3.15. Use of Vyatireka-alaṃkāra

[Full title: Use of Alaṃkāra in Mudrārākṣasa: Arthālaṃkāras, Virodhamūlaka (or Virodha-varga) (1). Vyatireka]

When the upameya excels or falls short of the upamāna, it is Vyatireka. The name Vyatireka given to the figure is quite appropriate, because Vyatireka means “difference or excellence” and in Vyatireka also the excellence of the upameya over the upamāna or vice versa is pointed out.

In the words of Viśvanātha Kavirāja—

ādhikyamupameyasyopamānānnyūnatā’thavā/ vyatireka…etc.^[1]

Viśākhadatta has made a good use of Vyatireka ornamenting not less than 12 verses by this dissimilated alaṃkāra.

In the starting act while appreciating the nature of Rākṣasa, Cāṇakya praises the former with two verses which come simultaneously thus, cf.—

“Ordinarily people serve their master so long as he is not devastated of power for gain, those again who follow him in adversity, do so in the hope of his coming back power, but rarely are to be found those workers of your type, who in memory of past favours, bear the burden of work out of disinterested devotion, even after the death of their lord.”^[2]

And, cf.—

“What is the need of such servants, who is neither wise nor energetic, though he is full of piety? Similarly, what is the use of a wise and brave servant having no devotion? Only those can bring about the prosperity of their king who are full of wisdom, dare and piety, remains are equal to women both in calamity and thriving only to be brought up by the lord.”^[3]

In both the above verses the Upameya is Rākṣasa. His nature excels in comparing to the general people who serves their Lords with some special interests or being just a burden to the owner. Thus Rākṣasa, who is Upameya excels the nature of Upamāna as a common servant and thus the figure here in both the verses is Vyatireka.

Again, in act III.17 of Mudrārākṣasa, where Cāṇakya is being praised by Kañcukī and said thus—

“Who defying the world directed the same time, the rise and fall of the kings Maurya and Nanda and thus causes his glory to surpass the splendor of the thousand rayed Sun which does not reach all and by whom heat and cold are let down in alternate succession.”

Herein, Cāṇakya is compared with the thousand rayed Sun. But the glory of Cāṇakya, i.e. upameya surpasses the splendor of Sun, i.e. upamāna. So the alaṃkāra present here is not other than Vyatireka.

Another beautiful example of Vyatirekālaṃkāra mixed with Śleṣa can be found in the IV^th act of the present play. Cf.—

kaumudī kumudānande jagadānandahetunā/
kīdṛśī sati candre’pi nṛpacandra tvayā vinā//^[4]

Here king Nanda is given the epithet of the moon among the kings, the delighter of the whole world, without whom the kaumudīmahotsava is of no use, in spite of presence of Candragupta, who is only the delighter of some ordinary men. Here also upamāna Candragupta falls short of upameya making the verse a nice example of Vyatireka.

Moreover, act VII.2,5 are good examples having tints of Vyatirekālaṃkāra admixed with some other alaṃkāras.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Sāhityadarpaṇa, X.52

[2]:

aiśyaryādanapetamīśvaramayaṃ loko’rthataḥ sevate taṃ gacchantyanu ye vipattiṣu punaste tatpratiṣṭhāśayā/ bharturye pralaye’pi pūrvasukṛtāsaṅgena niḥsangayā bhaktyākāryadhurāṃ bahanti kṛtinaste durlabhāstvādṛśāḥ// Mudrārākṣasa, I.14

[3]:

aprājñena ca kātareṇa ca guṇaḥ syādbhaktiyuktena kaḥ prajñāvikramaśālinopi hi bhavetkiṃ bhaktihīnātphalaṃ/ prajñāvikramabhaktayaḥ samuditā yeṣāṃ guṇā bhūtaye te bhṛtyā nṛpateḥ kalatramitare saṃpatsu cāpatsu ca// Mudraraksasa,I.15

[4]:

Mudrārākṣasa, IV.9