4. Conclusion

It is difficult to determine the exact number of alaṃkāras used in the Mudrārākṣasa, as scholars are of varied opinion regarding the employment of alaṃkāras in many verses of the very drama. As for example, the first verse (nāndi verse), wherein scholars are of various opinion whether it is a Vyājokti or Vakrokti. Viśvanātha supports where in a verse there remains more than one alaṃkāra mixed up with one another than there may occur Saṃsṛṣṭi or Saṅkara-alaṃkāra.^[1] Rhetoricians are of opinion that these types of alaṃkāras are like those ornaments, created by amalgamation of two popular ornaments, increase the beauty of the person worn, even double. Thus following this, Viśākhadatta also has used a vast number of such amalgamated alaṃkāras in most of the verses and the first verse also is an example of such amalgamation.

Moreover, Viśākhadatta not merely used the alaṃkāras just for the sake of decoration of the art piece; he knows the proper timing of the implication in the proper place. As for example if we again take the nāndi verse, the use of alaṃkāras like Vakrokti can be seen. This, not only helps to make the speech of Śiva a tricky one, but also indicates the trickery of Cāṇakya in whole of the drama. In this drama extensive use of kāvyaliṅga-alaṃkāra by the dramatist in his writings leads to the inference of author’s predilection for the same. On the other hand, Viśākhadatta has used Śleṣālaṃkāra in only a few places. To unravel the real meaning hidden in the Śleṣālaṃkāra is the job of the scholarly minds, and according to the dramaturgy, as the drama is meant for the common people; hence the dramatist generally refrains from using such alaṃkāras in his work. Apart from these, Utprekṣā symbolizes the imaginative powers of a writer. In the drama Mudrārākṣasa the dramatist Viśākhadatta’s ample usage of this Utprekṣā-alaṃkāra stands testimony to the strong imaginative powers of the dramatist.

Mammaṭa has said in his Kāvyaprakāśa that alaṃkāras are like those ornaments which enhance the beauty of a body part and thus enhancing the beauty of the whole body.^[2] Like that, the alaṃkāras that has been used by Viśākhadatta have enhanced the beauty of the verses leading to the enhancement of the beauty of the drama. Now, from the above discussion we can come to the conclusion that Viśākhadatta has shown his expertise in the employment of alaṃkāras in the Mudrārākṣasa. He has touched almost every type of alaṃkāra. Yet, the use of Yamaka and Punaruktavadābhāsa types of Śabdālaṃkāra, and, the Śṛnkhalāmulakālaṃkāra type of Arthālamkaras are hardly been observed in this dramatic composition. This fact supports that Viśākhadatta has used those alaṃkāras that are worth to be used in a particular situation and avoided the extensive use of the same. As rhetoricians like Kuntaka has observed that too much use of alaṃkāras also can make a piece of work unpleasant. Alaṃkāras should be used only there, where it is necessary.^[3]