Part 5a - Alaṃkāra (1): Anuprāsa or alliteration

Among the śabdālaṃkāras, Anuprāsa (alliteration) is regarded as prominent one. According to Viśvanātha Kavirāja, Anuprāsa consists in the recurrence of the same letters, even if, there be difference in vowels.^[1] That is to say Anuprāsa exists in the similarity of consonants, not withstanding the dissimilarity of vowels. Anuprāsa is found to be employed in abundance in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita. Apt and natural employment of this alaṃkāra offers melody and rhythm to the composition. The poet produces a soundeffect by the alaṃkāra, when he describes that the arrows of the enemies slipped off the skinny body of Bhṛṅgiriṭi.^[2] The alliteration with harshsounding letters creates, as if, the sound of the stroke of arrows. That is to say that the alaṃkāra Anuprāsa is in harmony with the relevant rasa viz. Vīra. Examples of Anuprāsa are plenty in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita. In the verse, jiyātkṛtānaṅgapataṅga^[3] ……, there is repetition of the conjunct naṅga in the words anaṅga, pataṅga, which results in Chekānuprāsa. In the verse, yo lambodarakumbha^[4] …… also, there are repetition as in aṅka, paṅkaja; ojāyate, jāyate, mandāramandādaraḥ. Viśvanātha comments that Chekānuprāsa or single alliteration consists in a similarity occuring once and in more than one way among collection of consonants.^[5] Some examples of Chekānuprāsa in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita are I.1, 11, 12, 19, 22, 23; II. 46, 49; III. 12, 13, IV. 36, 59 etc.

Again, Vṛttyanuprāsa^[6] (harmonious alliteration) occurs in similarity among a number of consonants coming twice or more in the same order or in reverse order. In the verse, raśmayo’bhraṃkaṣā^[7] ……etc. there is repetition of na and la in mṛṇālanāla in the same order, so it stands as an example of Vṛtyanuprāsa. Moreover, other varieties of Anuprāsa, such as Śrutyānuprāsa, Antyānuprāsa and Lāṭānuprāsa are also dealt with in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita. The Śrutyānuprāsa^[8] (melodious alliteration) occurs in a similarity among consonants alone, as being pronounced by the same organ of speech, such as the palate, the teeth or the like. The Antyānuprāsa^[9] (final alliteration) is that kind of alliteration, in which a consonant and its predicament unaltered together with the foregoing vowel, is repeated at the end of words or lines. The Lāṭānuprāsa^[10] is said to occur, where there is the repetition of sound and sense, when there is a difference in mere purport. Some other examples of Anuprāsa in general, appeared in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita may be referred-I. 10, 21; II. 10;III. 6, 25, 27; IV. 1, 2, 3, 49; VI. 3, 47, 73; VII. 11, 22, 29, 47, 49, 54, 56, 62, 66; XXIII. 11, 18, 19.