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SAHRDAYĀLOKA The gist of the above discussion is that external and indivisible sphoța is manifested in the form of letters through dhvani or sound.
So, dhvani is two-fold, prākṣta or natural and vaiksta or unnatural as already observed. The prākṣta-dhvani is qualified by the qualities such as 'ka-tva', 'hrasvatva', 'ady udātrātva', etc. Even though sphoța is self-manifested, it is as though obstructed by the accumulated vāyusamyoga or, contact with air. By removing this obstruction, the prākṣta-dhvani manifests sphoța. This manifested sphota is different from the dhvani and so sphota is said to be one, eternal, all-pervading and manifested by different dhvanis and it gives meaning when it becomes 'antyabuddhi-nirgrāhya' - i.e. when collected at the last moment. This prākşta-dhvani is the same as varņas i.e. sound-units and sphoța is never manifested unless through them. Vaikrta-dhvani has a different function. It creates vrtti-bheda e.g. drtavilambita-ādi, in the letters gathered by prākrta-dhvani. Thus even if there is vaikrta-dhvani-bheda, we have no prākrta-dhvani-bheda. So, we get the uniformity in form i.e. ekarūpatā of ākāra and the like.
Thus, the term 'dhvani’ is used in three different ways :
(i) 'Dhvani' is used for 'sabda-ja-sabda' of the Naiyāyikas. On the basis of this, the alamkārikas call ‘vyangyártha' to be dhvani, the sādharmya being ‘pratīyamānatva' or 'utpădyatva'.
(ii) According to Vaiyakaranas, sphoța is 'vyangya' or suggested and prākstadhvani is vyañjaka or suggester. Dhvani is thus “vyañjaka”. On the basis of this, the ālamkārikas call the 'vyañjaka sabdárthau' to be dhvani.
(iii) And the vaikta-dhvanis make for vịtti-bheda. Hence the vyañjakatvavyāpāra is termed as dhvani.
So, for the grammarians, the relation between sphoța and dhvani is that of vyangya-vyañjaka.
We have also noted that the grammarians use dhvani to mean (i) 'nada-matra i.e. 'sound' only, and (ii) śabda or word. Soghața' the dhvani which is just sound - ‘nāda-mātra' by itself, has no relation with the object 'ghata' i.e. a pot, which is seen, touched etc. - i.e. which is 'sparsa-kşama'. The sound 'ghata' is something quite different from the object 'ghata' which can be seen, touched, etc. still, it should be noted very carefully that the sound 'ghata' indicates something, which it is not, i.e. which is other then itself, viz. the ‘object' ghata. This idea of one thing indicating something else, which it is not, becomes, so to say, the distinguishing
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