Studies In Sanskrit Sahitya Shastra

Author(s): V M Kulkarni
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology

Page 35

Sanskrit Sahityaśāstra
23
(11) Although certain things in life are seen to possess certain colours, these colours
are not, according to convention, described with reference to those things but some other colours are attributed to those things. For example, Kunda buds and the teeth of lovers are red, lotus buds green, and Priyangu flowers yellow; but in accordance with convention, Kunda and lotus buds are white and
Priyangu flowers dark. (12) Jewels, in general, are described in poetry as red, flowers white, and clouds dark.
It is also a convention when dark and blue colours or dark and green or dark and dark-blue or yellow and red or white and yellowish-red are identified. Poets describe eyes as possessing varied colours such as white, dark, dark-blue and variegated. This is permissible in poetry.
Now, poetic convention relating to celestial things is just like the one relating to terrestrial things. What deserves, in this matter, special mention is that with regard to the moon the hare and the deer are one, with regard to Cupid's banner, shark and fish are one; the moon born of Atri's eye and of the ocean are one; the moon on the head of Siva, though born long ago, is ever young; Cupid is both corporeal and non-corporeal; the twelve suns are identical; Nārāyaṇa Madhava are one; Dāmodara, Seșa and Kūrma are one; Lakşmi and wealth are one.
Poetic convention relating to infernal things is just like the one relating to terrestrial or celestial things. Here Nāga and Sarpa are one; Daitya, Dānava and Asura are one.
Thus many other varieties of the poetic conventions are possible. Rājasekhara concludes his treatment of this topic in these words :
"The topic of the poetic conventions which had remained unnoticed by early theorists has been treated here by me according to my own light.”
It deserves special notice that Rājasekhara, while treating of Kālavibhāga (Ch. XVIII), clearly shows his preference of poetic coventions to objective reality and lays down that the modern poets should follow the ancient poets in their descriptions of seasons, etc., even when these descriptions go against their own observation.
Ajitasena (latter part of the tenth century A. D.) reproduces in his Alankāracintamani2 most of the poetic conventions enumerated by Rajasekhara. He accepts Rājasekhara's threefold classification into 'Asato Nibandhanam', etc. He merely puts Rajasekhara's rules in verse form and adds only a few more conventions to the list, such as Ramā resides in a lotus as well as on a king's bosom. 1 TERRY : FATTH' sa 141902: I p. 99.
and देशेषु पदार्थानां ध्यत्यासो दृश्यते स्वरूपस्य ।
fa au Jaafagfa TAROT : 11 p. 111 2 Edited by Padmaraja Pandit in the Kavyāmbudhi (1893-1894).