Dhvani theory

shakuntala.gawde@gmail.com

Anandavardhana (875-900 CE)

Propounder of Dhvani theory Predecessors of Anandavardhana had given importance to Kavyasharira

i.e. exterior form of poetry

ध्वननना अनतगभीरेण काव्यशास्त्रननवेशशना कस्त्य नासीदानन्दवधधन: ॥ ध्वननरात्मा काव्यस्त्य । ध्वन ्– to suggest

Dhvani is the soul of poetry. Alamkara, guna-riti etc becomes

subordinate.

Criticized artificiality of words due to excessive use of figures

Opponents of Dhvani Theory

काव्यस्यात्मा ध्वननररनि बुधै: समाम्नािऩूवव: िस्याभावं जगदरुऩरे भाक्िमाहुस्िमन्ये । केचिद् वािां स्स्ििमववषये ित्त्वमिूुस्िदीयं िेन ब्रूम: सहृदयमन: प्रीिये ित्स्वरुऩम ्॥

1. अभाववादी 2. भाक्ि-ऱऺणावादी 3. अननवविनीयिावादी

Refutation of Abhavavadins

Generally व्यङ्ग्यािव is related to वाच्यािव or dependent on वाच्यािव. वाच्यािव is related to the body of the poetry whereas व्यङ्ग्यािव is the soul of

the poetry

ववभानि ऱावण्यममवाङ्गगनास ु। (Collective beauty based on individual features but not equal to it)

Dhvani cannot be pointed out like alamkara, guna etc

वाच्यािव helps to go towards व्यङ्ग्यािव घटप्रदीऩ न्याय

Refutation of Lakshanavadins and

anirvacharniyatavadins

व्यङ्ग्यािव is आमभधामूऱ and ऱऺणामूऱ

आमभधामूऱ व्यङ्ग्यािव cannot come under the

sphere of ऱऺणा Dhvani is over and above ऱऺणा ऱऺणा is not always enjoyable or beautiful

E.g. कुन्िा: प्रववशस्न्ि । Refutation of Anirvachaniyatavadins

Anirvachaniyatavadins are

refuted because entire

treatise is on dhvani is

written by

Anandavardhana

Meanings of the words

वाच्याथध (Expressed meaning)

Cowshed on Ganga गङ्गगायां घोष: । --- (गङ्गगाप्रवाहे घोष: ।) ऱक्ष्याथध (Implied meaning)

Cowshed on the bank of Ganga (गङ्गगािीरे घोष: । ) व्यङ्ग्याथध (Suggested meaning) Cooling and sanctity (शतै्यऩावनत्व)

नुदत्यार्द्धमना: श्वश्रूमाां गहृभरे सकऱे । ऺणमार ंयदद संध्यायां भवनत न वा भवनत ववश्राम: ॥ (The mother in law of cruel mind drives me to the house-hold

burden. There is free time in the evening.)

It can be based on three things

• Person addressed

• Intonation

• Context

ध्वनन-रमणीयव्यङ्ग्यािव:। Criterion of best poetry

उत्तम काव्य Suggested meaning is important

मध्यम काव्य/ गुणीभूतव्यङ्ग्य काव्य

Suggested meaning is inferior

अधम काव्य / चिरकाव्य Suggestive meaning is not existent. Not considered as poetry by

Anandavardhana

ध्वननरात्मा काव्यस्य । सहृदयश्ऱाघ्य: अथध: काव्यस्त्य आत्मा ।

वाच्य- embellished words and meanings Peculiar arrangement of words and meanings

Figures

प्रिीयमनान- ऱावण्यशमवाङ्गगनास ु। Beauty of lady which is different from the beauty of her limbs

“Tis not a lip or eye we beauty call,

But the joint force and full result of all” (Alexander Pope )

Broad division of dhvani

1.Vastu- type of vidhi or nishedha

2.Rasa- Rasa created out of vibhava, anubhava,

vyabhichari etc

3.Alamkara- figures of speech

प्रिीयमान अिव is different from वाच्यािव Expressed sense is positive and suggested sense is negative

e.g. : You have obliged me by your actions. I can’t forget you at all.

Expressed sense is negative and suggested sense is positive

श्वश्रूरर ननषीदनत अराहं ददवसकं प्रऱोकय । मा ऩचथक रात्र्यन्ध, शय्यायामावयो शनयष्ठा: ॥ (Here my mother in law sleeps, here I sleep. This is the daytime, so you observe clearly. Because of

Nyctalopia don’t trouble in the night)

Sometimes suggested sense is different from vidhi and nishedha

प्राथधये तावत्प्रसीद ननवतधस्त्व मुखशशशज्योत्स्त्नाववऱुप्ततमोननवहे । अशभसाररकाणां ववघ्नं करोत्यन्यासामवऩ हताशे ॥ (I request you to leave this place. You have eradicated darkness because of your moon like face.

Thus, you are creating obstacles in your as well as others going towards beloved.

Figure

O Cloud, enough of your sonorous rumblings. My foetus,

one month old, moves about in my abdomen, considering

to be an intoxicated elephant (Bhaminivilasa)

Lioness speaking to cloud

Figure is suggested -- Hyperbole

Rasa- Heroic

Vastu- warning for an enemy

Types of Dhvani

ध्वनन

ऱऺणामऱू / अवववक्षऺतवाच्य

अत्यन्तनतरस्त्कृत अथाधन्तरसंक्रशमत

अशभधामऱू / वववक्षऺतवाच्य

अऱक्ष्यक्रमव्यंङ्ग्य

भाव, भावाभास, भावसंचध, भावशबऱता, रस, रसाभास

संऱक्ष्यक्रमव्यंङ्ग्य

शब्दशक्तत्यदु्भव

वस्त्तु

अऱंकार

अथधशक्तत्यदु्भव

वस्त्तु

अऱंकार

अथधशक्तत्युद्भव

स्त्वत:सम्भवी

वस्त्तु

वस्त्तु

अऱंकार

अऱंकार

वस्त्तु

अऱंकार

कववप्रौढौक्क्ततशसध्द

वस्त्तु

वस्त्तु

अऱंकार

अऱंकार

वस्त्तु

अऱंकार

कववननबध्दवक्तत-ृप्रौढोक्क्ततशसध्द

वस्त्तु

वस्त्तु

अऱंकार

अऱंकार

वस्त्तु

अऱंकार

Two main types of dhvani

अशभधामूऱ / वववक्षऺतवाच्य

(Dhvani based on Expressed sense)

Poetry where suggested sense is intended and expressed meaning is

applicable and yet it refers to another meaning.

ऱऺणामूऱ / अवववक्षऺतवाच्य

(Dhvani based on Implied sense)

Poetry where suggested sense is depended on the implied sense.

Dhvani based on Implied Sense

अत्यन्तनतरस्त्कृत- (denotative meaning is totally discarded) ननश्वासान्ध: इवादशव: िन्रमा: न प्रकाशि े। (Moon doesn’t shine like the mirror which is blind due to exhalation.

Blind- expressed sense is inapplicable

अथाधन्तरसंक्रशमत- (denotative meaning is transferred to another meaning) रामस्य गात्रममस कृि ंरामसदृशं कमव । (You have done suitable action as you are limb of the Ram)

Dhvani based on Expressed sense

अऱक्ष्यक्रमव्यंङ्ग्य

Sequence is imperceptible. Though there is sequence, it is not visible.

शतऩरभेदनन्याय

Needle which is pierced through hundred petals, passes so easily

that sequence is not observed

संऱक्ष्यक्रमव्यंङ्ग्य- Sequence is perceptible.

भावध्वनन रनतदेवाददववषया व्यशभिारी तथाऽक्जित: ।

Love for divinity, teacher, child etc

Suggested transitory emotion

e.g: when Saptarshis were talking about the marriage of Parvati with Shiva,

Parvati started counting the petals of the lotus (lajja is suggested)

भावोदय – emotions is seen to originate

भावसंचध- two contrary emotions are together भावशबऱता- many emotions are together

भावशांनत- emotion gets pacified

रसाभास or भावाभास (Resemblance of Rasa or Bhava)

तदाभासा अनौचित्यप्रवनतधता:। Resemblance of rasa or bhava is caused when they are

delineated with incongruity.

Elaborate treatment to side characters

Love with many heroes / heroines

One sided love

Laughter in case of teacher