रञ्जकत्वं हि माधुर्यं चेतसो द्रुतिकारणम् ।
सम्भोगे विप्रलम्भे च तदेवातिशयोचितम् ॥
rañjakatvaṁ hi mādhuryaṁ cetaso druti-kāraṇam |
sambhoge vipralambhe ca tad evātiśayocitam ||
(Alaṅkāra-kaustubha: 6.16)
“Mādhurya means delightfulness which is a cause [alt., means] of melting of the heart. It is most suitable in union, separation, and elsewhere [i.e., in instances of lamentation (karuṇa) and so forth].”