This page has been fully proofread once and needs a second look.

Citram is twofold: The Picturesque
 
Citra is twofold:
 

(i)
 
sabda-citra (based on sound or word) and

(i) artha-citra (based on meaning).
 

 
The first variety is either akşara-citra (based on syllables of vocal

and consonantal structure or word-structure) designing verses in

numerous shapes resembling lotus, umbrella, cross, chowry,

pitcher etc, or gati-citra (based on similar devices through drawings

giving shapes of moving patterns like horse, elephant, cow. Such

types of phonetic structure (as we find in alliterative pattern) or

word arrangement (which we find in various patterns of yamaka) are

undoubtedly very attractive, but sometimes excessive patternisation

through phonetic acrobatics or verbal jugglery (such as the use of

single, double or tripple vowels or consonants in successive order)

becomes very dull and montonous.
 

 
It is important to note that in Sanskrit literature a variety of

poetic composition (kaāvya) is termed as citra-kaāvya which, according

to the critics, is designated as third grade poetry (adhama kaāvya).

Perhaps this term was first applied to this particular figure of our dis-

cussion and then it was shifted to a class of poetry as a whole, which

was specially cultivated by some epic writers as well as a few over-

enthusiastic poets with the sole intention of exhibiting their skill in

the composition of artful poetry, specially in dealing with Anuprāsa

(Alliteration), Yamaka (Assonance) and Ślesa (Pun). AĀnandavard-

hana remarked that such type of composition can be called poetry

very loosely and found to be written by ordinary poets. Mammaţa also
ṭa also
says that such composition is very unfortunately called poetry.
 

 
eg 1. yamaka-citra or wonder of Assonance:
 

 
sa me samāsamo masaḥ sā me māsasamā samā.
yo yātayā tayā yāti yā yāṭyāyātayā l

yo yātayā tayā yāti yā yātyāyātayā t
ayā.

 
That month seems to me a year,

Which passes when my love is gone;

That year seems to me a month,

Which fades after her return.
 

 
2. Wonder of triple consonants:
 
devānām

 
devānāṃ
nandano devo nodano veda-nindanām.
divam duddava nadena dāne dä

divaṃ duddava nādena dāne dā
nava-nandinaḥ,
 
Google
 
Digitized by
 
83
 
Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN