Kuntaka was an influential Kashmiri theorist who developed the theory of Vakrokti, or oblique expression. He believed Vakrokti was the source of beauty in poetry and involved expressing meaning in a hidden or indirect way. Kuntaka identified six types of Vakrokti and argued it was more encompassing than Dhvani theory. He saw Vakrokti as underpinning all poetic figures and giving poetry its striking quality, as long as it contributed to the reader's aesthetic enjoyment.

1. Name:- Gujarati Krishna V.
Callas:- M.A Sem-2
Topic:-Vakrokti as a theory of literature.
Paper:- 7 Literary Criticism and Theory
Roll No.:- 17
Submitted to:- M.K.B.U, Dept. of. English

2. MEANS OF VAKROKTI
Vakrokti means the hidden meaning of
the work of Art. The writer outs the
message in the hidden way that at the
first glance we will not be able to find
the meaning of the poem or the
sentence or any creative work of art.

3. THEORY OF VAKROKTI
 Kuntaka was a Kashmiri Sanskrit poetician and
literary theorist who is remembered for his work
Vakroktijivitam is which he postulates the Vakrokti
Siddhanta or theory of oblique expression, which
he considers as the hallmark of creative literature.
 The origin of Vakrokti could be found in Bhamaha’s
“Kavyalankara” and Dandin’s “Kavyadarshan”.
 In this theory Kuntaka wants to convey that a
certain Strikingness of expression in essence of
poetry.

4.  Kuntaka believes that the beautiful and miraculous in the poetry
is the consequence of Vakrokti.
According to Kuntaka-
“Vakrokti is the source of beauty is Kavya which is quite opposite
to the description of thing as it is”.
According to Bhamaha-
“Vakrokti as a made of expression because it is the fundamental
principle of figurative expression”.
Dandin defines,
“ Vakrokti as a poetic figure accept Svabhavokti”.
Vamana considered,
“Vakrokti as a special poetic figure based on Lakshana”.

5. KUNTAKA’S CONCEPT OF VAKROKTI:
 Vakrokti is a mode of expression poetry, which underlies
and form of all poetic figures. Therefore, Dandi uses the
term Vakrokti as a almost co-extensive with the generic
term “Alamkara.”
 Vakrokti is a left of skill going beyond the theory of
Anandvardhan’s “Dhvani” because Kuntaka feels that
poetic meaning had not been properly classified in the
Dhvani theory.

6. According to Anandvardhana,
There are three levels of poetry-
i: - The Best (Dhvanikavya)
ii:- The next best (Gunibhuttavyangyakavya)
Iii:- The bottom grade(Chitrkavya)

7. According to kuntaka, definition of poetry is-
“Whatever appeals to a man of test are good
poetry and whatever not is not poetry”.
Vakrokti for kuntaka is a synonym for the principle of
beauty underlying all kinds of poetic language.

8. CLASSIFICATION OF VAKROKTI
Kaviyapar Source of
Vakrokti
Vaichitrya

9. SIX TYPES OF VAKROKTI
 Varna Vinyas
 Padapurvardha
 Padaparardha
 Vakya
 Prakarana
 Prabandha

10. WHAT IS THE PLACE OF MARGA AND GUNA
IN VAKROKTO
 The object of composition determines the marga
There are three Margas, styles-
Sukumara (elegant)
Vichitra (brilliant)
Madhyama (the mixed or intermediate)

11. SIX GUNAS ARE IDENTIFIED IN LITERARY STYLE-
 Auchitya (propriety)
 Saubhagya (splendour)
 Madhurya (sweetness)
 Prasada (perspicuits)
 Lavanys (grace)
 Abhijiatya (classicality)

12.  Kuntaka gives importance to the sabda andArtha, at the
same time he insist on the presence of Vakrokti in poetry
“Vakrokti consist of peculiar term given to any expression
due to the skill of thr poet”.
Conclusion:
According to Kuntaka, Vakroti alone does not make
poetry. it must be delight the mind of the reader who is
responsive to the true beauty of poetry. Thus the test of
Vakrokti is the contribution to Chamankara, the aesthetic
enjoyment experienced from composition.