Handbook of Classical Sanskrit Rhetoric /75

Anumānam: Poetical Inference
 
<headword>अनुमान</headword>
 
अनुमानम् Anumānam : Poetical Inference :
 

 
The word anumāna (anu √mā ana <anat) means an inference, con-

clusion, reasoning, guess, conjecture etc. In Nyaya system of philoso-

phy, it is one of the four means of obtaining knowledge (ie

pratyaksṣa, anumāna, upamāna and sśābda).
 

 
In logical inference knowledge about something is obtained

through the knowledge of some other thing which is connected

with the former by any kind of mutual relation, for example, pres-

ence of fire is inferred from the sight of smoke. Needless to say that

any logical inference does not come under the perview of this fig-

ure. As a figure of speech anumāna is a kind of poetic inference

established by proof expressed in a striking manner by the poet.

This figure was first conceived by Rudratṭa and recognised by most

of the rhetoricians. Anumaāna is basically different from

Arthāntaranyāsa (Corroboration) and Kāvyalinga (Poetical Cause).
 

 
eg 1. asti kiñcid yadanayaā / māmṃ vilokya smitamṃ manāk.

अस्ति किंचिद् यदनया / मां विलोक्य स्मितं मनाक् ।
 

 
There is something in her heart

Because looking at me she smiled apart.
 

 
Definitions
 

 
हेतोः साध्यावगमेऽनुमानम् । का. ६।२३
 

 
यत्र बलीय: कारणमालोक्याभूतमेव भूतमिति ।

भावीति वा तथान्यत् कथ्यते तदन्यदनुमानम् ॥ रुका. ७.५६, ५६

 
वस्तु परोक्षं यस्मिन् साध्यमुपन्यस्य साधकं तस्य ।'

पुनरन्यदुपन्यस्येद्विपरीतं चैतदनुमानम् ॥

 
लिङ्गदर्शनाल्लिङ्गिज्ञानमनुमानम् । सृस्रृ. १०
 

 
अनुमानं तदुक्तं यत् साध्यसाधनयोर्वचः । का. प्र. १०.११७

साध्यसाधननिर्देशोऽनुमानम् । अ. स. ५६
 

 
प्रत्यक्षाल्लिङ्गतो यत्र कालत्रितयवर्तिनः ।

लिङ्गिनो भवति ज्ञानमनुमानं तदुच्यते ॥ वा. ४.१३८

 
हेतोः साध्यावगमोऽनुमानम् । हे. का. ६ । २३

 
अनुमानं च कार्यादेः कारणाद्यवधारणम् । च. ५.३६

अनुमतमनुमानमिदं यत्र स्तः साध्यसाधने कथिते । ए. ८
 
Google
 
Digitized by
 
19
 
Original from
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN