Alamkaras mentioned by Vamana
by Pratim Bhattacharya | 2016 | 65,462 words
This page relates ‘Alamkara-shastra according to Bharata (2nd century B.C.)’ of the study on Alamkaras (‘figure of speech’) mentioned by Vamana in his Kavyalankara-sutra Vritti, a treatise dealing with the ancient Indian science of Rhetoric and Poetic elements. Vamana flourished in the 8th century and defined thirty-one varieties of Alamkara (lit. “anything which beautifies a Kavya or poetic composition”)
2: Alaṃkāra-śāstra according to Bharata (2nd century B.C.)
The first systematic discussion on Sanskrit Rhetoric comes from Bharata (c. 2nd century B.C. -2nd century A.D.). He, in his Nāṭyaśāstra, has mentioned only four poetic figures or kāvyālaṃkāras, viz upamā, rūpaka, dīpaka and yamaka. He has also mentioned some sub-varieties of upamā and yamaka which were further elaborated by his followers.
As far as the conception of alaṃkāra is concerned Bharata has regarded alaṃkāras as general embellishments for a drama–
alaṃkārairguṇaiścaiva bahubhiḥ samalaṃkṛtam/
bhūṣaṇairiva citrārthastadbhūṣaṇamiti smṛtam//
—Nāṭyaśāstra (of Bharata) 16.6.
Bharata gives more importance to the characteristics or ‘lakṣaṇas’ of a drama rather than dramatic embellishments. Bharata mentions thirty-six (36) ‘nātakalakṣaṇas’ and many of them were included in alaṃkāras or guṇas by later rhetoricians. Daṇḍin also regards that some of the dramatic components mentioned by Bharata can be termed as ‘alaṃkāras’ in respect of their characteristics[1] .
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
yacca sandhyaṅgavṛtyaṅgalakṣaṇādyāgamāntare/
vyavarṇitamidaṃ ceṣṭamalaṃkāratayaiva naḥ//
— Kāvyādarśa (of Daṇḍin) 2.365.