Part 5o - Alaṃkāra (15): Virodhābhāsa or contradiction

When there is an apparent incongruity between a genus and any of the four beginning with genus (jāti, guṇa, kriyā and dravya), between a quality and any of the three beginning with quality, between an action and another action or substance, or between two substances, there is Virodha^[1], which has thus, ten varieties. In the verse, ye tasthurudyānapathe’tivelamanelamūkāḥ^[2] ……., the poet expresses incongruity in the behaviour of the cuckoo, who is, as if, unable even to make sound or listen in the winter, makes sweet sound and behaves like a scholar in the spring season. This is an apparent contradiction; therefore, this is a case of Virodhābhāsa. Some other examples of this figure, found in the Śrīkaṇṭhacarita are—vivṛṇvatī kautukatantu^[3] ……, dhatte dvijādhipamuparyajināvatāraṃ^[4] ….., yasyāṃśavaḥ sakalakairavavairakārā^[5] ……, śeṣasya yatphaṇabhṛto^[6] ……, yastanmayībhirapi mūrti^[7] ……, yo vāhinīṃ sumanasāṃ^[8] ……., svayaṃ babhrurbibhradviṣama^[9] …….., also VI. 14, 31, 38; VIII. 10, 20, 25, 29; X. 27; XII. 71; XX. 14, 26, 63.