6.2. Alankaras and their Aucitya (propriety)—Introduction

As has been aptly pointed out by Dr, V.Raghavan, all poetic expression involves some kind of expressional deviation of beauty, some out-of-the-way-ness involving striking disposition of words and ideas, resulting in a beautiful from and a greater effect. This striking disposition of words, this deviation from the plain and ordinary mode of speaking, is called Alankara or figure of speech. There is such a thing as Aucitya, i.e., appropriateness, harmony and proportion, which is the ultimate beauty in the poetry; and 530 the final ground for this Aucitya is the Rasa. When used with appropriateness, Alankaras go to enrich the ideas of the poet and add to the diction. 531 Dhanapala had before him the literary models of Bana and Trivikramabhatta when he composed his Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala, and he knew the importance of the sound-effest in view of its popular 529. Some Concepts of the Alankara Shastra,p.50. · 531. ibid.,p.66. / 530. ibid.,p.54.

830 appeal in those days. 532 The very concepts of Riti and Vrtti in poetics owe their formulation to the study of these sound-effects; the first effect a verse on its mere reading or hearing produces, holds the mind to the end; for the Rasa to be suggested, even the jingle in the sounds or the 533 clash of words is welcome and appropriate means. our It is rarely that poet uses a single figure of speech in exclusion to the other ones. He rather prefers to exhibit his skill by beautifully mixing both the Sabdalankaras and the Arthalankaras in a complex mixture resulting in an attractive sound-texture. Naturally, in quoting the illustrations one has to keep one's eye on the prominent one in the piece cited.