Sahrdayaloka Part 02

Author(s): Tapasvi Nandi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 34

'Vyañjanā
589 Mammața also echoes this in his K.P.
One thing that emerges clearly from this discussion is that the term 'dhvani’ was first used by the grammarians in a peculiar sense (i.e. of 'sound' only), and the Klamkārikas applied it to their principle of poetry by extending its connotation.
We now turn once again to Patañjali to decypher the concept of dhvanivyañjanā-as held by the grammarians. In the Paśpasāhnika we come across the following observation : "When one says 'gauh' what is sabda ? Is it the object which has dewlap, tail, hump, hoof, horns, etc. ? 'No', he says, “it is called 'dravya’ (i.e. substance). Is it then its gesture, movement, or winking ?” 'No', he says, 'it is called 'kriyā' or action.” Is it then the whiteness, blueness, browneness, or greyness ?”. 'No', he says, “it is called 'guna' or colour.” Is it then the sum total of the qualities like 'sattā', (i.e. being which always exists even when the individuals are broken or destroyed) ?” “No”, he says, “It is called, "āksti' i.e. figure. Then, what is sabda ? sabda is that on the manifestation of which, the correct knowledge of the object which has dewlap, tail, hump, hoof, horns, etc. is produced; or the sound which has a decisive meaning is said to be 'sabda' in the world... Hence 'dhvani' is 'śabda': (“athavā pratīta-paryāyako loke dhvaniḥ śabda ucyate... tasmad dhvaniḥ śabdah”). -
When a word like 'gauh' is pronounced, the following concepts appear in the mind of the hearer; - the individuality cow, her action, her qualities, genus cow, the shape of the cow, and also the word made up of gʻ'au' and 'h'- the visarga. The hearer wants to make out the exact connotation. Individuality cow, her qualities, etc. are seen by the eyes and the word 'gauh' is heard by the ears. So, it is absurd to take this for the exact connotation. But since the relation of śabda and artha, guna and guņin, kriyā and kriyāvān - is that of identity according to the grammarians, as there is a rule viz. - 'tad-abhinnā'bhinnasya tad-abhinnatvam' - it is quite natural to think so. The Mahābhāsyakāra says that the akrti, guna, etc. are not the true connotations of the sabda, but the true connotation is sphoța - (the eternal word), which when manifested, enables the hearer to have a clear knowledge of the object cow.
The ālamkārikas equate this manifestation with suggestion of vyañjanā vyāpāra. Whether they are right in doing so is open to debate.