Handbook of Classical Sanskrit Rhetoric /147

<headword>दृष्टान्त</headword>
 
दृष्टान्तः Dṛṣṭāntaḥ : Exemplification
 
GE : Drṣṭāntaḥ : Exemplification :
 

 
The word dṛṣṭānta simply means an example, illustration or instance.

Etymologically it is dṛṣṭa meaning (drs ta <kta) found, seen or

proved and antaḥ meaning the final ascertainment, the truth, the result.

So Dṛṣṭānta rhetorically means concluding ascertainment about the sub-

ject of discussion. It is Dṛṣtaānta where the subject of discussion or the

intended object is finally proved, confirmed or ascertained by an

example presented therein as an illustration.
 
91
 

 
It is Udbhatṭa who recognised this figure of speech for the first

time. According to him, in this figurative expression, an object or

its attributes are reflected on another object similar to it.

Therefore, it is a kind of reflective representation of an identical

object. Dṛstānta is an assertion illustrated by an example.
 
Conditions of Drstanta are as follows:
 
(i) the two objects based on similitude are connected by the
relation of type- and - prototype (bima-pratibimba),
 
(ii) words like yathā, iva denoting resemblance are not
directly used,
 
(iii) the idea of mutual similitude between the two is always
 
implied.
 
But the mutual relation of type-and-prototype being the basic
feature of this figure has not been mentioned by all. According to
Bhoja, Dṛṣṭānta is the same as Saman assertion illustrated bya (The Equal) which has fourfold
varieties - Pūrva (the former), uttara (the latter), sama (the equal)
and the viparita (the opposite) an example.
 
Conditions of Dṛṣṭānta is distinct from
Pratare as follows:
(i) the two objects based on similitude are connected by the
relation of type-and-prototype (biṃba-pratibiṃba),
(ii) words like yathā, ivastupamā denoting resemblance are not
directly used,
(Peculiar Simileiii) in some respects thouthe idea of mutual similitude between the two is always
implied.
 
But the mutual relation of type-and-prototype beingh there is
some sort of implied resemblance in both of them the basic
feature of this figure has not been mentioned by all. InAccording to
Bhoja, Dṛṣṭānta is the same as Sāmya (The Equal) which has fourfold
varieties -- Pūrva (the former), the
uttara (the latter), sama (the equal)
and the viparīta (the opposite). Dṛṣṭānta is distinct from
Prativastūpamā (Peculiar Simile) in some respects though there is
some sort of implied resemblance in both of them. In Dṛṣṭānta, the
attributes expressed in two sentences are similar but not identical,

while in Prativastuūpamā, the attribute as stated in both the state-

ments though same in quality is stated in different words.
 
Digitized by
 

 
e.g. 1. aviditaguṇāpi satkavi-bhaṇitiḥ karnṇeṣu vamati madhu-dhārām,
anadhigata-parimalāpi hi harati dṛśaṃ mālatī-mālā.
anadhigata-parimalapi hi harati dṛsām malati-māta.

 
अविदितगुणापि सत्कविभणितिः कर्णेषु वमति मधुधाराम् ।

अनधिगत- परिमलापि हि हरति दृशं मालतीमाला ॥
 
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Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN