Alankar Shekhar - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Alankar Shekhar" by Keshav Mishra, edited by Anantram Shastri Vetal, based on the provided pages:

Title: Alankar Shekhar (Ornamental Crest) Author: Keshav Mishra Editor: Anantram Shastri Vetal Publisher: Jai Krishna Das Hari Das Gupta, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, Banaras City Publication Year: 1927 (as indicated on the English title page, though the Hindi title page shows 1984, likely a later reprint or a typo in the provided page) Series: Kashi Sanskrit Series (Haridas Sanskrit Granthamala), No. 56 (Alankara Section No. I)

Overview:

"Alankar Shekhar" is a significant work on Indian poetics (Alankara Shastra), authored by Keshav Mishra and considered a masterpiece within its genre. The text is attributed to be commissioned by Maharaja Manikya Chandra. The editor, Anantram Shastri Vetal, has meticulously revised and presented the work with an introduction and other scholarly additions. The book aims to guide poets and scholars in the art of poetry, covering various aspects of literary creation and appreciation.

Key Themes and Structure:

The Alankar Shekhar is structured into eight "jewels" (Ratna), each focusing on a specific area of poetics. Within each jewel, there are further subdivisions called "rays" (Marichi).

Upakrama Ratna (Preliminary Jewel):
- Introduction of the Work: Discusses the purpose and significance of the book, highlighting its rarity and the need for its publication.
- Meaning of "Alankara": Explores the term "Alankara" not just as ornamentation but as encompassing all aspects that beautify poetry, including qualities (Guna) and faults (Dosa).
- The Nature of Poetry: Defines poetry as a sentence adorned with rasa, qualities, and figures of speech, capable of providing joy and fulfilling various purposes like fame, wealth, and Dharma.
- Causes of Poetry: Emphasizes the role of Pratibha (creative genius), Vyutpatti (knowledge and learning), and Abhyasa (practice) in poetic composition.
- Language in Poetry: Discusses the importance and nuances of Sanskrit, Prakrit, and other languages in poetry.
- Riti (Style), Mukha (Expression), and Vrittis (Word-Meanings): Explores different poetic styles, modes of expression, and the three primary word-meanings (Shakti, Lakshana, Vyanjana), with a particular emphasis on Vyanjana (suggestion) as the soul of poetry.
Dosa Ratna (Jewel of Faults):
- Classification of Faults: Details the various faults in poetry, categorized into:
  - Pada Dosa (Word Faults): Kasta (difficult), Apryukta (unused), Sandigdha (ambiguous), Vyartha (meaningless), Ashleela (obscene), Aprateeta (uncommon), Asadhu (ungrammatical), Avachaka (non-expressive), and Gramya (vulgar).
  - Vakya Dosa (Sentence Faults): Includes faults like Nyuna (deficient), Visandhi (improper junction), Vyakeerna (disjointed), Samapta Punarattaka (repetition after completion), Bhagna Krama (broken sequence), Bhagna Yati (broken caesura), Bhagna Chhanda (broken meter), Vakya Garbha (embedded sentence), Ariteemata (lack of style), Avimrushta Vidheyamsha (unclear predicate), Samudayartha Varjita (lacking collective meaning), and Viruddha Matikrit (creating contradictory impression).
  - Artha Dosa (Meaning Faults): Virasa (incongruous with rasa), Gramya (vulgar meaning), Vyahata (contradictory), Khinna (unsupported), Heenopama (inferior comparison), Adhikopama (superior comparison), Asadrupama (incomparable), and Deshadi Viruddha (contradictory to place, time, etc.).
- Contextual Innocence: Argues that certain faults are acceptable depending on the context, speaker, and intended effect.
Guna Ratna (Jewel of Qualities):
- Nature of Qualities: Discusses the essentiality of qualities for poetry, even more so than ornaments.
- Classification of Qualities:
  - Shabda Guna (Word Qualities): Samksipta (conciseness), Udattata (loftiness), Prasad (clarity), Ukti (apt expression), and Samadhi (coordination).
  - Artha Guna (Meaning Qualities): Bhavikata (naturalness), Subhada (elegance of words), Paryayokti (indirect expression), and Sudharmita (appropriate quality).
- Vaiseshika Guna (Specific Qualities): Explores how certain faults can become qualities depending on the context, particularly when they do not impede the rasa.
Alankara Ratna (Jewel of Figures of Speech):
- Classification of Figures: Divides Alankaras into Shabda Alankaras (sound figures) and Artha Alankaras (meaning figures).
- Shabda Alankaras: Covers various sound figures like Chitram (pictorial), Vakrokti (indirect speech), Anupras (alliteration), Shlesha (pun), Prahelika (riddle), Prashnottara (question-answer), and Yamaka (rhyme).
- Artha Alankaras: Discusses the fourteen primary Artha Alankaras, including:
  - Upama (Simile): Explores its ten types and its supreme importance.
  - Rupaka (Metaphor): Describes its various forms.
  - Utpreksha (Suspense/Poetic Fancy): Highlights its role in enhancing fame.
  - Samasokti (Implication): Discusses its function in conveying meaning indirectly.
  - Apahnuti (Concealment), Samahita (Attribution), Svabhava (Natural Description), Virodha (Contradiction), Sara (Essence), Deepaka (Lamp/Parallel), Sahokti (Simultaneity), Anyadeshata (Foreignness), Visheshokti (Special Speech), and Vibhavana (Cause of an Effect).
Varna Ratna (Jewel of Description):
- Describing the Feminine Form: Details various ways to describe a woman's beauty, from overall appearance to specific features like hair, eyes, face, lips, and body parts, drawing comparisons from nature and everyday objects.
- Describing the Masculine Form: Similarly outlines the description of masculine beauty, focusing on strength, physique, and noble qualities, often comparing them to powerful beings and elements.
- Methods of Comparison: Explains how similes and other figures of speech are used to create vivid descriptions, emphasizing the poet's ability to shape reality through their art.
- Kavisampradaya (Poetic Tradition): Highlights the traditional descriptions and conventions followed by poets.
Kavisampradaya Ratna (Jewel of Poetic Tradition):
- Adherence to Tradition: Stresses the importance of following established poetic traditions, including the use of accepted conventions for describing various subjects.
- Descriptive Subjects: Lists numerous subjects that poets traditionally describe, such as kings, queens, countries, cities, rivers, forests, seasons, war, and various human activities and emotions.
- Color Symbolism: Discusses the traditional color associations for different objects and concepts in poetry (e.g., white for moon, blue for Krishna, red for heroic deeds).
- Numerical Conventions: Mentions the use of specific numbers in poetic descriptions, referencing traditional counts for various items.
Kavisamarthya Ratna (Jewel of Poetic Prowess):
- Skill in Poetry: Focuses on the poet's ability to master various poetic challenges.
- Gatagata Samatvam (Equality of Going and Coming): Explores the use of words with similar structures in Sanskrit and Prakrit.
- Problem-Solving: Discusses the skill of solving poetic puzzles (Samasya Puranam) through various techniques, including answering questions, wordplay, and intricate construction.
- Poetic License: Highlights the poet's power to create and manipulate reality through their imagination.
Vishrama Ratna (Jewel of Repose/Rasa):
- The Soul of Poetry: Reiterates that Rasa (aesthetic emotion) is the essence of poetry, without which poetry remains lifeless.
- Definition of Rasa: Defines Rasa as the realization of the complete indicators (Vibhava, Anubhava, Vyabhichari Bhava) in their various states of union and separation.
- The Nine Rasas: Details the nine primary Rasas: Shringara (love), Hasya (laughter), Karuna (pathos), Raudra (anger), Veera (heroism), Bhayanaka (terror), Bibhatsa (disgust), Adbhuta (wonder), and Shanta (peace).
- Rasas in Relation: Explains the compatibility and incompatibility of different Rasas within a single poem.
- Stayi Bhavas (Permanent Emotions): Discusses the nine permanent emotions that form the basis of Rasas.
- Vibhavas, Anubhavas, and Sanchari Bhavas: Explains the roles of determinants, consequents, and transitory emotions in evoking Rasa.
- Rasa Doshas (Faults Related to Rasa): Discusses faults that directly impact the evocation of Rasa, such as impropriety (Anauchitya) and the misuse of words that negate the intended Rasa.
- Suitability of Meters and Sounds: Concludes by discussing how meter, style, and sounds should be chosen to complement the specific Rasa being portrayed.

Editorial Contributions:

Anantram Shastri Vetal's contribution includes:

Critical Edition: He has critically edited the text, likely comparing multiple manuscripts to establish the most accurate readings.
Introduction (Prastavana): Provides valuable context about the book, its author, the historical development of Alankara Shastra, and the significance of Keshav Mishra's work.
Analysis of Contents: Offers a detailed breakdown and commentary on the structure and themes of each jewel and ray.
Inclusion of References: Cites various other significant works in Indian poetics, such as those by Bhamaha, Dandin, Mammata, Bhoja, and Rajasekhara, demonstrating the learned nature of the work and its editor.
Biographical Information: Includes details about Keshav Mishra, his patron Manikya Chandra, and other scholars and poets mentioned in the text, providing historical context.

Significance:

"Alankar Shekhar" is recognized for its comprehensive treatment of Alankara Shastra, its clear explanations, and its practical guidance for poets. It stands as an important resource for understanding the aesthetic principles and techniques of Sanskrit poetry. The editor's thorough work ensures its accessibility and value for contemporary readers and researchers.