Kavyalankarasarasamgraha 7.67

7.67

pradhānatvādalaṅkāryatayā vaktuṃ yuktam, na tvalaṅkṛtikāraṇatayā /
ataḥ kathaṃ tasyālaṅkāravyapadeśaḥ /
ucyate /
pradhānamapi guṇānāṃ saundaryahetutvādalaṅkṛtau sādhanatvaṃ bhajati /
dṛśyate hi loke vyapadeśaḥ svāmyalaṅkaraṇakā bhṛtyā iti /
ato 'trāpi pratīyamānasya satyapi pradhānatve svaguṇabhūtavācyasaundaryasādhakatamatvādalaṅkāravyapadeśo na virudhyate /
yadi vā bhagavadvāsudevavartitayā yo 'sau vīraraso 'vagamyate tadapekṣayā tasya mukhyayaiva vṛttyā guṇabhūtatvādalaṅkāratā /
evamuttaratrāpi yathāsaṃbhavaṃ yojyam /

Because it is principal, it is proper to speak of it as the object to be ornamented, but not as the cause of ornamentation. Therefore, how can it be designated an ornament? To this it is replied: Even the principal element serves as a means of ornamenting qualities because it is the cause of their beauty. For in common worldly usage the designation is seen: "The servants are the masters' ornament." Therefore, here too, even though what is apprehended is principal, the designation "ornament" is not contradictory, because it most effectively accomplishes the beauty of the expressed sense which has become its subordinate quality. Or rather, in relation to the heroic relish that is understood as existing in Lord Vāsudeva, its ornamentation exists because it is subordinated in the primary sense. In this manner it should be applied to subsequent cases as well, as far as possible.