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116
 
A Hand
question. But others say that the answer may also book of Classical Sanskrit Rhetoric
 
question. But others say that the answer may also be found inside
e found inside
the question through the riddle. But the scope of prahelikā is very

wide and there are various forms of expression.
 

 
Two main varieties are:
 

(i) śābdī (based on particular word / words) and
 

(ii) ārthiī (based on the complete meaning of the sentence).

Dandṇḍin has enumerated sixteen varieties and Bhoja has

included some other new varieties with them. Some of these are as

follows:
 

(i) cyutākṣara (syllable / syllables dropped),
 

(ii) dattākṣara (syllable / syllables to be added)
 

(iii) cyuta-dattākṣara (a mixture of the two mentioned above)

(iv) artha-prahelikā (a riddle in the whole sentence).
 

 
But Visvanātha refuses to accept it as a figure and declares that

a riddle or puzzle has no poetic beauty of its own since it is simply a

twisting of words or puzzling a sense. His opinion is not acceptable

to all because there are so many thought-provoking and artistic rid-

dles which are attractive to all classes of intelligent readers.
 

 
eg 1. yasyāmatam tasya matam matamṃ tasya mataṃ mataṃ yasya na veda saḥ.

यस्यामतं तस्य मतं मतं यस्य न वेद सः ।
 

 
He, who knows Him not, really knows Him

He, who knows, knows Him not.
 

 
2. kuūjanti kokilāḥ sāle yauvane phullam ambujam.

kim karotu kurangākṣī vadanena nipīḍitā.

 
कूजन्ति कोकिला: साले यौवने फुल्लमम्बुजम् ।

किं करोतु कुरंगाक्षी वदनेन निपीड़िडिता ॥
 

 
Cuckoos are cooing amid mango trees,

In woodland ponds lotuses blooming,

Tormented by Cupid as she is
 

What should the fawn-eyed lady be doing!
 

 
The first example is a hymn from the Upanisad in the form of

aphorism stating the true nature of God-realistion in the state of

which a man cannot differentiate him from God. Such divine reali-

sation is altogether different from all other feelings. Therefore it
 
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UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN