3.8. Use of Atiśayokti-alaṃkāra

[Full title: Use of Alaṃkāra in Mudrārākṣasa: Arthālaṃkāras, Sādṛśyamūlaka (or Sādṛṣyagarbha) (5). Atiśayokti]

When the viṣayī (i.e., upamāna), swallows up the viṣaya, (i.e., the subject on which something else is superimposed) and there is therefore an apprehension of identity, then it is called the adhyavasāya, and, when this adhyavasāya is complete, it is styled Atiśayokti.

In the words of Viśvanātha Kavirāja—

siddhatve'dhyavasāyasyātiśayoktirnigadyate.^[1]

This alaṃkāra has an important role in the drama Mudrārākṣasa. Because Viśākhadatta has used this alaṃkāra in the two most vital places, i.e., in the second nāndī verse and in the bharatavākya.

Though, regarding the nāndī verse^[2] scholars are of different opinions, Kale supports it as an Atiśayokti, cf.,—

atra avanyādīnāmavanatyādyayogepi yogakalpanātsaṃbandhātiśayoktiralaṃkāraḥ.^[3]

Again, in the first part of the bharatavākya the word ātmayonī which means ‘the self-existent God’, i.e., Śrīviṣṇu is swallowed by the word pārthiva exhibits Atiśayokti. Cf.,—

vārāhīmātmayonestanumavanavidhāvāsthitasyānurūpāṃ
  yasya prāgdantakoṭiṃ pralayaparigatā śiśriye bhūtadhātrī/
mlecchairudvijyamānā bhujayugamadhunā saṃśritā rājamūrteḥ
  sa srīmadbandhubhṛtyaściramavatu mahīṃ pārthivaścandraguptaḥ//^[4]

Apart from these, Viśākhadatta has used this alaṃkāra in a few more places of this drama such as in II.4, III.17, V.23 and VII.6. The representation in the act VII.6 seems to be the finest one.

Cf.,—

“By whom… is tied in the skirt of his garment the fire red with the mass of its mighty flames? By whom is instantly brought about with chains the motionlessness of the ever moving wind? By whom put into a cage the lion with his manes scented by the ichor of the elephants? By whom I crossed by means of his arms the dreadful sea, full of crocodiles and alligators.”^[5]

All of the above tasks are next to impossible. These indicate that capturing of Rākṣasa is equally impossible, but was performed by the astute Cāṇakya himself. By this śloka the pride of Cāṇakya is exhibited through Atiśayokti.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Sāhityadarpaṇa, X.46

[2]:

pādasyāvirbhavantīmavanatimavane rakṣataḥ svairapātaiḥ saṅkocenaiva doṣṇāṃ muhurabhinayataḥ sarvalokātigānāṃ/ dṛṣṭim lakṣyeṣu nogrāṃ jvalana kaṇamucaṃ badhnato dahabhīte-rityādhārānurodhātripuravijayinaḥ pātu vo duḥkhanṛtyaṃ // Mudrārākṣasa, I.2

[3]:

Mudrārākṣasa by M.R. Kale, Motilal Banarasidass Publishers, Delhi 1965, p.9

[4]:

Ibid., VII.19

[5]:

kenottuṅgaśikhākalāpakapilo baddhaḥ paṭānte śikhī pāśaiḥ kena sadāgateragatitā sadyaḥ samāsāditā/ kenānekapadānavāsitasaṭaḥ siṃho’rpitaḥ pañjare bhīmaḥ kena ca naikanakramakaro dorbhyāṃ pratirṇo’rṇavaḥ// Ibid, VII.6