Aspect of Jainology Part 2 Pandita Bechardas Doshi

Author(s): M A Dhaky, Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 493

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V.M. Kulkarni
In contradistinction to Anandavardhana, Abhinavagupta discusses this important issue of aesthetics in his Locana on more occasions than one. While commenting on Bhāmaha's verse meaning, “Study of (genuine and) good kāvya (poetry) leads to fame and delight as well as proficiency in (the means of attaining) the four great ends of man as well as proficiency in fine arts," Abhinavagupta pronounces his view :
The readers of genuine kāvya attain vyutpatti and priti (aesthetic delight or pleasure) no doubt, but, between them, says Abhinavagupta, aesthetic delight is the chief aim. Otherwise one could posit the question: "Since the Vedas and Smộtis which are authoritative like masters (who issue command) and Purānas which advise or guide us like friends (they do not command, only tender advice), these two along with kāvya are equally sources of vyutpatti; what is, then, the distinctive feature of kāvya leading to the saine goal ? As similarity with a loving wife (who successfully persuades her husband to do what she likes keeping her persuasive character concealed from view and providing love's enjoyment) has been recognised as the characteristic feature of kāvya, the answer to the above question is that immediate aesthetic pleasure is the principal aim of kāyya and the aesthetic pleasure is also the ultimate fruition of vyutpatti and of kirtti (fame) too." Abhinavagupta next emphatically asserts : «Nor are priti and vyutpatti different from one another, for they both have the same source."28 From this discussion by Abhinavagupta it would seem that he does not differ with Anandavardhana as regards the ultimate aim of kāvya. He makes explicit what Anandavardhana implies in the course of his discussion of aucitya24 and of the predominant rasa of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.28
References 1. The Dhvanyaloka of Anandavardhana, with the Locana and Balapriya
Commentaries, KSS edn, Benares City 1940. 2. लावण्यं हि नामावयवसंस्थानाभिव्यङ्ग्यमवयवव्यतिरिक्तं धर्मान्तरमेव । न चावयवानामेव
निर्दोषता वा भूषणयोगो वा लावण्यम्, पृथनिर्वर्ण्यमानकाणादिदोषशून्यशरीरावयवयोगिन्यामप्यलङ्कृतायामपि लावण्यशून्येयमिति, अतथाभूतायामपि कस्याञ्चिल्लावण्यामृतचन्द्रिकेयमिति सहृदयानां व्यवहारात् ।
___Locana, pp. 49-50 नैव तत्र रसप्रतीतिरस्ति यथा पाकानभिज्ञसूदविरचिते मांसपाकविशेषे। नन वस्तूमौन्दर्यादवश्यं भवति कदाचित्तथास्वादोऽकुशलकृतायामपि शिखरिण्यामिवेत्याशङ्क्याह-....अज्ञकृतायां च शिखरिण्यामहो शिखरिणीति न तज्ज्ञानाच्चमत्कारः, अपि तु दधिगुडमरिचं चैतदसमञ्जसयोजितमिति वक्तारो भवन्ति ।
-Locana pp. 496-497 4. इह तु विभावाद्येव प्रतिपाद्यमानं चर्वणाविषयतोन्मुखमिति समयाद्युपयोगाभावः । न च
नियुक्तोऽहमत्र करवाणि कृतार्थोऽहमिति शास्त्रीयप्रतीतिसदशमदः । तत्रोत्तरकतव्योन्मुख्यन लौकिकत्वात । इह तु विभावादि चर्वणाद्भुतपुष्पवत्तत्कालसारैवोदिता न तु पूर्वापरकालानुबन्धिनीति लौकिकादास्वादाद्योगिविषयाच्चान्य एवायं रसास्वादः। -Locana, p. 160