Handbook of Classical Sanskrit Rhetoric /230

174
 
ARudraṭa admits eightfold varieties of Śleṣa-based on syllable,
on word, on gender, on nominal base, on suffix, on prefix, on
number, and on declensional and conjugational terminations. Handbook of Classical Sanskrit Rhetoric
 
Rudraţa admits eightfold varietiee
has also given another class of Ślesa - based on syllable,
on word, on gender, on nominal base, on suffix, on prefix, on
number, and on declensional and conjugational terminations. He
has also given another class of Śleșṣa :
 

(a) Pun based on meaning,
 

(b) based on contrast (virodha-ślesṣa),

(c) based on excess (adhika-ślesṣa),
 

(d) based on twisted meaning (vakra-slesśleṣa),
 

(e) based on pretended meaning (vyāja-ślesṣa),

(f) Pun in conversation (ukti-ślesṣa),
 

(fg)
 
based on improbablity (g)
 
based on improbablity (asambhava-sleșa),
partial pun (avayasambhava-ślesṣa),
 

(h)
 
partial pun (i) Pun for a significant idea (tattavayava-śleșṣa),
(i) Pun for a significant idea (tattva-śleṣa).
 

 
Bhoja has mentioned another group of pun with sixfold varieties:

based on a particular word, on a sentence, on similarity, on

contrast, on case-endings and on conjugational endings.
 

 
Here it should be noted that Sanskrit language is very synthetic
in character due to its grammatical structure, and at the same time

in character due to its grammatical structure, and at the same time
very flexible in syntactical structure. Therefore, punning through

play upon words is comparatively easier. In vocabulary, it is per-

haps the reachest of all classical languages.
 

 
The tradition of a very rich heritage of figurative literature has

been rigouroussly followed by the writers of poetry and prose both.

Prose-writers like Bāṇa, Subandhu and others have exhibited their

masterly skill by linguistic and semantic play upon words through

alliteration, assonance, pun as well as a good number of tropes. In

late early and mediaeval period of Sanskrit literature a special type

of poetic composition called śleșṣa-kāvayas, or even epic poems with

double or more meanings in every verse) was cultivated for the

exhibition of poet's skill in punning.
 

 
eg 1. sarvasvamṃ hara sarvasya /tvam tvaṃ bhava-cchedatatparaḥ

nayopakāra - sāmmukhyam / āyāsi tanuvarttanam.
 

सर्वस्वं हर सर्वस्य / त्वं भव च्छेदतत्पर ।
 

नयोपकारसाम्मुख्यमायासि तनुवर्त्तनम् ॥
 
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UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN