काव्यालङ्कार (आचार्य भामह - भारतीय काव्यशास्त्र एवं अलङ्कार-सिद्धान्त मूल महाग्रन्थ सटीक)

SECOND PARICCHEDA 117
82. सप्तच्छद or सप्तपर्ण is a kind of tree whose bran-
ches abound in seven leaves and whose flowers are
said to be highly fragrant. The flowers of those trees
are white and in moonlight they become invisible,
their white colour being drowned in moonshine.
But the hum of bees hovering round them enables
a person to identify the trees. That the trees in
their full bloom could not be identified by an ob-
server is certainly an exaggeration. But it is based
on the poet’s desire to bring out the extreme white-
ness spread over the trees by their flowers. Cf. the
following illustration from Daṇḍin :—मल्लिकामालभारिण्यः
सर्वाङ्गीणार्द्रचन्दनाः । क्षौमवत्यो न लक्ष्यन्ते ज्योत्स्नायामभिसारिकाः ॥
अपां यदि त्वक्शिथिला च्युता स्यात्फणिनामिव ।
तदा शुक्लांशुकानि स्युरङ्गेष्वम्भसि योषिताम् ॥ ८३ ॥
83. If the loose skin of waters drops down
like the slough of serpents then it will become
white garments on the limbs of ladies (sporting) in
water.
83. Here is the description of ladies sporting
in water. If waters can be conceived of as shedding
their skin in the same way as snakes cast off their
slough, the skin thus shed will be extremely fine
and white. The fine garments of ladies engaged in
bathing are compared to such supposititious skins
cast off by the waters.