मितं च सारं च वचो हि वाग्मिता ।
mitaṁ ca sāraṁ ca vaco hi vāgmitā |
(Viśva-prakāśa-koḍa; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.1.106)
“Speech which is concise and sound is eloquence.”
Commentary
In a commentary attributed to Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda it is said:
mitaṁ varṇa-bāhulya-rahitaṁ sāraṁ prakṛtārtha-vyañjakam evaṁ kṛtam vāco vāgmitā vāk-paṭutety ucyate |
“Speech which is ‘concise’ (mitaṁ), that is, free from a profusion of letters, and ‘sound’ (sāraṁ), that is, expressive of the true significance and apt, is ‘eloquence’ (vāgmitā), that is, skillfulness in speech.”
The term mitam is also understood to convey that fine speech is measured and free from verbosity, and the term sāram is also understood to convey that fine speech is essential, substantial, and excellent in its composition and import. The overall concept is that speech which is succinct and insightful is ideal.