Sahrdayaloka Part 01

SR No.: 006908
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Tapasvi Nandi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 2005
Total Pages: 602
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 14 MB

Page 53

28
SAHRDAYALOKA disciplines, i.e. scientific writing. One thing becomes very very clear that Dandin prepares the bridge to reach Jagannatha's famous definition viz. “ramanīyárthapratipādakah sabdaḥ kāvyam" which we will have an occasion to consider in greater details later. By 'most cherished' - 'ista' meaning, is meant all meaning inclus the expressed, indicated and also suggested. Though of course, whether the predecessors of Anandavardhana, beginning with Bhāmaha to Rudrata, - and here we are mentioning those who are known to us, - had a clear idea of 'vyañjana' or the word-power of suggestion, and 'vyangya' or the suggested meaning, in the technical context, is debtable, and we will pick up this discussion in due course later, we incline to suggest that the earlier poeticians were not totally unaware of the quality of suggestivity of language. At the same time we will do full justice to Dandin if we take 'ramanīya artha' or 'charming sense' as equivalent of 'istártha' - the desired sense - rather than insisting on the reference to the suggested-vyangya-sense. Perhaps this is more advisable and safe also. We can also commence, from this point, our march towards Kuntaka also. In both Dandin and Kuntaka we miss the extreme attitude that expects the beautiful meaning in poetry to put on the garb of suggestivity alone. It can be charming even when it is expressed directly, or conveyed through secondary use of language. The result is that poetic beauty has a wider field in Dandin and Kuntaka, and later in Bhoja also, as compared to the vyañjanā dominated approach of Anandavardhana and Abhinavagupta.
So, as in Bhāmaha, so also in Dandin, the distinction between 'kavikarma' - a poet's creation, and 'lokokti'-ordinary use of language - is to be seen in the poet's writing being endowed with what Bhāmaha calls 'vakratā' i.e. beauty or with ‘atiśaya' or that extra ordinary element, as termed by Dandin. Dandin observes :
"vivaksā yā višeșasya lokasīmấtivartini | asāv atiśayoktiḥ syād alamkāróttamā yatha ||” (II. 214)
and alamkārántarāņām apy āhur ekam parāyaṇam |
vāgīša-mahitām uktim imām atiśayā”hvayām ||” (II. 220) i.e. "The desire to convey the extra ordinariness or the višesa i.e. contextual superiority (of poetry), is what is termed 'atiśayokti' or 'statement of the special', and that is the highest source of beauty." And, “This (= statement of something special or extra ordinary) is the supreme source of charm in case of other sources of beauty also. This speciality called 'atiśaya', is honoured even by great masters of language." So this, what Dandin terms as 'atiśaya' or the 'extra-ordinary seen in a