Indian poetics

Indian Poetics

Hello, I am Emisha Ravani, Writing this blog as part of thinking activity given by Prof. Dilip Barad for the Indian Poetics. Let's have a look for it. 

Classification of Literature Theories

Classification can be done by the basis of what aspect of literary composition is central to them. Accordingly, we have theory of :

1.      Aesthetic experience : Rasa

2.      Verbal symbolism : Dhvani

3.      Mode of expression : Riti

4.      Propriety : Aucitya

5.      Principle of figurativeness : Alamkara

6.      Principle of deviation : Vakrokti

These are the things which are going to discuss here. Let’s see the various school of these people and texts along with the thinkers.

RASA  – Bharata, Dhanika , Dhananjaya – Natyasastra , Dasarupaka  
ALAMKARA – Bhamaha , Dandin , Udbhata – Kavyalamkara , Kavyadarsa , Kavyalamkarasarasaghaha
RITI – Vamana – Kavyalamkarasutra
DHVANI – Anandvardhana , Abhinavagupta , Mahimabhatta – Dhvanyaloka , Abhinavabharti , Vyaktiviveka
VAKROKTI – Kuntaka – Vakroktijivita
AUCITYA – Ksemendra – Aucityavicaracarca

We think that wNow we will discuss the theories one by one.

1.Rasa Theory

Rasa is juice. The juice of life we get though art. Natyashastra of Bharat Muni is introducing this theory of Rasa.

Why this is important for English?

English is not a single department of literature. English is practicing Film Studies, Translation Studies, Comparative Literature, Indian Writing in English Translation. So various kind of studies English is doing. When we practicing English Literature in Indian Academic, we should know about Indian Literary Theories and Aesthetics for widening the views about it. And by that we can develop our linguistic zone.  

Definition of Poetics :

“The Art of writing poetry” – Oxford Dictionary

Every art has different medium and manner. These are the tools of evaluate the literature. That is poetics. There is the importance of sound and sense.  When we talk about Indian poetics then, it mainly focused on ‘Objectivity’, not subjectivity. So we can say  that it has it’s own charm to make feel. Another aspect is ‘Analysis’. We analysis the literary texts and poetries. Poetics attempts to classical works of literature on the basis of that’s characteristics and different manners.

It deals with the beautiful idea of :

Artist ( Who creates art) = Consumer (Who interpret art)

Between Artist and Consumer there is the bond of ‘Catharsis’. Artist create the work of art, but when consumer interpret it. It gives the aesthetic pleasure to the particular consumer in different capacities. That can be the every emotions the human have in the roots.

In Indian poetics, it can be come like ‘Kavya Mimansa’ (Mimansa means we study our doubts and inquire and get solutions). And this word is used by  Raj Shekhar at very first place. Before he gave this name, Kavya Shatstra was known as Alankar Shastra. Literature was studied by the Alankar Shastra. Because ancient scholars were thinking that Kavya is something which is characterized by Alankar. Kavya was for them like it should be written by only beautiful words ‘Alankrut Shabd’. Then later on they realize that poetry can not be judged by the beautiful words, it require more than that. Then other schools were added into it by various Acharya. It means they were come to the awareness of the creative use of language. How language is used! How language can be used! How language should be used! Everything matters the most in literature of any kind.

Raj Shekhar mentioned that , “It is not the object describe in literature that give us pleasure, it is creative use of language that make it’s pleasant”. By this statement we can come to know that it has the most importance of the process and the shape of use in the proper term. Object is there to play it’s role but it the matter of the was of creativeness of any artist or creator.   

Rasa Siddhanta :

1.Vibhav bhav – rise of emotion   

1. Alamban Vibhav (depending on something)       
2. Udipan Vibhav (encouraging)  

2.Anubhav bhav – expression

3.Vybhichari bhav (Sanchari bhav) – not primary emotions but reinforce the primary emotions

(i) Rati (Love), (ii) Hasa (Mirth), (iii) Krodha (Anger), (iv) Utsaha (Courage), (v) Bhaya (Fear), (vi) Jugupsa (Aversion), (vii) Vismaya (Wonder), and (viii), and Soka (Sorrow).

We can see in the above box Rasa and Sthayi Bhav.

“Aangikam Bhuvanam Yasya

Vachikam Sarva vaanmayam

Ahaaryam Chandra taaradi

Tam Vande Sattwikam shivam”

Aangikam – Body

Bhuvanam – Universe

Yasya – Whose

Vaachikam – Speech

Sarva – All

Vaanmayam – Languages (Sound)

Aaharyam – Ornaments

Chandra – Moon

Taara – Stars

Aadi – Etc.

Tam – That

Vande – Bow

Saatvikam – Pure

Shivam – Lord Shiva

Riti siddhanta :

Vamana is founder of Riti’s school. It is not completely new to Indian poetics. He said that Riti is soul of poetry and it makes differentiate poetry from other forms. Riti means ‘Style’. The way presentation of emotions matters in the poetics according to Vamana. Verbal organization in any work of art. Riti has main three kind:

1.Vaidarbhi

2.Gaudi

3.Panchali

Vamana says that Riti is more important than tha Alamkar.

Dhvani Siddhanta :

“Theory of suggestion” is dhvani theory. Acharya Anadvardhan is founded this theory. It has suggested meaning not the direct meaning. We generally say that we read what is between the lines, basically that is suggested meaning of any work of art.

Anandvardhan says that it gives beauty to work by it’s expression of suggested meaning and he also says that in the work of art the Dhvani is soul.

1.Abhidha (it denotes)

2.Lakshana (it indicates)

3.Vyanjana (it suggests)

Alamkar sinddhant (Figures of speech)

The school believed that Alamkar is essence of poetry. Alamkar means ‘Kavya Saundary’ , the beauty of poetry itself. Like simile or metaphor. When we look to the very early Acharyas of Sanskrit we can come to know that, for them Alamkar was so important in poetics. Bharat mentioned four Alamakar (additional embellishments) and thirty six Lakshanas (integral to Kavya).

Alamkar is divided into two parts like,

• Shabdalamkar : figures of speech based on the ‘word’
• Arthalamkar : figures of speech based on the ‘meaning’

Bhamah said that poetic composition is not possible without alakaras and alamkara comes out of Vkrokti (oblique expression) and atisyokti (hyperbole). 

Vakrokti Sinddhanta :

The founder of this school is Kuntaka. The word Vakrokti consists of two components - 'vakra' and 'ukti'. The first component means 'crooked, indirect or unique' and the second means 'poetic expression or speech'. There are different types of Vakrokti suggested by Kuntaka in his Vakrokti-Jivitam Those are, Phonetic figurativeness (Varnavinyasa Vakrata), Lexical figurativeness (padapurvardha Vakrata), Grammatical figurativeness (pratyaya vakrata), Sentential Figurativeness (Vakyavakrata), Contextual figurativeness (Prakarana vakrata), and Compositional figurativeness (Prabandha vakrata). Kuntaka talks about four kinds of Guna. Those are, Madhurya, Prasada, Lavanya and Abhijatya.

He mentions that the meaning is signified and word signifies the meaning. He elaborated his idea on word, meaning, style, metaphor and poetic language. And later he describes of the good qualities of a true poetry. A good poetry is what which has unique expression, meaning which delights the readers.

Aucitya Siddhanta :

Aucitya is defined as harmony and in one aspect it is proportion between the whole and the parts, between the chief and the subsidiary.

“Auchitya is the soul of the poem.” – Kshemendra

27 Types of Auchitya By Kshemendra

1. Pada (Phrase)

2. Vakya( sentence)

3. Prabhandhanartha (the meaning of the whole composition)

4. Guna(qualities)

5. Alankara(poetic figure)

6. Rasa ( State of being)

7. Kriya(Verb)

8. Karaka (case ending)

9. Linga(Gender)

10. Vachana (Number)

11. Visheshana (Qualification)

12. Upsarga (Prefix)

13. Nipata (Redundancies)

14. Kala (Time)

15. Desh (country)

16. Kula (Family)

17. Vrata (custom)

18. Tatva (Truth)

19. Satva(Inherent self)

20. Abhipraya (Motive)

21. Swabhava (Nature)

22. Sarsangraha (essential property)

23. Pratibha (Innate ability)

24. Avastha (state)

25. Vichara(Thought)

26. Nama(Name)

27. Aashirwada(Blessings)

Each and every mentioned types has something to help to give meaning to poetry.

So, now we have seen the various schools of Indian Poetics. To get more idea through example you can visit my another blog click here.

THANK YOU !