Alamkara‑Dappana
By Harivallabh Chunilal Bhayani
Summary
This article by H. C. Bhayani, continued from Sambodhi Vol. 17, 1990-91, explores the figure of speech known as Dappana within the Indian theory of poetics. The author defines Dappana as a representation where the nature of Upameya, based on a substance or qualities, is represented by Upamina. The text states that poets call this representation Rtupaka. The article explains that Rtupaka is of two types: the first is produced by relating to all terms, and the second is confined to a single part. The author provides specific examples of each type, illustrating the single-part Rtupaka with verses about various body parts and natural elements. The article then transitions to discuss Rodha, which is defined as artfully restraining what is partly spoken, and notes that Anupalasa has two types distinguished by words and sounds. Following this, the author describes several other figures of speech. These include Mukha-Dipaka, Madhya-Dipaka, and Antya-Dipaka, which are illustrated with poetic examples. The text also covers Atisaya, Visesa, Aksepa (divided into Bhavat and Apakranta), Jati, Vyatireka, Rasita, and Paryaya. Finally, the article examines Yathasankhya, which can be two, three, or four-membered, and is illustrated with verses. It concludes with the figures of Samahita, Virodha, Samdeha, and Anyapadesa, each accompanied by a brief definition and a corresponding poetic illustration. The author relies on classical Indian poetic terminology and examples to explain these concepts.
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Conclusion
This article provides a detailed scholarly analysis of the figure of speech *Alamkara-Dappana*, systematically categorizing its various types and illustrating each with classical examples. The key findings reveal a complex taxonomy of rhetorical devices, including *Rtlpaka* (distinguished by scope), *Dipaka* (Mukha, Madhya, Antya), *Rodha*, *Anuprasa*, *Atisaya*, *Visesa*, *Aksepa*, *Jati*, *Vyatireka*, *Rasita*, *Paryaya*, *Yathasamkhya*, *Samahita*, *Virodha*, *Samdeha*, *Vibhavana*, and *Bhava*, alongside *Anyapades'a*. The implications of this study are significant for the field of Indology, offering a comprehensive textual framework for understanding the nuanced mechanics of Sanskrit poetics and rhetorical theory. By meticulously defining and exemplifying these figures of speech, the article underscores the sophisticated aesthetic and linguistic traditions of classical Indian literature, contributing valuable insights to the ongoing scholarly discourse on *Alankara* shastra.