This document provides information about the literary terms Dhvani and Vakrokti. It discusses Anandavardhana's theory of Dhvani, which views suggestive meaning as the soul of poetry. It also examines Kuntaka's theory of Vakrokti, which sees artistic turns of phrase that mark both words and meaning as a source of literary beauty. The document serves to introduce these two important concepts in Indian poetics from different schools of thought.

1. Name: Trivedi Hezal K.
Roll No: 35
PG Reg. No. PG15101040
M.A. – English Regular, Semester-2
Year: 2016
Course No. 7: Literary Theory & Criticism: The 20th Western
& Indian Poetics – 2
Unit-5 – A Glossary of Selected Literary Terms
Presentation Topic- Dhvani -Vakrokti : School
 Submitted to: S.B. Gardi Department of English
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University
(Gujarat – India)

3.  Anandavardhana’s theory of Dhvani has changed Indian
poetics in its essence.
 ‘Dhvnyaloka’ it self a huge compendium of poetry and
poetics styles.
 ‘Dhvani’ meaning,
“ The suggestive quality of poetic language”
 Dhvani, structure of poetic meaning soul of poetry is
suggestion, some would ever its non – existence, some
would regard it.
 ‘Dhvnyaloka’ is the mile stone Grantha of Indian poetics.

4.  To define Dhvani, it is very necessary that we have
language and language plays with us through words.
‘Bhavas’ are more important to feel poetry, enjoy poetry
than any other things in ‘Dhvnyaloka’ Anandvardhana has
presented a structural analysis of indirect literary
meaning.
 The grammarians define Dhvani with use of ‘Sphota’
theory. Briefly stated ‘Sphota’ is ‘linguistic’ sign in its
aspects of meaning.
 Dhvani theory is a theory of meaning, of symbolism, and
third principle leads to the poetry of suggestion being
accepted as the highest kind of poetry.

5.  Anandvardhana integrates “Rasa theory” with his “Dhvani
theory”. Dhvani is the method, the means, for achieving or
evoking Rasa, which is the effect of suggestion.
 Dhvani based on force of the world is of two kinds,
1) A figure of speech
2) A bore matter of speech
“DHVANI AS KAVYASYA ATMA”
-
Anandavardhana

10. Kuntaka made ‘Vakrokti’ a full fledged theory of
literariness. His definition of Vakrokti is......
 “Both words and meaning marked by artistic turn of
speed.”
Vakrokti is also a part of language of literature. Vakrokti
has special important in literature not only as a separately
but also as a important special element.
Kuntaka gives due importance to the alliance of ‘Sabda’
and ‘Artha’ at the same time he insists on the presence of
Vakrokti in poetry.

11. Kuntaka in corporates Rasa, Alamakara, Riti, and Guna
theories into his Vakrokti sidhanta.
Kuntaka believes that the beautiful and miraculous in the
poetry is the consequence of vakrokti.
According to Kuntaka,
 “Vakrokti is the source of beauty in Kavya which is
quite opposite to the description of a thing as it is”.

12. Madhurya Prasad Lavanya
Abhijatya Aucitya Saubhagya

14. Thanks for
viewing
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