Part 5s - Alaṃkāra (19): Nidarśanā or illustration

When a possible or, as is sometimes the case, even an impossible connection of things implies a relation of type and prototype, it is Nidarśanā^[1] or illustration. In the verse, vyutpattipratipatticañcuravacaḥ^[2] ……., it has been stated that one who is not familiar with different scriptures, if tries to compose poetry on vakramārga, then he is, as if, fighting in a battle forsaking his armour, tricks etc. and takes recourse to a wooden sword. Hence, as if, one wins a battle even without fighting and likewise creates a poem without expertise on his part. Therefore, it stands as an illustration of the figure illustration i.e. Nidarśanā, as there is the relation of type and prototype between the upamāna and the upameya.