2023-04-05 13:24:55 by ramamurthys
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question. But others say that the answer may also be 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) ārthī (based on the complete meaning of the sentence).
Daṇḍin 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. yasyāmataṃ 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.kūjanti kokilāḥ sāle yauvane phullam ambujam.
kiṃ karotu kuraṃgākṣī vadanena nipīḍitā.
कूजन्ति कोकिला:लाः साले यौवने फुल्लमम्बुजम् ।
किं करोतु कुरंगाक्षी वदनेन निपीडिता ॥
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
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) ārthī (based on the complete meaning of the sentence).
Daṇḍin 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. yasyāmataṃ 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.kūjanti kokilāḥ sāle yauvane phullam ambujam.
kiṃ karotu kuraṃgākṣī vadanena nipīḍitā.
कूजन्ति कोकि
किं करोतु कुरंगाक्षी वदनेन निपीडिता ॥
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