IKS

 

Name : Dangar Arpisha H.

Paper : IKS

Class : S.Y.B.A. ( English )

College: Maharani Shree Nandkunvarba Mahila Arts and Commerce College.

CLASS ASSIGNMENT 

Vakrokti

Home Assignment 

✍️ Dhvani Theory in Detail

Introduction

The Dhvani Theory (Theory of Suggestion) is one of the greatest contributions of Indian poetics to world literature. It was introduced by Ānandavardhana in his work Dhvanyāloka (9th century). Later, the famous critic Abhinavagupta expanded it in his commentary Locana. Dhvani literally means “sound” or “resonance”, but in literary theory, it means the suggested meaning that goes beyond the literal meaning of words.

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Main Idea

According to Ānandavardhana, the soul of poetry is suggestion (dhvani). A poem is not great because of its direct meaning (denotation) or figurative meaning (connotation), but because of its suggested meaning, which touches the emotions and imagination of readers.

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Types of Meanings in Poetry

1. Abhidha (Denotation) – the direct, dictionary meaning of words.

Example: Moon = a heavenly body.

2. Lakshana (Connotation/Indication) – implied or secondary meaning.

Example: Moon can mean beauty, calmness.

3. Vyanjana (Suggestion / Dhvani) – deeper hidden meaning, suggested indirectly.

Example: Moon may suggest separation, love, longing, or romance depending on the context.

👉 Ānandavardhana says Vyanjana (suggestion) is what makes poetry beautiful and powerful.

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Types of Dhvani

Ānandavardhana divides Dhvani into three types:

1. Vastu Dhvani (Idea Suggestion)

Suggests a meaning or idea beyond the literal sense.

Example: “The lamp has gone out.” → Suggests death.

2. Alankara Dhvani (Figure of Speech Suggestion)

Suggests a poetic figure beyond ordinary language.

Example: “Her face is like the moon.” → Suggests beauty through simile.

3. Rasa Dhvani (Emotion Suggestion) – most important

Suggests an emotional essence (rasa) of poetry.

Example: In Kalidasa’s poetry, nature often suggests love, longing, or spiritual peace.

👉 Among these, Rasa Dhvani is supreme, because the real aim of poetry is to evoke rasa (aesthetic pleasure).

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Importance of Dhvani Theory

1. It highlights the emotional depth of poetry.

2. It shows that poetry is not just about words but about what is suggested beyond words.

3. It explains why some poems remain in our heart—they carry a hidden emotional resonance.

4. It influenced later Sanskrit critics and became the foundation of Indian aesthetics.

5. Modern critics also compare Dhvani to “symbolism” in Western literature.

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Example from Literature

In Kalidasa’s play Abhijnana Shakuntalam:

When Dushyanta leaves Shakuntala, the withering flowers and silent forest suggest her sorrow.

Here, nature is not directly saying she is sad, but it suggests (dhvani) her emotional state.

✍️ Three Types of Kāvyas According to Ānandavardhana

Ānandavardhana in Dhvanyāloka divided poetry into three categories:

1. Dhvani Kāvya (Poetry of Suggestion)

This is the highest form of poetry.

The main beauty of the poem lies in its suggested meaning (dhvani), not in its direct meaning.

Rasa Dhvani (suggestion of emotion) is the most powerful.

Without dhvani, poetry is lifeless.

Example:

Kalidasa’s Meghaduta, where the cloud suggests the yearning of the lover.

👉 The literal meaning is about a cloud carrying a message, but the suggested meaning is deep love and longing.

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2. Madhyama Kāvya (Middle/Ordinary Poetry)

Here, the direct meaning (abhidhā) and figures of speech (alaṅkāras) are important, but there is little or no deeper suggestion.

It is pleasant, but not as great as dhvani poetry.

It appeals to the intellect more than to the heart.

Example:

Most courtly poems that praise kings or describe events, where beauty lies in style and imagery, not in deeper emotions.

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3. Chitra Kāvya (Decorative Poetry)

This is the lowest kind of poetry.

It depends only on verbal decoration, rhyme, and style.

There is no emotional depth or suggestion.

It looks beautiful from the outside but lacks inner meaning.

Example:

Poems that only play with words (śleṣa, yamaka, alliteration, etc.), like puzzle-poetry or verse m

eant to show skill in language rather than emotions.

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Conclusion

The Dhvani Theory of Ānandavardhana is a milestone in Indian poetics. It tells us that the true beauty of poetry lies not in its direct meaning, but in the suggested emotions and feelings. Poetry without dhvani is like a body without soul. Thus, Dhvani Theory remains the heart of Indian literary criticism and continues to inspire readers and critics even today.

Essay 

✍️ Essay on Ānandavardhana

Introduction

Ānandavardhana was one of the greatest Sanskrit literary critics and aestheticians of ancient India. He lived in the 9th century CE in Kashmir and is best remembered as the founder of the Dhvani Theory (theory of suggestion). His ideas brought a revolution in Indian poetics and gave a new dimension to the study of literature.

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Early Life

Not much is known about the personal life of Ānandavardhana. He was born in Kashmir and was deeply influenced by the rich literary and philosophical traditions of the region. From a young age, he showed interest in literature, poetics, and aesthetics. He later became a teacher, poet, and philosopher, gaining respect as a pioneer in literary criticism.

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Major Work – Dhvanyāloka

Ānandavardhana’s most famous work is the Dhvanyāloka (“The Light on Suggestion”). In this text, he explained that the essence of poetry lies not in its literal meaning, but in its suggested meaning (dhvani). According to him:

Without suggestion, poetry is lifeless.

The real charm of poetry is in rasa dhvani, which awakens emotions in readers.

He also classified poetry into Dhvani Kāvya, Madhyama Kāvya, and Chitra Kāvya, placing Dhvani Kāvya at the highest level.

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Contribution to Indian Poetics

1. Dhvani Theory – His revolutionary idea that the soul of poetry is suggestion became the foundation of Indian literary criticism.

2. Rasa as Central Element – He emphasized that poetry is successful only when it evokes rasa (aesthetic experience).

3. Classification of Poetry – He divided poetry into three types, giving a systematic framework to understand literature.

4. Influence on Later Critics – Abhinavagupta, the famous Kashmiri scholar, wrote a commentary on Dhvanyāloka called Locana, which made Ānandavardhana’s ideas even more influential.

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Importance

He shifted the focus of literary studies from form to emotion.

His theory explains why some poetry is memorable – because it touches emotions, not just intellect.

He gave Indian poetics a universal appeal, comparable to Western ideas like “symbolism” and “suggestion.”

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Conclusion

Ānandavardhana remains a shining star in the history of Indian literary criticism. His Dhvani Theory continues to guide scholars, poets, and critics even today

. For him, poetry was not just an arrangement of words, but a living art that communicates emotions through suggestion. He rightly declared that Dhvani is the soul of poetry.

📚 References

According to Ānandavardhana in Dhvanyāloka (Krishnamoorthy, 1974), the soul of poetry lies in suggestion (dhvani).

Abhinavagupta in his Locana commentary further explained rasa-dhvani as the highest form of poetic beauty.

Scholars like Gerow (1977) and Pollock (2016) discuss the universal value of dhvani in world literature.