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SLAY, 1912.) OUTLINES OF THE HISTORY OF ALAMKARA LITERATURE
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The earliest extant definition of any figure of speech is perhaps that of Upama (simile) contained in the Nirukta of Y&ska.22 This definition of Upamd is as good as that of Mammota's, els, Sadharmyam= Upramá bhede. It is a general rule that the Upamana (standard of comparison) should be more well-known and possess more qualities than the Upameya (object of comparison) at it is a blemish if the Upamana is much inferior to the Upameya. Yâska refers to the general mle in the footnote in the words' jydyasd, etc. and points out that in the Vedas the Upamána is often much inferior to the Upameya. He instances Rig:eda X. 4. C, in which the Asvins are compared to thieves.23 . Pâņini often refers to Upamana, Upameya and Sámdnya (common property or ground of comparison).24
In the Vedanta-sálras of Bâdarayana we find that Upamá and Rápaka (metaphor) are mentioned by name 25
In the Natya-Sastra of Bharata we are told that there are only four ornaments of poetry, riz., Cpamd, Rapaka, Dipakai and Yamaka. We shall see later on when we come to the chronology of lahkára writers that Bbarata's work cannot, at all events, be placed later than 200 A.D.
The Buddha-charita of Asvaghosha appears to bave been written at a time when some theory of poeties must have been already in existence. Each canto has at the end of it. verse or verses in a metre other than the prevailing one. The autbor everywhere makes frontic efforts at a jingle of words ; gives us such examples of alliteration as Hari-turaga-turangavat=turangah (V. 87.); and is very fond of the figure Yathasarikhya.27 The Buddha-charita must have been written not later than the 5th century of the Christian era, as it was translated into Chinese in the 5th century A.D. and into Tibetan in the 7th or 8th century (Preface, p. v).
Subandhu in his Vasavadattá has a number of allusions to an art of Poetry and to the figures of speech. Ho boasts of his skill in employing a Slesha (pun, paronomasia) in each letter.28 He speaks of the soul of poetry; of the composition of an excellent poet in which the expletives tu and hi do not occur and which is divided into sections called 'Uchchhrlisas' and skilfully employs slesha (pun) and the metre called Vaktra;29 and of the figures Srinkhala-bandha (of words), Ut preksha and Akshepa.s0 Subandhu is not later than the 6th century AD., as be (p. 331) is quoted by Vamana in his Kavyalarikára-sútra-rritti (I. 3. 25) with very slight variations and is referred to by Baņa in the introduction to his Harshacharita. So, long before the 6th century A.D., such figures as Ślesha, Akshepa, Utpreksha, Srinkhalábandha had been named and defined.
In the days of Bana rhetoric appears to have made great strides. In the Kadambari he speaks of such puzzles as the Aksharachyutaka, Mátráchyutaka, Bindumalf, and Praheliku. Bana knows the difference between Katha and Akhyáyika. He speaks of writers of Akhydyikas, which were dir led into Uchchhrásas and contained Vaktra metres here and there.31 He speaks of a number
22 Ath-dlac Upamd yadeatat tat-sadisisamciti Gargyasetadesast karma jyQyaad rd gunena prakhyatatawent ud kanfyluash va prakhyatash va upamimfte,athapi kanly as jy@yahusam | Nirukia III.
13 Tandtyvjera faskar tanarga rasanbhir databhir abhyadh tam .
Mark the following sdtras of Pipini:- Upamandni Samanya-vochanail (11. 1.55): Upamitan syaghra. libhiks&in any & prayoge (11, 1.56).
25 Ånum nikamcapy-ekeshan Sarirarapata-tinyasta-grihitere dardayati cha || (I. 4.1); Atawa chuopama Suryakailivat (III. 2.18.).
* Upama dfpakan chesiva ripaka yamakar tatha | Kavyasyaite hyealarlı karafeachatvaral parikirlitan Natya-fatra (16.41).
For example, V. 42; IX. 16. *Pratyakshara-slesha maya-prabandha-viny.sa-vaidagdhyanidhi canibandham
gruthanepi kavyajivajona (p. 129, Vani-vilasa Sanskrit series), sat-kavi-kavya bandha i navabaddha. trehi nipata! (p. 158); Dinghochchhv asa-rachan-akulash suflesha vaktra.ghatand.patu sat-kavya-virachanameita (p. 938).
10 Brinkhalabandho varnagrathanasu Utpreksl-Åkshepau Karyalarhkaréshu (p. 146).
A1 Uchchh vdeintes pyesklinna yo vaktre yeshan Sarasvat 1 Katham-Åkhyayika ard na te vandyal kaviéra ra! ll :-Harshacharita.
