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

48 BHĀMAHĀLAṄKĀRA
53. Ajihladat—‘He caused delight’. Such ex-
pressions are Śrutikashṭa (harsh to the hearing),
which clever people do not approve of. They don’t
approve of ‘Gaṇḍa’ (cheeks) too.
53. अजिह्लदत् Aorist of ह्लाद्, Too harsh for the-
hearing. गण्डं meaning a cheek is ग्राम्य, not used in
refined society.
संनिवेशविशेषात्तु दुरुक्तमपि शोभते ।
नीलं पलाशमाबद्धमन्तराले स्रजामिव ॥ ५४ ॥
किंचिदाश्रयसौन्दर्याद्धत्ते शोभामसाध्वपि ।
कान्ताविलोचनन्यस्तं मलीमसमिवाञ्जनम् ॥ ५५ ॥
54. But even a faulty expression will appear
to advantage by reason of its setting like a green
leaf strung in the intervals of a wreath.
55. Even a bad word gains elegance due to
the elegance of its background like black collyrium
applied to the eyes of a damsel.
54 & 55. The author refers to some exceptions
to the rule relating to defects. An expression objec-
tionable by itself will become permissible under
two circumstances—संनिवेशविशेष and आश्रयसौन्दर्य. The
former means a peculiar juxtaposition and the latter
the elegance of the object containing the specified
attributes. The former is illustrated in Verse 56,
the latter in Verses 57 & 58.

FIRST PARICCHEDA 49
आपाण्डुगण्डमेतत्ते वदनं वनजेक्षणे ।
संगमात्पाण्डुशब्दस्य गण्डः साधु यथोदितम् ॥ ५६ ॥
56. O lotus-eyed damsel, this thy face is pos-
sessed of cheeks slightly white. It has been said
that Gaṇḍa (cheeks) is good through its relation to
the word Pāṇḍu (white).
56. गण्ड (cheeks) is a word considered unpar-
liamentary in poetry. But when it is prefixed with
पाण्डु the expression ceases to be objectionable.
अन्यान्यदपि ज्ञेयं दिशा युक्तमसाध्वपि ।
यथा विक्ल्निन्नगण्डानां करिणां मदवारिभिः ॥ ५७ ॥
मदक्लिन्नकपोलानां द्विरदानां चतुःशती ।
यथा तद्वदसाधीयः साधीयश्च प्रयोजयेत् ॥ ५८ ॥
57. In this manner any other word too though
faulty, will appear good. Example :—मदवारिभिः विक्ल्निन्न-
गण्डानां करिणां Of elephants possessed of cheeks wet
with streams of ichor.
58. A further example :—मदक्लिन्नकपोलानां द्विरदानां
चतुःशती Four hundreds of elephants with temples
drenched in ichor. Accordingly one should employ
good words or even bad ones thus made good.
57 & 58. अनया दिशा अन्यदपि असाध्वपि. This refers
to the 2nd exception to the defect of expressions.
The 2nd half of Verse 57 and the 1st half of Verse
4

50 BHĀMAHĀLAṄKĀRA
58 illustrate defective expressions rendered good by
आश्रयसौन्दर्य. क्लिन्न and गण्ड are generally considered sepa-
rately words unfit for poetry. But these two defec-
tive expressions used together attain fitness by rea-
son of two elegant factors viz., elephants and ichor
of which they are attributes. The objection to क्लिन्न
seems to arise from the suggestion of रक्तक्लिन्न or रेतः-
क्लिन्न. But when मदक्लिन्न is expressed क्लिन्न loses its ob-
jectionable character.
एतद्ग्राह्यं सुरभि कुसुमं ग्राम्यमेतन्निधेयं
धत्ते शोभां विरचितमिदं स्थानमस्यैतदस्य ।
मालाकारो रचयति यथा साधु विज्ञाय मालां
योज्यं काव्येष्ववहितधिया तद्वदेवाभिधानम् ॥५९॥
॥ इति भामहालंकारे प्रथमः परिच्छेदः ॥
59. Just as a garland-maker strings a garland
after knowing pretty well, 'This fragrant flower is
to be included, that one the vulgar is to be passed
over, this one when strung will shine to advantage,
this the proper place for this, the other one for that,'
—just as he strings it, so should one employ expres-
sions in poetry after a careful consideration.
59. This verse enjoins that great care should
be taken by poets in the choice of words and their
employment in proper places. अभिधानं A statement
or composition.
End of the First Pariccheda.

द्वितीयः परिच्छेदः ।
माधुर्यमभिवाञ्छन्तः प्रसादं च सुमेधसः ।
समासवन्ति भूयांसि न पदानि प्रयुञ्जते ॥ १ ॥
केचिदोजोऽभिधित्सन्तः समस्यन्ति बहून्यपि ।
यथा मन्दारकुसुमरेणुपिञ्जरितालका ॥ २ ॥
श्रव्यं नातिसमस्तार्थं काव्यं मधुरमिष्यते ।
आचिद्वदङ्गनाबालप्रतीतार्थं प्रसादवत् ॥ ३ ॥

1. Poets desirous of sweetness and perspicuity
   avoid largely the use of compound words.
2. Some desirous of bombast compound any
   number of words. Example—मन्दारकुसुमरेणुपिञ्जरितालका A
   damsel possessed of forelocks of hair rendered yel-
   low by the dust of Mandāra flowers.
3. Poetry agreeable to the ear, without too
   many compounds, is deemed to be sweet. Poetry
   which presents meaning to all including learned
   men, women and children is possessed of perspi-
   cuity.
   1 to 3. This and the next Paricchheda mainly
   deal with Alaṁkāras. But at the outset the au-
   thor in the first three verses of this chapter refers

52 BHĀMAHĀLAṄKĀRA
to the three guṇas of poetry—माधुर्य, प्रसादः and ओजः.
The definitions of माधुर्य and प्रसाद are given in the two
halves of Verse 3.
माधुर्य is defined by Bharata thus—बहुशो यच्छ्रुतं काव्य-
मुक्तं वापि पुनः पुनः । नोद्वेजयति तस्माद्धि तन्माधुर्यमुदाहृतम् ॥ Daṇḍin's
definition is माधुर्यं रसवद्वाचि.
Kāvya Prakāsa defines प्रसाद thus:—
श्रुतिमात्रेण शब्दात्तु येनार्थप्रत्ययो भवेत् ।
साधारणः समग्राणां स प्रसादो गुणो मतः ॥
ओजस् is generally equated with समासभूयस्त्वं An
abundance of compounds. The first two are gene-
rally popular with the Vaidarbha school, and the
last with the Gauḍa school. The citation of मन्दारकुसुम-
रेणुपिञ्जरितालका as an example of Ojas shows that verbal
bombast or high-sounding language ordinarily con-
ceived of as characteristic of Ojas is not essential for
Ojas according to Bhāmaha. The soft and flowing
words, unaspirated and abounding in nasals in the
passage cited, contribute to and do not detract from
Ojas according to him. Bhāmaha gives two charac-
teristics—श्रव्यत्व and नातिसमस्तत्व as together constitut-
ing the definition of माधुर्य, but his view is dissented
from by Dhvanyāloka and Lochana since they over-
lap on the province of Ojas also. Vide Dhvanyā-
loka, page 79. श्रव्यत्वं पुनरोजसोऽपि साधारणम् and Lochana—
ननु 'श्रव्यं नातिसमस्तशब्दार्थं मधुरमिष्यत' इति माधुर्यस्य लक्षणम् । नेत्याह—
श्रव्यत्वमिति । सर्वं लक्षणमुपलक्षितमोजसोऽपि । 'यो यः शस्त्रं' (Veṇīsaṁ-

SECOND PARICCHEDA 53
hāra III—32) इत्यत्र हि श्रव्यत्वमसमस्तत्वं चास्त्येवेति भावः । यो यः
शस्त्रं etc. is generally accepted as an illustration of
Ojas. Hemachandra also in his Kāvyānuśāsana
Ṭīkā criticises the view of Bhāmaha at page 201
thus—तेन ‘श्रव्यं नातिसमस्तार्थशब्दं मधुरमिष्यते’ इति माधुर्यलक्षणत्वेन
श्रव्यत्वं यद्बामहेनोक्तं तन्न युक्तमित्यर्थः ।
पञ्चालंकाराः ।
अनुप्रासः सयमको रूपकं दीपकोपमे ।
इति वाचामलंकाराः पञ्चैवान्यैरुदाहृताः ॥ ४ ॥
4. Others have propounded only five Alaṁ-
kāras—Anuprāsa, Yamaka, Rūpaka, Dīpaka and
Upamā as figures of speech.
4. In this chapter Bhāmaha treats of 2 Śabdā-
laṁkāras and 19 Arthālaṁkāras. This verse as a
1st instalment sets out a batch of 5 figures of speech
viz., 2 Śabdālaṁkāras—अनुप्रास and यमक and 3 Arthā-
laṁkāras—रूपक, दीपक and उपमा. पञ्चैवान्यैरुदाहृताः. This
refers to the earliest stage in the development of
Alaṁkāra Śāstra. अन्यैः is used because Bhāmaha is
going to treat of many Alaṁkāras, 16 more in this
and 24 in the next chapter. शब्दालंकार means a literary
embellishment bearing upon the sound, अर्थालंकार bear-
ing upon the sense. Of course a combination of
both is possible in a particular passage. The clas-
sification into Śabdālaṁkāra and Arthālaṁkāra is
not made by Bhāmaha as such.

54 BHĀMAHĀLAṄKĀRA
अनुप्रासः शब्दालंकारः (1)
सरूपवर्णविन्यासमनुप्रासं प्रचक्षते ।
किं तया चिन्तया कान्ते नितान्तेति यथोदितम् ॥ ५ ॥
5. They declare an arrangement of similar
letters as Anuprāsa. Example :—किं तया चिन्तया कान्ते
नितान्ता Ah, beloved, why are you so much worried
by that care ?
5. In Verses 5 to 8 the author deals with
अनुप्रास. सरूपाणां वर्णानां विन्यासः An arrangement of similar
letters. किं तया etc. is an example of अनुप्रास. हे कान्ते
तया चिन्तया किं (त्वं) नितान्ता. नितान्ता Much jaded. तया चिन्तया
probably refers to the lady's anxiety caused by
the idea that her lord is attached to some other
woman. Here the alliteration consists in the fre-
quent repetition of न्त.
ग्राम्यानुप्रासमन्यत्तु मन्यन्ते सुधियोऽपरे ।
स लोलमालानीलालिकुलाकुलगलो बलः ॥ ६ ॥
6. Other learned men postulate Grāmyānu-
prāsa, a vulgar or ordinary alliteration. Exam-
ple :—स लोलमालानीलालिकुलाकुलगलो बलः That Balarāma
whose neck is congested with swarms of black bees
hovering round his tossing wreath.
6. ग्राम्यानुप्रास consists in an inelegant repetition
of letters like ल in the example given. स लोल etc.
बलः refers to Balarāma. He is reputed to bear a

SECOND PARICCHHEDA 55
garland round his neck reaching down to his toe.
लोला माला लोलमाला, तस्यां यत् नीलं अलीनां कुलं तेन आकुलः गलः यस्य.
In the place of नीला Mr. D. T. Tatacharya suggests
a better reading लीना. In this example the sound is
merely repeated a number of times without any
elegance.
नानार्थवन्तोऽनुप्रासा न चाप्यसदृशाक्षराः ।
युक्त्यानया मध्यमया जायन्ते चारवो गिरः ॥ ७ ॥
7. Alliterations are formed of words differing
in meaning but similar in sound. By this middle
course are formed beautiful speeches.
7. The two essential traits of अनुप्रास or allite-
ration are that the words should possess different
meanings but at the same time should not be dis-
similar in sound. This is referred to as a middle
course by the author, because it cares both for the
meaning and the sound.
लाटीयमप्यनुप्रासमिहेच्छन्त्यपरे यथा ।
दृष्टिं दृष्टिसुखां धेहि चन्द्रश्चन्द्रमुखोदितः ॥ ८ ॥
Others accept Lāṭānuprāsa, alliteration
prevalent in the Lāṭa country. Example:—दृष्टिं दृष्टि-
सुखां धेहि चन्द्रश्चन्द्रमुखोदितः O Moon-faced one, cast your
glance pleasing to the eyes; the Moon has risen.
8. In लाटानुप्रास the same word may be repeated
in the same meaning but with a different purport.

56 BHĀMAHĀLAṄKĀRA
दृष्टि etc. This is addressed by a Dūtī to her master
with a view to bringing about a reconciliation bet-
ween her master and mistress. चन्द्र इव मुखं यस्य तत्र संबुद्धिः
हे चन्द्रमुख. दृष्टिं दृष्टिसुखां धेहि Direct your glance pleasing
to the eyes ; be gracious. चन्द्रः उदितः The moon has
risen. Moonrise is unbearable to a lady separated
from her lover. Dire consequences will follow to
your sweetheart if you do not approach her at once.
Lāṭa is the name of a country said to lie to the west
of the Narmadā ; it probably included Broach,
Baroda and Ahmedabad, and Khaira also according
to some.
यमकं शब्दालंकारः (२)
आदिमध्यान्तयमकं पादाभ्यासं तथावली ।
समस्तपाद्यमकमित्येतत्पञ्चधोच्यते ॥ ९ ॥
9. Yamaka is said to be fivefold—Yamaka at
the beginning, Yamaka at the middle and the end,
repetition of a foot, a string of repetitions and Ya-
maka in all the feet.
9. In eight verses beginning from here the
author treats of Yamaka. On the other hand Daṇḍin
treats of Yamaka elaborately in the first 77 verses
of the 3rd Pariccheda of Kāvyādarśa. Bhāmaha
first refers to a fivefold division of Yamaka viz.,
आदियमक, मध्यान्तयमक, पादाभ्यास, आवली and समस्तपाद्यमक. As
appears from the next verse-he is particular in re-

SECOND PARICCHHEDA 57
stricting the number of classes of Yamaka to five.
Hence मध्यान्तयमक has to be taken as a single type.
Really speaking, there is no justification for re-
stricting the number to five. As pointed out by
Dandin there may be आदियमक, मध्ययमक, अन्तयमक or आदि-
मध्ययमक, आद्यन्तयमक and मध्यान्तयमक, thus bringing the
number to six so far as this aspect is concerned.
An immediate repetition of a group of syllables is
called a Yamaka. This may be placed at the begin-
ning or at the middle or at the end or in as many
places as far as possible in a śloka or a pāda. Yama-
ka is defined later on in Verse 17.
संदष्टकसमुद्गादेरत्रैवान्तर्गतिर्मता ।
आदौ मध्यान्तयोर्वा स्यादिति पञ्चैव तद्यथा ॥ १० ॥
10. Sandaṣṭaka, Samudga and others can be
included in these. Yamaka is either at the begin-
ning or it is at the middle and end. So it is only
fivefold. Examples follow.
10. संदष्टक literally, held in a pair of tongs.
समुद्गक is a box with a lid exactly corresponding to the
lower portion. संदंश or a pair of tongs points to two
ends, but the roots are joined together almost ap-
pearing like one. Based on the analogy of tongs,
the verse employed in the संदष्टक type of यमक contains
the same group of syllables occurring at the end of
a pāda and at the beginning of a succeeding pāda.

58 BHĀMAHĀLAṄKĀRA
Thus this will arise in three ways. (1) Where the
same group of syllables occurs at the end of the first
pāda and at the beginning of the second pāda. (2)
At the end of the second pāda and the beginning of
the third pāda. (3) At the end of the third pāda and
at the beginning of the fourth pāda. Example given
in Kāvyādarśa :—
उपोढरागाप्यबला मदेन सा मदेनसा मन्युरसेन योजिता ।
न योजितात्मानमनङ्गतापिताङ्गतापि तापाय ममास नेयते ॥ III-52.
Defn. given there :—संदष्टयमकस्थानमन्तादी पादयोर्द्वयोः। III-51.
This proceeds on the lines of what is popularly
known as अन्तादि. समुद्गक is the wholesale repetition
of one half of a verse. Definition in Kāvyādarśa :—
अर्धाभ्यासः समुद्गः स्यात् III-53. Example given there :—
नास्थेयः सत्वयावर्ज्यः परमायतमानया ।
नास्थेयः स त्वया वर्ज्यः परमायतमानया ॥ III-54.
Bhāmaha's view is that the above two types
and many others as well are but ramifications of
the five types referred to.
आदियमकम् (i)
साधुना साधुना तेन राजता राजता भृता ।
सहितं सहितं कर्तुं संगतं संगतं जनम् ॥ ११ ॥
11. In order to associate his followers with
advantages and to make those who seek his refuge
prosperous, an illustrious kingship was now borne
by him, virtuous and glorious that he was.

SECOND PARICCHHEDA 59
11. आदियमक is illustrated in this verse. A re-
petition of the first three letters occurs at the be-
ginning of every pāda. The illustration is the de-
scription of a king. साधुना राजता (प्रकाशमानेन) तेन (राज्ञा)
सा (प्रसिद्धा) राजता (राज्ञो भावः) अधुना मृता (ऊढा). The first सहित
means a follower or an associate. The second सहित
means हितैः सहितं. कर्तुं In order to associate his fol-
lowers with benefits. संगतं One seeking his com-
pany for refuge. जनं संगतं कर्तुं To make him prosper-
ous or well situate in life.
मध्यान्तयमकम् (ii)
साधुः संसाराद्बिभ्यदस्मादसारात्
कृत्वा क्लेशान्तं याति वर्त्म प्रशान्तम् ।
जातिं व्याधीनां दुर्द्दमानामधीनां
वाञ्छञ्ज्यायस्त्वं छिन्धि मुक्तानयस्त्वम् ॥ १२ ॥
12. A pious man, afraid of this worthless
worldly existence, after putting an end to his
Kleśas (passions), resorts to the path of tranquillity.
If you desire for eminence, abandon wrong ideals
and cut off your birth which is susceptible to dis-
eases beyond control.
12. This verse illustrates मध्यान्तयमक. The syl-
lables सारा, शान्तं, धीनां and यस्त्वं are repeated both in
the middle and the end of all the four Pādas. क्लेश
in the 2nd foot refers either to worries or to the five

50 BHĀMAHĀLAṄKĀRA
Kleśas viz., अविद्या, अस्मिता, राग, द्वेष & अभिनिवेश, propound-
ed in Patañjali's Yogasūtra. ज्यायस्त्वं वाञ्छन् If you
wish for eminence. त्वं मुक्तानयः सन् Abandoning all bad
ways. दुर्द्दमानां व्याधीनां अधीनां जातिं छिन्धि Put an end to
birth which is susceptible to uncontrollable diseases.
The two readings दुर्द्दयानां and दुर्नेयानां in the place of
दुर्द्दमानां are not happy. The metre of this verse is
वैश्वदेवी, a metre of the समवृत्त type, with 12 syllables
in each quarter consisting of 4 gaṇas—म, म, य and
य. Definition :—वाणाश्वैश्छिन्ना वैश्वदेवी ममौ यौ.
पादाभ्यासम् (iii)
न ते धीर्धीरे भोगेषु रमणीयेषु संगता ।
मुनीनपि हरन्त्येते रमणी येषु संगता ॥ १३ ॥
13. O brave one, your mind is not attached to
the fascinating worldly pleasures. These enjoy-
ments where a charming lady is involved wreck
even the sages.
13. This verse illustrates पादाभ्यास or the repeti-
tion of a whole foot. This Yamaka is referred to
as पादाभ्यासं in the neuter in Verse 9. So it will have
to be dissolved as पादस्य अभ्यासः यस्मिंस्तत्. In this verse
the 2nd and 4th feet are the same. न ते etc. This
is addressed to a king in eulogy of his detachment
from worldly pleasures. हे धीर ते धीः रमणीयेषु भोगेषु न संगता,
येषु रमणी संगता एते (भोगाः) मुनीनपि हरन्ति. The idea is, your

SECOND PARICCHEDA 61
Dhairya is quite laudable. As to what consti-
tutes bravery, Kālidāsa says—विकारहेतौ सति विक्रियन्ते येषां
न चेतांसि त एव धीराः viz., incorruptibility of mind in the
face of temptations.
आवली (iv)
सितासिताक्षीं सुपयोधरोधरां
सुसंमदां व्यक्तमदां ललामदाम् ।
घनाघना नीलघना घनालकां
प्रियामिमामुत्सुकयन्ति यन्ति च ॥ १४ ॥
14. The dense black raining clouds instil pas-
sion in my beloved yonder who is possessed of black
and white eyes, endowed with beautiful breasts and
lips, full of gaiety, with infatuation apparent, who
imparts grace and is possessed of dense forelocks
of hair; and after inciting they disappear.
14. This verse illustrates आवली or a series of
repetitions without the assignment of definite pla-
ces. Example: in the 1st foot, सिता सिता and धरा धरा ;
in the 2nd foot, मदां मदां मदां ; in the 3rd foot, घना घना
घना घना; in the 4th foot, यन्ति यन्ति. This verse repre-
sents the utterance of a lover in separation who on
seeing the rise of clouds recalls his beloved to mind
and laments her plight. नीलघनाः Black and thick;
adjectival to घनाघनाः Pouring clouds. Amara—वर्षुकाब्दो
घनाघनः. इमां (बुद्धिस्थां) प्रियां उत्सुकयन्ति Rouse my sweetheart’s
passion. यन्ति च And they pass on, perhaps due to

62 BHĀMAHĀLAṄKĀRA
wind. That clouds rouse the passion of separated
lovers is brought out by Kālidāsa thus:—मेघालोके भवति
सुखिनोऽप्यन्यथावृत्ति चेतः कण्ठाश्लेषप्रणयिनि जने किं पुनर्द्दूरसंस्थे. इमां in
the verse under consideration is qualified by six ad-
jectives. (1) सिते च असिते च अक्षिणी यस्यास्तां सितासिताक्षीं Pos-
sessed of eyes darting white and black glances,
black from the pupils and white from the remain-
ing part of the eyes. The suggestion is that on
hearing the thunder of clouds she casts her eyes
all round in the sky and on earth in a state of panic.
(2) शोभनाः पयोधरौ च अधरश्च यस्यास्तां Possessed of beauti-
ful breasts and lower lip. There is also the sug-
gestion that in her present state of misery the
breasts and lips are drenched with tears. (3) शोभनः
संमदः यस्यास्तां सुसंमदां Full of joy. This refers to her
previous state. Amara:—मुत्प्रीतिः प्रमदो हर्षः प्रमोदामोदसंमदाः.
(4) व्यक्तः मदः यस्यास्तां व्यक्तमदां Beaming with the intoxica-
tion of youth. This contrasts with her present fre-
quent melancholy attitude. (5) ललामदां Imparting
grace or beauty to the objects around. ललाम means
anything best of its kind or a gem or ornament.
Cf. अहं तु तामाश्रमललामभूतां शकुन्तलामधिकृत्य ब्रवीमि & कन्याललाम कम-
नीयमजस्य लिप्सोः. ललाम means eminence, dignity, beauty.
ललामं यच्छतीति ललामदा. (6) घनाः अलकाः यस्यास्तां घनालकां Pos-
sessed of dense forelocks of hair. The metre of
this verse is वंशस्थ, a metre with 12 syllables in
each quarter consisting of 4 gaṇas—ज, त, ज and र.
Definition:—जतौ तु वंशस्थमुदीरितं जरौ.

SECOND PARICCHHEDA 63
समस्तपाद्यमकम् (v)
अमी नृपा दत्तसमग्रशासनाः
कदाचिदप्यप्रतिबद्धशासनाः ।
कृतागसां मार्गभिदां च शासनाः
पितृक्रमाध्यासिततादृशासनाः ॥ १५ ॥
15. These kings issue commands in full; their
authority is never obstructed; they punish the
guilty and those that commit breach of rules; they
had come to occupy their thrones in hereditary
succession.
15. This verse illustrates समस्तपाद्यमक or repe-
tition of the same set of syllables in all the 4 feet
of the verse at a particular place. Here शासनाः
is repeated at the end of every foot. This verse
describes in general righteous and powerful
kings in occupation of their ancestral throne. दत्तं
समग्रं शासनं यैस्ते दत्तसमग्रशासनाः. अप्रतिबद्धं शासनं येषां ते अप्रतिबद्ध-
शासनाः. कृतं आगः यैस्ते कृतागसः Offenders. मार्गं भिन्दन्तीति मार्गभिदः
Violators of the law. पितृक्रमेण अध्यासितं तादृशं आसनं येषां ते
They have come to the throne in regular succession
from father to son. The metre of this verse is वंशस्थ.
अनन्तरैकान्तरयोरेवं पादान्तयोरपि ।
कृत्स्नं च सर्वपादेषु दुष्करं साधु तादृशम् ॥ १६ ॥
16. A repetition can take place thus at the
end either in adjoining pādas or in alternate pādas.

64 BHĀMAHĀLAṄKĀRA
Or the whole may be repeated in all pādas. This
is difficult to compose but good.
16. In this verse the author dispels the impres-
sion that a repetition should take place in all the
four pādas. He states that it may occur either in
two contiguous pādas alone or in alternate pādas.
अनन्तर means contiguous. The repetition may be
at the end of the 1st and 2nd feet or at the end of
the 2nd and 3rd feet or at the end of the 3rd and 4th
feet. एकान्तर means alternate ; interrupted by one.
A repetition in alternate pādas may be at the end of
the 1st and 3rd feet or at the end of the 2nd and 4th
feet. Daṇḍin profusely gives examples of these
varieties. कृत्स्नं च सर्वपादेषु The whole foot may be
repeated in all the remaining pādas. An example
of the same may be cited from Bhāravi—विकाशमीयुर्ज-
गतीशमार्गणाः विकाशमीयुर्जगतीशमार्गणाः। विकाशमीयुर्जगतीशमार्गणाः विका-
शमीयुर्जगतीशमार्गणाः॥ Kir. XV—52. दुष्करं साधु तादृशं A good
composition of that sort is difficult. The reading
दुष्कृतं in the place of दुष्करं is wrong.
तुल्यश्रुतीनां भिन्नानामभिधेयैः परस्परम् ।
वर्णानां यः पुनर्वादो यमकं तन्निगद्यते ॥ १७ ॥
17. A repetition of letters similar in sound but
mutually different in meaning is called Yamaka.
17. Yamaka is defined in this verse. It would
have been more appropriate to place this before

SECOND PARICCHEDA 65
Verse 9 at the commencement of the section on
Yamaka.
प्रतीतशब्दमोजस्वि सुश्लिष्टपदसन्धि च ।
प्रसादि स्वभिधानं च यमकं कृतिनां मतम् ॥ १८ ॥
18. Yamaka is accepted by men of letters,
which consists of words with reputed meanings,
which contains vigour, is formed of words well-knit
in coalescence and is perspicuous and elegant in
expression.
18. This verse describes the features of a good
Yamaka and the next verse deals with a bad one.
ओजस् and प्रसाद have already been explained. In fact
all the features referred to in this verse are essen-
tial for every good poetry.
नानाधात्वर्थगम्भीरा यमकव्यपदेशिनी ।
प्रहेलिका सा ह्युदिता रामशर्माच्युतोत्तरे ॥ १९ ॥
19. Replete with a multiplicity of roots and
their meanings and claiming to be Yamaka, what
can be called a Prahelikā, occurs in Rāmaśarman's
Achyutottara.
19. यमकव्यपदेशिनी A bad Yamaka is no Yamaka
at all so far as poetry is concerned. It simply bears
the name of Yamaka. नानाधात्वर्थगम्भीरा. The word गम्भीर
is used in ridicule. A bad poetry is unfathomable.
Its meanings have to be traced to roots, popular or
5

66 BHĀMAHĀLAṄKĀRA
obscure, to be derived in a strained manner. By the
way it may be pointed out that in this species of
poetry resort is to be had to एकाक्षरनिघण्टु and similar
mysterious ways. If it is not Yamaka, then
what is it ? It is only a Prahelikā, a riddle. So
says Bhāmaha. Rāmaśarman’s work known as Ach-
yutottara abounds in such mystic utterances. The
chief purpose of a Prahelikā is to bamboozle the
hearer or to amuse him, which will be properly a
subject of discussion among persons seeking literary
recreations in play. Daṇḍin says—क्रीडागोष्ठीविनोदेषु तज्ज्ञै-
राकीर्णमन्त्रणे । परव्यामोहने चापि सोपयोगाः प्रहेलिकाः ॥ Kāvyādarśa
III—97. So Daṇḍin’s idea as also of Bhāmaha is
that such composition cannot be seriously considered
as poetry. Daṇḍin refers to a set of sixteen Pra-
helikās in Kāvyādarśa, 3rd Pariccheda, 66 to 124.
काव्यान्यपि यदीमानि व्याख्यागम्यानि शास्त्रवत् ।
उत्सवः सुधियामेव हन्त दुर्मेधसो हताः ॥ २० ॥
20. If such compositions which are intelligible
with the help of commentaries like Śāstras constitute
poems, it is a joy for wise men only. Lo ! Dull-
witted persons (like me) are damned.
20. In disparagement of poetry which thus
needs tortuous methods of interpretation the author
exclaims [उत्सवः सुधियामेव It is a feast for the ultra-
wise. हन्त दुर्मेधसो हताः But what about poor people ?

SECOND PARICCHEDA 67
They are totally damned. The raillery intended by
the author is quite obvious. Compare this verse
with that of Bhaṭṭi which occurs almost at the end
of Bhaṭṭi Kāvya or Rāvaṇavadha which runs as fol-
lows:—व्याख्यागम्यमिदं काव्यं उत्सवः सुधियामलम् । हता दुर्मेधसश्चास्मिन्
विद्वत्प्रियतया मया ॥ Obviously Bhaṭṭi has before him Bhā-
maha's condemnation of difficult poetry. The word
अलं in Bhaṭṭi suggests that it is no shame if a poet is
intelligible only to the learned. On the other hand
it is a matter of pride for learned scholars. Simi-
larly if dullards are unable to understand a poem, it
is no disgrace for a poet. I am विद्वत्प्रियः —fond of
learned men. If they are pleased I am satisfied. So
says Bhaṭṭi. On a comparison of the above verses
of Bhāmaha and Bhaṭṭi Mr. D. T. Tatacharya unhesi-
tatingly establishes the priorty of Bhāmaha to
Bhaṭṭi. Mr. P. V. Kane's halting suggestion to the
contrary is therefore thrown overboard. With this
verse ends Bhāmaha's treatment of शब्दचित्र or शब्दालंकारs.
At this stage it would be advantageous to note
the different gradations of poetry according to later
Ālaṁkārikas ever since the promulgation of Dhvani
by Ānandavardhana, the author of Dhvanyāloka.
The best type of poetry is Dhvani or a Kāvya where
व्यङ्ग्य or the suggested import reigns supreme. The
next variety is गुणीभूतव्यङ्ग्य where the suggested import
is subordinated or plays adjunct to the expressed
meaning. The third type is called अर्थचित्र, abounding