Malatimadhava (study)
by Jintu Moni Dutta | 2017 | 52,468 words | ISBN-10: 8120813057 | ISBN-13: 9788120813052
This page relates ‘Artha-dosha (defect of sense)’ from the English study on the Malatimadhava of Bhavabhuti:—A Prakarana type of Drama in ten acts revolving around the love-story of Malati (from Padmāvatī) and Madhava (from Vidarbha). This study discusses the history of its author and the literary, social, religious, historical and cultural aspects of the Malatimadhava.
Part 5.3b - Artha-doṣa (defect of sense)
The artha-doṣa or defect of meaning is of 23 types according to Mammaṭabhaṭṭa. They are—
- arthopuṣṭa (Irrelevant),
- kaṣṭo (Obscure),
- vyāhata (Inconsistent),
- punarukta (Tautophonous),
- duṣkrama (Irregular),
- grāmyā (Vulgar),
- sandigdhau (Dubious),
- nirhetu (Inconsequential),
- prasiddhaviruddha (Opposed to prevailing notions),
- vidyāviruddha (Opposed to scientific notions),
- ananīkṛta (Monotonous),
- saniyama (Too unspecific),
- aniyama (Too specific),
- viśeṣā (Too restricted),
- viśeṣaparivṛttā (Too unrestricted),
- sākāṅkṣa (Incomplete),
- padayukta (Misplaced),
- sahacarabhinna (Mismatched),
- prakāśitaviruddha (Of repugnant implication),
- vidhyayuktatā (With improper predicate),
- anuvādayukta (With improper adjunct),
- punaḥsvīkṛta (Resuming the concluded) and
- aślīla (Indecorous).[1]
In the Mālatīmādhava one defect of sense is found viz., (1) vyāhatatva (Inconsistent)
(i) vyāhatārthatva (Inconsistent):
The defect called vyāhatārthatva is found in the verse jagati jayinaste....................etc[2] wherein, the very person to whom moonshine and other things are described in the first sentence as being very insignificant, regards the woman’s likeness to moonlight as a ground of excellence and herein lies the inconsistency.[3]
Thus, the above defects are found in the Mālatīmādhava.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Kāvyaprakāśa,VII.55-57
[2]:
jagati jayinaste te bhāvā navendukalādayaḥ /
prakṛtimadhurāḥ santyevānye mano madayanti ye //
mama tu yadiyaṃ yātā loke vilocanacandrikā /
nayanaviṣayaṃ janmanyekaḥ sa eva mahotsavaḥ //Mālatīmādhava,I.36
[3]:
kasyacitprāgutkarṣavābhidhāyapaścāttanyapratipādanaṃvyāhatatvam/
Sāhityadarpaṇa,VII.p.523