p 109 Assignment

P - 109 Assignment

Topic: Dhvani Theory 

Name: Nidhi Dave

Paper- Literary Theory And Criticism and Indian Aesthetics 

Roll no- 16

Enrollment no- 4069206420210005

Email ID - davenidhi05@gmail.com 

Batch-2021-23(MA Sem-2)

Submitted to- S. B. Gardi Department of English. Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University. 

Dhvani Theory:

 

    

⭐THE DHVANI THEORY BY ANANDAVARDHANA

⭐Introduction

Ānandvardhan was a well-reputed Kashmirian poet and philosopher. Kahlana, the celebrated author of Rajtarangini mentioned him as one of the ornaments adorning the court of King Avantivarman. Thus, on the evidence of Rajtarangini, Anandvardhan attained fame during the reign of Avantivarman (in the 9th century A.D.)

In the evolution of Alamkāra literature, Dhvani or Vyanjana occupies a paramount place. The medieval Alamkarikās felt that for the purpose of aesthetic experience and Rasānubhuti, the aid of Dhvani must exist because the Rasā experience is never possible on Vakya Bhumi. 

The Dhvani Theory found its first systematic expression in Ānandvardhan's 'Dhvanyāloka'. His theory dominated Indian Poetics from the 9th to 12th century A.D.

👉Defining Dhvani Theory Anandavardhana writes :

That kind of poetry, wherein the (conventional) meaning renders itself secondary or the (conventional) word renders its meaning secondary and suggests the intended implied meaning, is designated by the learned as DHVANI or 'Suggestive Poetry'.

The theory of dhvani or suggestion was first introduced by Anandavardhana in his treatise Dhvanyaloka in the ninth century. Though the germs of this doctrine manifest themselves in the speculations of earlier theoreticians, Anandavardhana is the first literary critic to give a full bodied form to the concept and to enunciate a new principle of literary evaluation absorbing the concepts propounded by the earlier theoreticians. The doctrine has since then been accepted as an important principle of criticism in Indian poetics and has been strongly recommended by Anandavardhana both for poets and critics.

Bharata, Anandavardhana's predecessor and another renowned Sanskrit scholar, propounds the principle of rasa in drama and literature with the basic implication that the poetic context is creatively organized for the communication of feeling. Feeling cannot be communicated through propositional statements. The feeling ultimately experienced by the reader is his own; it is the movement of his sensibility. Since the feeling cannot be aroused by naming it, the poet builds up a system of objective correlatives, essentially identical with the context of stimuli in life which can elicit the emotional reaction. Bharata uses the word nishpatti, that is, emergence or outcome, for the appearance of rasa when the prime and the ancillary stimuli, etc., are creatively organized . Anandavardhana claims that this nishpatti really means abhivyakti, that is, manifestation as the emotional reaction is ever abiding, as a latent reactivity, in the reader. Since the manifestation of rasa in the poetic context is not the communication of a propositional meaning but the presentation of a !! sensitively organized complex of stimuli, he affirms that stimuli and reaction , vibhavas and rasa stand in the relation of the suggester and the suggested. Poetry gets operated basically through the power of suggestion .

⭐Definition of Dhvani Theory

• ध्वनति इति ध्वनि: - That which suggest both word and meaning is Dhvani

• ध्वन्यते इति ध्वनि - That which is suggested is Dhvani

• ध्वननं ध्वनि: - Process of Suggestion is Dhvani

• ध्वनि समुदाय: ध्वनि: - Entire Literature is Dhvani

"That kind of poetry, wherein the (conventional) meaning renders itself secondary or the (conventional) word renders its meaning secondary and suggests the (intended or) implied meaning; is designated by the learned as Dhvani or 'Suggested Poetry'"

Dhvani Theory is a theory of meaning of symbolism, and this principle leads to the poetry of suggestion being accepted as the highest kind of poetry.

Dhvani as Kavyasya Atma 

In Todorov's views, Anandavardhana "was perhaps the greatest of all theorists of textual Symbolism"(1982, 12).

Anandavardhana uses the term Dhvani to designate the universe of suggestion- Ka Vysya Atma Dhvani.

⭐Dhavni  

• Sphota - grammar 
• Vyanjana - kavyashastra poetics

Anandavardhana is openly indebted to Bhartrhari's sphota theory and he acknowledges it in Dhvanyaloka.

⭐Meaning

That meaning which wins the admiration of refined critics is decided to be the soul of the poetry. It has two aspects:

Explicit

Implicit

Explicit is commonly denoted by various figures of speech. But the implicit aspect is quite different. In the words of first-rate poets, it shines supreme and towers above the beauty of the striking external constituents even as a charm in ladies.

⭐Anandavardhana's Three Leveled Meaning:

The communication of proper meaning through words requires a proper arrangement of sounds. Language basically can be written or spoken which has words as their foundation. Sanskrit critic has described three types of words:

    

• अभिधा (Abhidha) - Literal Meaning of the word

• लक्षणा (Lakshana) - Characteristically Meaning of the word

• व्यंजना (Vyanjana) - Poetic & Metaphysical Meaning of the word

In this way, the third word Vyanjana reaches the soul and gives the suggested (extraordinary) meaning of the word. It is also called 'dhvani'. Basically, Dhvani is created by Pada (पद) which combines to form Vākya (वाक्य) and from Vākya, Rasābhāva () is generated.

⭐Supremacy of Dhvani

Many authors such as Bharat, Mammatt, Bhāmah, Dandi considered various aspects such as Rasā, Alamkār, Riti, Guna-dosha as the important part of the poem. But Ānandvardhan is one step ahead. He said the above-mentioned aspects were the body of the poetry. In short, they were part of the poetry. Whereas 'Dhvani' is the soul of poetry. Just like the human body is not alive with soul, poetry is also lame without Dhvani.

⭐Dhvani Theory 

A composition where suggested sense predominates is called Dhvani. The word Dhvani is used for both - the suggestive word and the suggestive meaning. The poetic language can never be possible without Dhvani.

In Dhvanyāloka, Dhvani becomes an all-embracing principle that explains the structure and function of the major elements of literature - the aesthetic effect (Rasā), the figural mode and devices (Alamkāra), the stylistic values (Riti) and excellence and defects (Guna-dosa).

Ānandvardhan in his Dhvanyāloka hails the Vaiyakarana with great respect. He says,

"The expression is designated by the learned. The foremost among the learned are grammarians because grammar lies at the root of all studies"

He has also presented and classified different kinds of suggestions. In Todorov's view,

'Ānandvardhan was perhaps the greatest of all theorists of textual symbolism'

He used the term 'dhvani' to designate the universe of suggestion.

⭐Dhvani is used for Conventional meaning

The sound structure of words. The suggestible meaning itself the power of the word to convey the suggestible meaning the poetic work containing the suggestible meaning

Rigvedā () also makes a distinction between the literal meaning and inner significance - 

'He sees but sees not

One hears but hears not'

 (10.71.4)

Besides literal meaning, there is a socio-cultural meaning depending on the contexts and emotions. The vyanjāna or dhvani may be communicated by words, sentences, discourse, intonation, gestures and even sounds. Another word used for suggested meaning is Pratīyamānārtha.

Thus the best poetry is that in which the suggested sense predominates and supersedes the expressed sense. This is called the Dhvanikavya or the poetry of Resonance.

 The second class is that in which the suggested sense is not predominant and this is called the Gunibhuta Vyangya or the poetry of Subordinated Suggestion.

The third class of poetry which is of lower kind is the one without any suggested meaning. This is called Portrait-like poetry or the Citrakavya.The epithet of dhvani, however, is assigned not only to dhvani kavya, but even to words, their meanings or the activity of suggestive poetry. 

In short, in Anandavardhana's treatise it is taken in five senses:

1. The suggestive word/sound which resonates meaning, that is, vyanjan shabd.

2. The suggestive meaning which resembles another sense, that is, vyanjaka artha.

3. The suggestive poetry, that is, vyanjaka kavya.

4. The suggested meaning , that is, vyangyartha and

5. The activity of meaning, that is, vyanjana vyapara.

Anandavardhana elaborates his theory from the angle of what is suggested and the suggestions or what suggests. Regarding the nature of what is suggested, Anandavardhana divides it into three categories:

• Vastu Dhvani or where there is the suggestion of a matter/fact or an idea,

•  Alahkaradhvani or where there is the suggestion of a trope, and

•  Rasa Dhvani or where there is the suggestion of a mood or feeling.

The last category which has been taken as the cardinal principle by the Indian critics, has been assigned prime significance by Anandavardhana also. Elsewhere, he has categorically expressed that his subject is not merely to establish the doctrine of suggestion but also to harmonize it with the theory of aesthetic emotion. The theory of dhvani, as such, is a comprehensive principle which can cover any genre that fulfills the definition of poetry and in fact when the Indian poetics adopts the term, It includes any literary work. The activity of suggestion in literature, whether in the East or in the West , has been an age-old phenomenon. Only that its conscious usage in the West , both as a term and as a technique, was a later development and as Krishna Rayan suggests, it was during the nineteenth century that "in Poe's critical writings that 'suggestiveness' is first used as a technical term".

⭐Conclusion

Dhvani theory is a theory of meaning and symbolism which leads to the poetry of suggestion being accepted as the highest kind of poetry. Dhvani Theory is, therefore, Ānandvardhan's greatest contribution to the poetic world. Through Dhvani or Vyanjana, the poet creates a world of his expression embellished with various poetic devices. Hence, Dhvani in true sense is beyond the suggestible meaning and suggestible element. Ānandvardhan's Dhvani Theory is highly supported by Abhinavgupta.

Words: 1,542

Source

https://easylitt.blogspot.com/2019/05/dhvani-theory-anandvardhan.html?m=1

http://englishdepartmentssmv.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-dhvani-theory.html?m=