃ janma valliṣu |
vartante sāmprataṃ tāsāṃ hetavaḥ śuktisampuṭāḥ || ”

- Bālarāmāyaṇa of Rājaśekhara: Ch-III/ 2
- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 31

(3) Vitarkagarbhā:

Therefore, Rājaśekhara gives an example of Vitarkagarbhā as:

“navajaladharaḥ sannaddho'yaṃ na dṛptaniśācaraḥ suradhanuridaṃ dūrākṛṣṭaṃ na nāma śarāsanam |
ayamapi paṭu rdhārāsāro na bāṇaparamparā kanakanikaṣasnigdhā vidyutpriyā na mamorvaśī || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 31

This is an example of Vitarkagarbhā Kāku. If it changes its intonation then the suggested meaning would make an instance of Nirṇayarūpa Nirākāṃkṣā. These three types of Kāku (poetic intonation) follow restriction. There are numerous types of restricted Kāku.

After giving the examples of all Kāku’s (poetic intonation) Rājaśekhara observes that, Kāku is generally found in the speeches of the lady-companions or the heroine and her lady-companions.

C.f.

“sakhyā vā nāyikāyā vā sakhīnāyikayoratha |
sakhīnāṃ bhūyasīnāṃ vā vākye kāku riha sthitā ||
padavākyavidāṃ mārgo yo'nyaithava vyavasthitaḥ |
satvāṅgābhinayo(ya)dyotyā taṃ kākuḥ ku rute'nyathā ||
ayaṃ kāku kṛto loke vyavahāro na ke valam |
śāstreṣvapyasya sā_mra_ाjyaṃ kāvyasyāpyeṣa jīvitam ||
kāmaṃ vivṛṇute kāku rarthāntaramatandritā |
sphu ṭīkaroti tu satāṃ bhāvābhinayacāturīm ||
itthaṃ kavirnibadhnīyāditthaṃ ca matimānpaṭhet |
yathā nibandhanigadaśchāyāṃ kāñcinniṣiñcati ||”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 32

After describing various kinds of Kāku (poetic intonation) with their examples Rājaśekhara discusses about the importance of Pātha (art of reading) and the style of best reading. The poets who are good composers may create poetic compositions but a good recite is the one who has acquired skill and proficiency attained Sarasvatī.

C.f.

“karoti kāvyaṃ prāyeṇa saṃskṛtātmā yathā tathā |
paṭhituṃ vettisa paraṃ yasya siddhā sarasvatī || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 33

The faculty of the art of good recitation can be acquired through continuous practices and it is due to the Saṃskāra from previous generations. There harnessless, sweetness, accomplishment of high and low pitches and also elegance in the harmonization of compound words are remembered is the qualities of good recites.

C.f.

“yathā janmāntarābhyāsātkaṇṭhe kasyāpi raktatā |
tathaiva pāṭhasaundaryaṃ naikajanmavinirmitam || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 33

There Rājaśekhara suggest for the reciter about the different types of Kāvya (poetry) should be read in different ways. i.e.

“sasaṃskṛtamapabhraṃśaṃ lālityāliṅgitaṃ paṭhet |
prākṛtaṃ bhūtabhāṣāṃ ca sauṣṭhavottaramudgiret ||
prasanne mandrayedvācaṃ tārayettadvirodhini |
mandratārau ca racayennirvāhiṇi yathottaram || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 33

Rājaśekhara says that, if a recite can read poetry with a sweet sound, proper intonation, clear, stressed according to the meaning and uttering each letter distinctly is always be appreciated by the people.

C.f.

“lalitaṃ kāku samanvitamujjavalamarthavaśakṛtaparicchedam |
śrutisukhavivitkavarṇaṃ kavayaḥ pāṭhaṃ praśaṃsanti || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 33

There Rājaśekhara also alert the poets or recites that, they do not read quickly or haltingly, very loudly or too softly, without stressing at the correct places and either too sweetly or too harshly is to be censured.

C.f.

“atitūrṇamativimbitamulbaṇanādaṃ ca nādahīnaṃ ca |
apadacchinnamanāvṛtanatimadṛु paruṣaṃ ca nindanti || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 33

“gambhīratvamanaiśva(ṣṭhu)ryaṃ nirvyūḍhistāramandrayoḥ |
saṃyuktavarṇalāvaṇyamiti pāṭhaguṇāḥ smṛtāḥ || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 33

Thus a poet should always very careful in the selection of words. The words should be uttered in such a fashion just as a tigress holds cubs tenderly in her teeth but without allowing them to get hurt or fall down.

C.f.

“yathā vyāghrī hare tputrāndaṃṣṭrābhiśca na pīḍayet |
bhītā patanabhedābhyāṃ tadvadvarṇānprayojayet || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 33

Here the view of Rājaśekhara of tiger is incorporated from Pāniniya-Śikṣā^[1]. In this way, the recitation of clearly marked, compounds appear distinctly and sandhis are apparent is to be an excellent one.

C.f.

“vibhaktayaḥ sphu ṭā yatra samāsaścākadarthitaḥ |
amlānaḥ padasandhiśca tatra pāṭhaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-VII, Pp- 33

Kāku (Poetic intonation); Sākāṃsā; Ākṣepagarbhā; Praśnagarbhā; Vitarkagarbhā; Nirākāṃkṣā; Vidhirūpa; Uttararūpa Nirnayarūpa.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Pāniniya-Śikṣā: Prakāśa-IV/ 28. Ed. by Manmohan Ghosh, V. K. Publishing House, Delhi, 1991, Pp-33