2023-02-17 22:53:44 by suhasm
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Atadguṇaḥ : Non-Borrower :
It is a (< nañ negative particle corresponding to Greek a or an,
Latin in or un) meaning non, not, without, lacking, tad meaing the
person or the thing concerned, guna meaning accomplishment, quality or
merit. So the word atadguṇa literally means non-presence or non-bor-
rowing of someone's qualities. The figure Atadguna occurs when there
is non-acceptance or dissenting of the fine elements or qualities of
the superior one by the inferior one though such excellences
should have been borrowed from the former by the latter. In such
poetic expression, there are two components-the subject of dis-
cussion or the contextual and the related one or the non-contex-
tual (ie upameya and the upamāna or the prakṛta and the aprakṛta or
the prastuta and the aprastuta respectively), and between these two
the former is represented as more qualified than the latter; but the
non-referent though inferior does not assume the qualities of the
superior one, even if there is every possibility of becoming so due
to close association between the two.
Atadguṇa was first recognised by Mammața. It is just the oppo-
site of the figure Tadguṇa (The Borrower). But Jayaratha and his fol-
lowers maintain that this figure should be included in Višeṣokti
(Peculiar Allegation) since both are based on the relation of cause-
and-effect. But Viśvanātha observes that it is distinct from Višeşokti
because Atadguṇa brings out a special poetic excellence in the dic-
tion through its presentation of the idea of non-assumption of the
excellences of one by the other. There is also basic difference
between Atadguṇa and Vișama since the literary quality of Vișama is
rooted on the assumption that the qualities relating to the effect
(karya) are completely opposite to those of the cause (kāraṇa). This
figure is based not merely on the literary merit of the expression,
but on some logical approach of the idea expressed.
eg 1. ciram rāgini maccitte / nihito'pi na rañjasi,
चिरं रागिणि मच्चित्ते / निहितोऽपि न रञ्जसि ।
For long, my love, in my heart, though treasured
Yet unto me you are not entirely enamoured.
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Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN