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48
A Handbook of Classical Sanskrit Rhetoric
3
Utprekṣā : Poetic Fancy :
The word utprekṣā (ut pra √īkṣ ac à) literally means guess, conjecture,
perceiving, looking upward, looking with attention. Rhetorically it
means fanciful observation with attention, to compare one thing with other
fancifully, imagining of one object under the character of another.
Therefore, Utprekṣā is a variety of poetic fancy where the poet
images one thing as almost identical with another. Here the poet
fancifully describes the upameya and the upamāna as almost similar
to each other in some respects. In such figurative statement, one
object is fancifully imagined as something else, but not truly itself.
Here some standard object of poetic description as the contexual
one (ie the upameya such as the beautiful face) is represented, as if,
the thing compared to it (ie the upamāna such as the moon or the
rose). So the poet imagines the moon as being almost the face.
Though based on the fanciful idea of close similarity Utprekṣā
differs from similar figures like Upamā, Rūpaka, Apahnuti, Pariņāma
and Sandeha. Unlike Upamā Utprekṣā exhibits not mere resem-
blance, but strong likeness between two things. In Utprekṣā, there is
neither total super-imposition (āropa) like Rupaka, nor conceal-
ment like Apahnuti. Utprekṣā is both identification (adhyavasāna)
and supposition (sambhavana) and not super-imposition (āropaṇa).
Such identification occurs in two ways siddha and säddhya. In the
first case, one object is totally absorbed with the other, but when
such absorption is in process, it is known as säddhya. The first vari-
ety of identification is to be found in the figure Atiśayokti and the
second one is the basis of Uprekṣā. As Upamā is eulogised as the
mother of figurative expression so Utprekṣā is called the supreme figurative
beauty like the graceful smile of the newly married girl. According to
Keśavamiśra it is the soul of all rhetorical figures (sarvālamkāra-sar-
vasvam) and the successful use of such an alamkāra adds special
charm to all poetic expressions. Characteristic features of Utprekṣā
may be noted as follows:
Digitized by
-
(i) words denoting comparison such as iva, nūnam, manye,
dhruvam, śamke are common,
(ii) such words mentioned above may or may not be used,
Google
Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
A Handbook of Classical Sanskrit Rhetoric
3
Utprekṣā : Poetic Fancy :
The word utprekṣā (ut pra √īkṣ ac à) literally means guess, conjecture,
perceiving, looking upward, looking with attention. Rhetorically it
means fanciful observation with attention, to compare one thing with other
fancifully, imagining of one object under the character of another.
Therefore, Utprekṣā is a variety of poetic fancy where the poet
images one thing as almost identical with another. Here the poet
fancifully describes the upameya and the upamāna as almost similar
to each other in some respects. In such figurative statement, one
object is fancifully imagined as something else, but not truly itself.
Here some standard object of poetic description as the contexual
one (ie the upameya such as the beautiful face) is represented, as if,
the thing compared to it (ie the upamāna such as the moon or the
rose). So the poet imagines the moon as being almost the face.
Though based on the fanciful idea of close similarity Utprekṣā
differs from similar figures like Upamā, Rūpaka, Apahnuti, Pariņāma
and Sandeha. Unlike Upamā Utprekṣā exhibits not mere resem-
blance, but strong likeness between two things. In Utprekṣā, there is
neither total super-imposition (āropa) like Rupaka, nor conceal-
ment like Apahnuti. Utprekṣā is both identification (adhyavasāna)
and supposition (sambhavana) and not super-imposition (āropaṇa).
Such identification occurs in two ways siddha and säddhya. In the
first case, one object is totally absorbed with the other, but when
such absorption is in process, it is known as säddhya. The first vari-
ety of identification is to be found in the figure Atiśayokti and the
second one is the basis of Uprekṣā. As Upamā is eulogised as the
mother of figurative expression so Utprekṣā is called the supreme figurative
beauty like the graceful smile of the newly married girl. According to
Keśavamiśra it is the soul of all rhetorical figures (sarvālamkāra-sar-
vasvam) and the successful use of such an alamkāra adds special
charm to all poetic expressions. Characteristic features of Utprekṣā
may be noted as follows:
Digitized by
-
(i) words denoting comparison such as iva, nūnam, manye,
dhruvam, śamke are common,
(ii) such words mentioned above may or may not be used,
Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN