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gloss and elaborated on it in the Viveka, drawing upon Rudrața and others in point of theory and illustrations. Here he refers to this Bhāşāślesa with a view to distinguish between the two sorts of Bhāṣāślesa. While the earlier variety yields two different meanings from the same words of two different languages e.g. Sanskrit and Māgadhi (cf. Rudrata's K.A. 4.12), the present one (Sū. 7), i.e. two or more languages but the same words, has only one meaning (e.g. Mālatimādhava VI. 10; Rudrața 4.18, 4.19, 4.20, 4.21 etc.). Here a funny instance in which the same meaning (Arthaikya) with the same words is common to six languages is given (K.A.S., gloss, V. 497) from the Devīšataka (74). What is Vakrokti ?
Vakrokti is the next Śabdālaskāra treated of by Hemachandra (V. 8). The definition implies that this is the Vakrokti dealt with and popularized by Rudrata. Even the example is from Rudrata's work (K.A. 2.15). This figure occurs "when a person interprets (or misinterprets on purpose) the words of another person in order to nonplus him." This figure is obviously based on śleșa (of both Sabhanga and Abhanga types).
It should be noted that Vakrokti means poetic speech and Alamkāra in general as well as a kind of poetic figure of this name (as here) involving clever dialogue turning on ordinary and word-split (Abhanga and Sabhanga Ślesa) puns. We do not meet with Vakrokti as an individual figure in Bhāmaha or Dandin, both of whom use the word Vakrokti for 'striking speech' or Alamkāra in general. But Danļin connects Śleșa with Vakrokti. But, it is only Rudrața who treats of Vakrokti as an individual Sabdālamkāra (K.A. 2.14, 2.16) and not as poetic speech or Alamkāra in general. Rudrata's Vakrokti is a dialogue involving intonation cleverly employed to change the meaning and another variety of the same employs word-split pun. Thus Rudrața has slesavakrokti and Kākuvakrokti. But Rajasekhara criticises Kākuvakrokti. Ratnakara's Vakrokti-Pancāśikā (a poem)
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