Handbook of Classical Sanskrit Rhetoric /59

<headword> अतिशय </headword>
 
अतिशयः </headword>
 
Atiśayaḥ : Excess :
 
ati sśaya (√√siśī-a <ac) means excess, excellence, exuberance, perfection etc.
When some extra-ordinary excellence of an object is expressed in a
very charming way, the figure of speech is termed Atisśaya. This type
of expression of superiority in terms of extraordinary quality is
based neither on similitude nor on the relation of cause-and-effect
pattern, but the entire idea is established on a chain system which
reflects the superior quality of the following term than the preced-
ing one. Most of the rhetoricians think that Atiśaya should not be
treated as a separate figure since it is a case of either Atyukti
(Exaggeration) or Atiśayokti (Hyperbole). Atiśaya has been recognised
by a few rhetoricians.
 
eg 1. yadi daivatam prasannam mā kārṣir mama mānuṣe janma.
atha janma mā premātha prema mā jane durlabhe.
 
यदि दैवतं प्रसन्नं मा काषीर्मम मानुषे जन्म ।

अथ जन्म मा प्रेमाथ प्रेम मा जने दुर्लभे ॥
 
If God be pleased unto me,

Let me be not born as human progeny;

Or if at all I be born there over and above

Let me be devoid of the sentiment of love;
Still if I be in love with any man

Let him not be difficult to attain..
 
Here the complete statement of the lady is based on the condi-
tion of if (yadi) and otherwise (atha). All conditions set on a chain pat-
tern (firstly 'favour of God', secondly 'non-birth as a human being',
thirdly 'to be born as a human being', fourthly 'non-love', fifthly
'love' and finally 'love of a man' signify the superiority of the condi-
tion of each 'following one' than the 'preceding one'.
 
Definitions
 
वस्तूनां वक्तुमुत्कर्षमसम्भाव्यं यदुच्यते ।
वदन्त्यतिशयाख्यं तमलंकारं वुधा यथा ॥