Theory of Dhvani by Anandvardhana.

anandvardhana

        ‘Dhvyanyaloka’ of Anandvardhana is with Bharata’s ‘Natyashastra’ the most central theory of literature in Indian tradition. Dhvyanyaloka itself is a huge compendium of poetry and poetic style. It refers to numerous views; scholars and poetic texts.  The theory proposed by Anandvardhana is the name of Dhvani, which means the suggestive quality of poetic language. His most important contribution is in the term of turning the focus of critical discussion from the outward linguistic style and poetic embelishment to the more complex issue of linguistic structure in poetry. According to Anandvardhana, it is this structure which is the total effect of the suggestive quality of language. It distinguishes poetry from the ordinary usage of language.

         The Sanskrit Grammarian used this term to refer to the sound. They spoke two kinds of sounds; Prakrit Dhvani and Vaikrit Dhvani. The actual sound of the word spoken belonged to the vaikrit Dhvani. It includes all the articulation depending on the speaker. Prakrita Dhvani refers to the pattern of norms. Later Anandvardhana distinguished between literal meaning and ordinary meaning of the words. Word has a suggestive power which is called Dhvani.

          According to Anandvardhana, Dhvani is a kind of suggestion; an echo one hears in good poetry, meaning is not explicit but hidden. It echoes after a statement has been made. Thus Dhvani is suggested in poetry. The explicit meaning is commonly understood because it is a direct statement, while in Dhvani it is hidden and implicit. It is said that the art lies in concealment. Anandvardhana was an advocate of Rasa but, he concluded that Rasa should be expressed through Dhvani. Thus he considers suggestion, the indirectly evoked meaning as characteristic preparedly of literary disclosure. Such features separate the literary disclosure from rational discourses.

           Dhvani becomes principle that explains – the structure and the function of other major elements of literature. They are Rasa, Alankara, Riti, and Gundosha. In ‘Dhvyanyaloka’, Anandvardhana has presented a structural analysis of indirect literary meaning. He has classified the different kinds of suggestion. He has also defined the function and the nature of suggestion. He used to term Dhvani to designate the universal suggestion. In ‘Dhvyanyaloka’ he says that – “Kavyasy aatma dhavani” (Dhvani is the soul of poetry) Dhvani has two parts Grammar and vyanjana. According to Anandvardhana Dhvani denotes – (1) the sound structure of words (2) the semantic aspect of Shabda (3) Process of Suggestion. Thus Dhvani theory is the theory of meaning and symbolism

           Anandvardhana proposes the three levels of  meaning: (1) Abhidha (2) Laxana and (3) Vyanjana. The tree levels of meaning are very important in poetry, as they can evoke Rasa. There are Sthayibhavas which can be produced in spectator, a single feeling and pleasure one. It is generated by the inferaction of sthayibhavas which are the mental states of human being human. Anandvardhana says that says that Dhvani has the power of affecting sthayibhavas and producing Rasa in heart of readers and spectacles. That is why Dhvani and Rasa are connected closely.

         Anandvardhana was perhaps the greatest of all theories of textual symbolism. Dhvani is the theory of meaning of symbolism. This principle leads to the poetry of suggestion. Anandvardhana proposes the three levels of meaning: (1) Abhidha (2) Laxana and (3) Vyanjana. Besides the literal meaning of the poetry there is another non contextual meaning is dependent on the evoking and context of suggestion (vyanjana) may be communicated through the words, sentences, disclosures, even sounds. The quality of creative writing increases in proportion to the Dhvani involved.

       

We shell conclude with the view of Mammata in ‘Kavyaprakasha’  “The poetry in which the suggested meaning dominates the expressed, is the poetry of the best kind, called Dhvani by the learned.” Thus, the focus on meaning and the types of meaning in poetry must be considered as the major contributing of Anandvardhana in Indian literary theory. Dhvani therefore has both evaluated and strengthened the rasa and poetry.