introduction of literary theories Rasa & Dhvani

2.  The Rasa Theory originates with Bharata in
Natyasastra. It claims that the object or
meaning that is sought to be conveyed in
literary compositions is in the nature of an
emotional effect of diverse human experience
on man’s mind and heart.
 Rasa is that constant “aesthetic Pleasure” in all
literature.
 Anandavardhana is created with creating the
Dhavni theory. He wrote of Dhvani in regard to
soul of poetry.
 Dhvani is work of articulating the philosophy of
“aesthetic suggestion”.

3.  The word Rasa is derived from
the root ‘rasah’ meaning sap
or juice, taste, relish.
 Bharatamuni seems to have
given a scientific analysis and
codification of the concept of Rasa.
 The concept of Rasa is fundamental to many
forms of Indian art including dance, music,
cinema and literature.
 Rasa is a state or condition produced in the
spectator, a single feeling, and a pleasurable
one.

4. It is generated by the interaction of Sthayibhava, Vibhava, anubhava and
vyabhicharibhava.
 Bharata’s
 Rasasutra is “Vibhavanubhavavyabhicharisanyogatrasanishpattih”
has been interpreted differently from the points of view of 1) who is
the substratum of Rasa, 2) how it is generated, and 3) how it is
experienced.
 According to Lollata that Rasa exists in the heroheroin and further
Sankuka suggested that the experience of Rasa is a matter of
inference and it is Bhattanayaka who clearly asserted that Rasa is
experienced by the spectator, that is the spectator’s aesthetic
experience, that the enjoyment of rasa is subjective experience.

5. The Rishi Praskanva
insists that the sources
of knowledge some of
which are open and
 some hidden they are
to be sought and found
by the seekers after truth, these sources are not
available everywhere, anywhere and at all times.
 the ardent Seekers about the six kind of Rasa or
taste which food has but which all tastes cannot be
found in one place or item, for these tastes are
variously distributed throughout space.

6.  Bharata Muni enunciated
the nine Rasas in the
 Natyasastra.
 1) Srungaram :love,
attractiveness.
Color: light green.
 2) Hasyam: laughter,
mirth, comedy.
Color: white
 3) Raudram: fury. Color: red
 4) Karunyam: compassion, mercy.
Color: grey.

7.  5)Bibhatsam: disgust, aversion
 Color: blue
6) Bhayanakam: horror, terror.
Color: black
7) veeram: heroic mood.
Color: yellowish
8) Adbhutam: wonder
Color: yellow
9) Santam: peace or tranquility.
Color: perpetual white.

8.  Dhvani theory of meaning came in for criticism at the
hands of nyaya and mimansa thinkers. The opponents
said that 1) dhvani is nonexistent, 2)dhvani is a product of
inference and is to be included under Laksana. 3) dhvani
is something beyond the realm of words.
 Dhavni 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.
 Anandavardhana proposes three levels of meaning like,
Abhidha, Laksana and Vyanjana.
 Anandavardhana integrates rasa theory with his dhvani
theory that Dhvani is the method, the means, for achieving
or evoking rasa, which is the effect of suggestion.

9.  In Todorov’s views,
 Anandavardhana was perhaps the greatest
of all theorists of texual symbolism (1982,
12).
 Anandavardhana uses term dhavni to
designate the universe of suggestion-
kavyasya atma dhvani.

10. Dhvani
Vyanjana
(kavyasastra
poetics)
Sphota
(grammar)

11.  Anandavardhana is openly indebted to
Bhartrhari’s sphota theory and he
acknowledges it in Dhvanyaloka.
 Anandavardhana’s three leveled of meaning:
 Abhidha
 Laksana
 Vyanjana
 This Vyanjana, the tertiary meaning, may be
communicated by words, sentences, discourse,
contextual factors, intonation, gestures and
even sounds.

12.  Similarly, it is not the ordinary significant function of
words, primary, and secondary that manifest the
suggested sense, but a third activity inherent in
words and different from the two previous ones,
known as suggestion. This is also called Dhvani.
 According to Abhinavagupta, the word Dhvani can
stand for five different meanings.
 1) The suggestive meaning (Vyanjakartha)
 2) The suggestive word(Vyanjashabda)
 3)The function of suggetion (Vyanjanavyapara)
 4) The suggested content(Vyangya) and
 5)Poetry as a whole(Samudayakavya)

13.  The figural mode and devices, the stylistic
values and excellences and defects. All the
subsequent literary theorists in the tradition
found the combination of Rasa and Dhvani
theories both are adequate and sufficient to
analyze the constitution of meaning in
literature.
 Verbal symbolism, namely, Dhvani and
aesthetic experience namely, Rasa.