Anandhvardhana : Dhvani Theory| Dhvanyaloka| Indian Literary Criticism
Introduction
Anandhvardhana was a Sanskrit literature philosopher and critic of the 9th century. He wrote the famous work “Dhvanyaloka Theory,” which talks about the importance of Dhvani (sound) in the poem. The book is divided into 4 Udhyotas as well as written in three parts: Karika (the original verses that convey the main ideas), Vritti (prose commentary that elaborates the concept of Karika), and the last part deals with illustrations that are taken from Prakriti texts and famous poets.
Udhyotas
He starts with the idea that Dhvani is the soul of poetry, and to demonstrate this, he presents three arguments against the Dhvani theories. 1) Dhvani doesn’t exist. They believe that words or their literal meanings matter a lot, but not the implied or suggested meaning. 2) It is included in Lakshana, which means it is a part of Lakshana, but it is not a different concept. 3) Dhvani can be comprehended by people who know about the literary aspects.
The poetry can be presented in two ways: Vakya, or expressed, and Pratiyamana, or implied. The vakya, or the expressed meaning of the words, focuses on the surface-level meaning of the poetry without going into the depths. Whereas implicit meaning explores beyond the literal meaning of the words through imagery, symbolism, emotions, etc.He ended the first udhyota by publishing the arguments with its two statements, i.e., Dhvani is not identical to Bhakti (he stated that it can convey emotions beyond the literary meaning), and Second Dhvani can be defined and illustrated.
In the second Udhyota, Udhyota talks about the Avivakshita Vakya (expressed or manifest meaning of a text) subdivision, which is:
Arthantara Sankramita refers to the metamorphosis between different connotations within a poem, where one idea seemingly merges into another.
Atyanta Tiraskrita: it denotes the complete concealment of meaning, where the intended idea is hidden from the reader.
Asmlakshya Kramavyangya: it can be referred to as RasaDhvani, which is constituted by Rasa( emotions), Bhava (emotional states), RasaBhasa (a semblance of emotion),and Bhavabhasa (a semblance of emotional states), and lastly, it consists of Bhavaprashana (expression of emotions).
Samlakshya Kramavangya, which is further divided into two categories, Sabdaskti Moola( power of words) and Asthashakti Moola (power of suggestion),
Arthashaktimoola is split into Vastu (content or subject matter) and Alannara (ornamentation of words).
The third Udhyokta talks about Dhvani and the different factors that affect the elements. He categorizes Dhvani into sub-aspects like Vyanjaka (which means suggestion and implies how suggestions are conveyed),
Padapraksha Dhvani( which emphasizes the illumination of words), and last is Vakya Prakasha Dhvani, which concentrates on the illumination of sentences.The second point he concentrates on is that Dhvani depends on various factors within the poetic context, which include the speaker’s intentions, the meaning being communicated, the development of the plot, and the Rasa of the poem. He further discusses Rasa, an aesthetic essence that is not manifested but maintained throughout the poems, and the importance of Alankar, one of the literary ornaments that helps in evoking and enhancing emotions.
He also talks about the hindrances that oppose the arousal of rasa. For instance, unclear expressions, inappropriate use of language, and a lack of emotion.
The importance of the five stages is as follows: Mukha (the initial stage, where the poet introduces the themes that will evoke some kind of Rasa in the audience) The second is PratiMukha (in the second stage, the tone becomes emotional and the themes become clearer for the audience). Third is Garbha; the suggestion and emotions become intense, and the underlying emotions are evoked in the audience. Fourth is Avamarsha; this stage is the culmination of emotional experience, and it slowly reaches the intensity of the audience. Last is catharsis, where the audience goes through the purification of emotions, where the experience is similar to satisfaction, which is being fulfilled.
Fourth, udhyota, which focuses on the new domain of dhvani, refers to how the power of language can be used to evoke Rasa and create an aesthetic experience beyond the literal meaning. Gunibuta implies how poets can infuse freshness into creating new imagination, new perspectives, and new insights in poetry. He mentioned the three important Rasas, which are Karuna Rasa in the Ramayana and Shanta Rasa in Mahabharat, which can be beneficial for evoking emotional responses in the audience. Lastly, he talks about the endless scope of poetry in literature and how there are many poets, which means that there is no shortage of poetry and its quality. How different poets can convey the same meaning in different ways with the inventive use of language in the poetry tradition.
Dhvanikavya
It refers to the conventional meaning of words that take a secondary role and the implied meanings that become primary. The words in Dhvani Kavya often suggest deeper meanings where the implied sense overtakes the denoted words.
Types of Dhvani Kavya
Sabda Dhvani, which means verbal suggestion, occurs through the arrangement and choice of words, including their sound, rhythm, and meaning.
Arth: This means Suggestive content is depicted in underlying themes, ideas, and concepts in the poetry. It uses symbolism, allusions, and ambiguity in the interpretation of words to evoke meaning.
Alankara
It refers to the use of figurative language or ornamental elements in poetry. For instance: simile ( Upma), metaphor (Rupak), personification (Atishayokti), alliteration (Anuprasa), assonance (Yama), etc.
Classification of Dhvani
The classification of Dhvani is divided into two categories:
Avivakshita vakya dhvani (implicit suggestion)
This type of dhvani occurs when the suggestion is not expressed directly in the text. Instead, it relies on readers’ abilities to go into depth to infer those hidden meanings through implication. For example, “The moon is a blooming flower in the night sky.” In this metaphorical sentence, the comparison between the moon and the flower is not explicitly stated, but the readers can infer the suggestion through indirect comparison.
Vivakshitanyapara vakya dhvani (explicitly stated suggestion)
It is the opposite of Avivakshita vakya dhvani, where the meaning is more direct and in deeper suggestions, which are overtly presented in the text. For instance, “The raindrops fell heavenly, drenching the earth.” One can see that the sentence is clear and concise, which means that the rain is drenching the earth without any inference or comparison.
Types of poetry
Chitrakavya
This form of poetry involves no Dhvani or suggestive meaning. It focuses completely on genuine description (Vastu) adorned with figures of speech (Gunas), consisting of metaphors, similes, and other gildings that decorate both the phrases and the means. Chitra Kavya is split into subtypes:Sabda Chitra Kavya emphasizes embellishment, especially via words. Artha Chitra Kavya emphasizes embellishment mainly through that means. Chitra Kavya is considered the lowest order of poetry (Adhama Kavya) because it lacks the depth and resonance that Dhvani offers.
GunniButavyangya kavya
It is a type of poetry where ornate descriptions and figures of speech are important, but they don’t overshadow the main meaning. It is a kind of poetry that is descriptive and that focuses mainly on suggestions.
Dhvani kavya
Dhavani Kavya is a type of poetry that is entirely based on suggestions. The suggested meaning is derived through explicit meaning. It uses beautifiers of the expression sense, and the expression exists to convey each emotion in the poetry. Here, suggestive
elements become the primary characteristics.
Lakshana
It refers to the implied meaning conveyed through poetic language. It is the essence of Dhvani, which transcends the literal meaning to evoke emotions, imagery, and deeper understanding in the reader. Lakshana performs through suggestions, implications, and resonance letting poetry convey deeper hidden meanings.
