Part 2.3a - Śabdālaṃkāra (Figure of Word)

Śabdālaṃkāras produce a special effect on the connoisseurs in the śravyakāvya as well as dṛśyakāvya. All the śabdālaṃkāras available in the Mālatīmādhava have been discussed in the following:

1. Anuprāsa (Alliteration):

The figure Anuprāsa or Alliteration consists in the sameness of the words, even though the vowels may be different.^[1]

This alaṃkāra is mainly of five types ^[2] viz.,

1. Chekānuprāsa,
2. Vṛtyanuprāsa,
3. Śrutyanuprāsa,
4. Antyānuprāsa and
5. Lāṭānuprāsa.

Of these Ccekānuprāsa is the single repetition of several consonants once in the same or in more than one way.^[3] Vṛtyanuprāsa is a single or manifold repetition of more than one consonant in a reverse order ^[4] , Śrutyanuprāsa is the insertion of only those letters which are pronounced from the same position or organ such as palate, tooth etc ^[5] , Antyānuprāsa is that in which a consonant is repeated together with the preceding vowel at the end^[6] and Lāṭānuprāsa is that in which the word together with its meaning undergoes repetition of the difference occurring after the realization of the complete sentence.^[7] In the Mālatīmādhava, Bhavabhūti has used aptly this alaṃkāra. As for instance in the verse asāram saṃsāram parimuṣitaratnam ………….etc ^[8] manifold repetition of more than one consonant in a reverse order is found. So here, the Anuprāsa is called vṛtyanuprāsa alaṃkāra. Other examples of Anuprāsa alaṃkāra are——Act V- 11, 24, 30 etc.

2. Yamaka (Chime)

The figure Yamaka or Chime Pun is the repetition of letters in the same order with different meaning.^[9] In Yamaka alaṃkāra the similarity of sounds are found.The application of Yamaka alaṃkāra is found in the verse jīva jīvitasamāya jīvitam ……….etc^[10] wherein the word jiva is repeated and represents different meaning in spite of the similarity of sounds. Hence, the verse is a suitable example of the figure Yamaka.

3. Śleṣa (Pun):

When a word expresses more than one meaning it is called Śleṣa or pun.^[11] In the Mālatīmādhava, Bhavabhūti has employed this figure rarely. In the verse ujjvalālokayā snigdhā tvayā …..etc^[12] the words viz., ujjvalālokayā, snigdhā and malimasamukhi express more than one meaning. Hence in this verse an effective use of śleṣa alaṃkāra is found.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

anuprāsaḥ śabdasāmyam vaiṣamye’opi svarasya yat //
Sāhityadarpaṇa,X. 2

[2]:

anuprāsaḥ pañcadhā tataḥ //
Ibid., X.7

[3]:

cheko vyañjanasaṅghasya sakṛtsāmyamanekadhā /
Ibid,X.2

[4]:

anekasyaikadhā sāmyamasakṛdvāṣyanekadhā /
ekasya sakṛdapyeṣa vṛttyanuprāsa ucyate //
Ibid.,X.4

[5]:

uccāryatvādyadekatra sthāne tālurādike /
sādṛśyaṃ vyaṅjanasyaiva śrutyanuprāsa uccyate //
Ibid., X.5

[6]:

vyaṅjanam cedyathāvasthaṃ sahādyena svareṇa tu /
āvartyate’ntyayojyatvādantyānuprāsa eva tat //
Ibid.,X.6

[7]:

śabdārthayoḥ paunaruktyaṃ bhede tātparyamātrataḥ lāṭānuprāsa ityukto /
Ibid., X.7

[8]:

asāraṃ saṃsāram parimuṣitaratnaṃ tribhuvanam /
nirālokaṃ lokaṃ maraṇaśaraṇaṃ vāndhavajanam //
adarpaṃ kandarpaṃ jananayananirmāṇamphalam
jagajjīrṇāraṇyaṃ kathamasi vidhātum vyavasitaḥ /
/
Mālatīmādhava,V.30

[9]:

satyarthe pṛthagarthāyāḥ svaravyañjanasaṃhateḥ /
krameṇa tenaivāvṛttiryamakaṃ vinigadyate //
Sāhityadarpaṇa, X.8

[10]:

jīva jīvitasamāya jīvitaṃ dehi jīvatu suhṛjjanaśca /
aṅgakaistuhinasaṅgaśītalaiḥputrid māṃ priyasakhīṃ ca jīvaya //
Mālatīmādhava,X.18

[11]:

śliṣṭaiḥ padairanekārthābhidhāne śleṣa iṣyate /
Sāhityadarpaṇa,X.11

[12]:

ujjvalālokayā snigdhā tvayā tyaktā na rājate /
malīmasamukhī vartiḥ pradīpaśikhayā yathā//
Mālatīmādhava, IX.4