alamkAramulu

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Perhaps, those who know of pOtana's 'Andhra mahAbhAgavatam' will
definitely remember this poem 

  'rAkEndu bimbamai  ravi bimbamai  yoppu
             neerajAtEshaNu  nemmogammu'

This is in the context of 'narakAsura vadha' describing 'satyabhAma',
how she was viewed by kRshNa in a romantic way (like the face of the
moon) and by 'naraka' in a ferocious way(as the face of the Sun). The
'seesa padyam' continues in the same way of highly contrasting
perspectives of the same 'satyabhAma' by those two. 

The 'alamkAramu' in this context is called 'ullEkhamu'. The phenomenon
is the same object is viewed by diffrent people in different ways.
That object in focus is said to be 'ullEkhyamu'.  

Coming to another one, if we go back to pOtana again in the context of
'vAmanAvatAra', he describes how the great 'vishNu' is going to beg
'bali' for the sake of 'indra'

    hari  siri  yuramuna gala hari
    harihayu  koraku danuju  naDugan  janiyen

But justifies this unusual act of begging by the great 'vishNu' for
the sake of others, as an ornamental one for his magnanimity.

    parahita  ratamati yutulagu
    doralaku  naDuguTalu  noDala  toDavulu  puDamin

Keeping aside the 'SabdAlankArAs' (of 'ra kAra'  prAsa in the above
and 'Da kAra'  prAsa in the latter), the 'ardhAlankAra' in the poem is
said to be 'ardhAntaranyAsamu'. It basically deals with
'justification' of an action. As I remember in telugu

'sAmAnyamunu  viSEshamu  cEta  gAni;  viSEsha  vishayamunu 
sAmAnyamutO gAni  samardhincuTa'. 

Two of these 'alamkAramulu' have fascinated me for a very long time.
Though I learnt them in my school days, 
I always used to think they invariably depict human nature and
tendency more than the literary aspect. It is quite common that
'People perceive a worldly phenomenon the way they like, and try to
justify the way they understood'. Of course, sensibly inquisitive
people always try to look for what is right rather than thinking what
they understood is right. 

Talking of 'ullEkhamu', the amazing aspect of the world is, it is just
not that diffrenet people have different outlooks at it alone. The
same person may have different outlooks at it, at different phases of
one's own life also. None other than the notable personality like Sree
guDipATi venkaTa calam comes to mind as an example for the latter.  

Thinking of 'ardhAntaranyAsamu', most of the time, the increasing
knowledge of the people anyday can increasingly be used mostly to
justify what they do is right rather than they trying to do 'what is
right'. This reminds me the lines of 'sadASiva  brahmEndra  keertana' 

 'vipareeta  j~nAna  vimattAnam
  sthiratA  nahi,  nahirE!  
  mAnasa  sthiratA  nahi, nahirE!

However, while deciding 'what is right' regarding an issue, once again
'ullEkhamu' comes into picture, leading to a radially distributed
opinions about a single center point. Hence, obviously some of those
opinions are going to be diametrically opposite to the others. So,
once again everyone tries to justify once own view as the correct one
or at least the most appropriate. Whoever gets the support for that in
the form of numerical majority, irrespective of its real worth, will
become the winner for the time being. Afterall, isn't it the way
currently democracy is being practised? 

So, I think it is at least appropriate to say unequivocally that 

   'prapanca  moka  ullEkhyamu
    mAnava jeevanamoka  ardhAntaranyAsamu'.

With regards,
Prabhakar Vissavajjhala


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