Use and Abuse of Alankara

Raghavan, V.
Alankara, also referred to as palta or
alankaram, is a concept in Indian classical
music and literally means "ornament,
decoration". The concept of alankara applies to
both vocal and musical instrument
performance.
Types of Alankara:
There are two large classes of alankara:

 Arthalankara (artha, “meaning”), which ornaments

the meaning of the word, and

 Shabdalankara (shabda, “word”), which ornaments its

sound.
Alamkara in literature:
 Alamkara is a figure of speech.

 Alamkara earliest and most sustained school; it

studies literary language and assumes that the focus
of literariness is the figures of speech.

 In the mode of figurative expression, in the

grammatical accuracy and pleasantness of sound.
 Anandhavardhana says that when alankaras (figures of speech)
are used judiciously, they are the soul of poetry.
 Abhinavagupta also believed that alankaras are the soul of
poetry and not mere external ornaments.
 Mere thoughts and emotions make only philosophy. They
become poetry only when they are embellished by the use of
alankaras.
 An important aspect of poetry is that it is charming and
beautiful. Alankaras allow poetry to express ideas in a
different manner from the ordinary use of language.
 Anandhavardhana says that when figures of speech are directly
expressed, they are like ornaments worn over the body. But
when they are indirectly expressed or suggested they make
poetry even more beautiful and become the soul of poetry.

 Bhoja classified alankaras into three:

i. Bahya,

ii. Abhyantara
iii. Bahyabhyantara.
 Bahya alankaras are concerned with sabda or words. They are
external alankaras.

 Abhyantara alankaras are concerned with artha or meaning and

they are internal.

 Bahyabhyantara are concerned with both sabda and artha.

 Bahya alankaras are like ornaments or dress worn over the

body.

 Abhyantara alankaras are like internal decorations, like

cleaning the teeth.

 Bahyabhyantara are like decorations on the skin – applying

Candana (chandana) or kumkuma.
Aucitya (auchithya):

• Aucitya means appropriateness.

• It is similar to the classical idea of decorum.

• Alankaras have to be used with propriety.

• Otherwise they will be like ornaments on a dead body. Such a

case is an abuse of alankaras.

• Alankara should be appropriate to Artha. Then only it will lead

to beauty and Rasa.
Anandhavardhana’s rules for the use of alankaras:
 Alankara should be subordinated to Rasa. Realization of rasa
is more important and alankaras should be helpful in achieving
this.

 Another important rule is that it should be suited to the Bhava

or emotion dealt with.

 It should be naturally and easily introduced. It should not look

like an artificial imposition on the poem.

 The poet should not take an extra effort to introduce alankaras.

Connection between emotion and figures of speech in Ramayana:

 In Ramayana, figures of speech are used extensively when the

situation demands it and not at all used when it is not needed.

 In the opening section of Sundharakanda, figures of speech are

extensively used to evoke Adbhuta Rasa whereas no figures of
speech are used in the closing section of Aryakanda as Rama
laments the loss of Sita.
Kalidasa was able to generate figures of speech from the Rasa
experience he underwent while composing poems.
Samiksha:
 Even if figures of speech do not come naturally to writers, they can
employ it effectively by practicing discrimination in their use.
 This discrimination (judging whether to use or not) is known as
samiksha.
 The poets have to understand that alankaras have to be subordinate
or ancillary (Angabhuta).
 They must not assume the main role – Pradhana or Angin. Overuse
should be avoided.
 Alankaras should emanate (generate itself) from the Rasa that
the writer undergoes while composing the poem.

 Beautiful ideas should be expressed beautifully.

 Alankaras heighten the effect of poetry.

 A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
BY JOHN DONNE
As virtuous men pass mildly away,
And whisper to their souls to go,
Whilst some of their sad friends do say
The breath goes now, and some say, No:

So let us melt, and make no noise,

No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move;
'Twere profanation of our joys
To tell the laity our love.

Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears,

Men reckon what it did, and meant;
But trepidation of the spheres,
Though greater far, is innocent.

Dull sublunary lovers' love

(Whose soul is sense) cannot admit
Absence, because it doth remove
Those things which elemented it.

But we by a love so much refined,

That our selves know not what it is,
Inter-assured of the mind,
Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss.
Our two souls therefore, which are one,
Though I must go, endure not yet
A breach, but an expansion,
Like gold to airy thinness beat.

If they be two, they are two so

As stiff twin compasses are two;
Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show
To move, but doth, if the other do.

And though it in the center sit,

Yet when the other far doth roam,
It leans and hearkens after it,
And grows erect, as that comes home.

Such wilt thou be to me, who must,

Like th' other foot, obliquely run;
Thy firmness makes my circle just,
And makes me end where I begun.
Thank You