Kavyanushasana Critical Study

SR No.: 001713
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: A N Upadhye
Publication Year: 1987
Total Pages: 558
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Literature, & Kavya
File Size: 10 MB

Page 98

Guṇa and Alaṁkāra vis-a-vis the Rasa-dhvani Doctrine
Interestingly, Hemachandra takes up for discussion the expression Angäśritaḥ, figuring in the Sutrā (13), in the Viveka commentary (p. 34). Excellences are the attributes of the Rasa, the Angin, whereas embellishments belong to the word and the sense, the body of a poem. This is the nice difference between a Guna and an Alaṁkāra. Understanding poetry on the analogy of a human body, as shown above, we can very well appreciate the meanings of the poetic concepts of Guna, of the Alamkara etc. as qualities of the mind, ornaments body and so on, keeping in mind that Rasadhvani is the soul of a Kavya. Thus the followers of the Rasadhvani theory assing the Gunas and Alaṁkāras their proper place in the context of the supremacy of Rasa-dhvani as a soul of poetry. No poet, therefore, is to waste his time in the creation of poetry that has no relation to Rasa. All elements must harmonise with this principle element (Angin) of poetry. This is the final position reached by the remarkable work on Dhvani called the Dhvanyaloka of Anandavardhan so far as the different component parts of Poetry and Poetics are concerned; and this position is faithfully followed by all later writers, including Hemachandra. Naturally, Hemachandra regards Sabda, Artha, Guna, Doṣa and Alaṁkāra as subordinate in importance since they appertain to the external appearance of poetry and hence they cannot be equated with the inner sense of poetry. In fact, they only serve to heighten the inner or implicit beauty that underlies a good poem.
Bhaṭṭodbhata's View Criticised
In the context of making a fine distinction between the Gunas and Alamkaras, Hemachandra observes that, in regard to this distinction Bhattodbhata, in his Commentary on Bhamaha's work on Poetics, called Bhāmahavivaraṇa, 18 holds a mistaken view. For, Udbhata believes that whereas in real life virtues or qualities are like valour etc. and ornaments are fike necklece etc. and therefore, Gunas and Alaṁkāras are
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