Poetry (Padya): Rasa, Figure of Speech and Device
Poetry (Padya): rasa, figure and device
The Padya section tests prescribed செய்யுள் (poems): central idea, tone, அணி (figure of speech), ரசம் (rasa) and poetic devices such as மோனை, எதுகை and முரண். A device question is not a labelling exercise; you must show which words create the effect.
Core rules
- உவமை அணி (simile): two different things compared with போல், போன்ற, ஒப்ப. Example: 'மலர் போல் மனம்.'
- உருவக அணி (metaphor): the comparison is implied, with no comparator: 'மனம் மலர்.'
- தீவிர அணி (hyperbole): deliberate exaggeration for effect.
- மோனை: repetition of the initial sound; எதுகை: repetition of the second sound; முரண்: contrast.
- ரசம் is the dominant emotional flavour: வீரம், கருணை, வியப்பு, நகை, பயம், சாந்தம்.
- Quote the Tamil words, then name the device, then explain the effect.
Worked example
Line: 'கண்ணன் காற்றைப் போல் விரைந்தான்.' Answer: உவமை அணி. Reasoning: 'போல்' explicitly compares two distinct entities, Kannan and the wind; the shared quality is speed. If the line were 'கண்ணன் காற்று,' it would be உருவகம் because the comparison is asserted, not signalled.
Traps
- Naming அணி without quoting the trigger word.
- Calling any comparison உருவகம்.
- Forcing a rasa that the poem does not sustain.
- Confusing மோனை with எதுகை.
- Writing a paraphrase instead of analysing the device.