Indian Poetics

Indian Poetics: Summaries & Key Takeaways of Expert Sessions by Prof. Vinod Joshi sir .

- This blog is part of task given by Dr. Dilipsir Barad

                               Day-1                     

Date: 15/01/2025

Introduction:

Vinod Joshi Sir started the lecture with Language. The medium of literature is Language. Without language, there is no literature. Aesthetic Indian poetics talks about the process, not the result. He said about interesting topic "Poet challanges nature." 

"In literature, there is drama, in drama there is Shakuntalam, the fourth element of Shakuntalam, and the four verses of the fourth element, these are the best."

He stated that a person receives two things at birth: 1. Vowel (Swar) and  2. Movement (Halanchalan). He said that changes can be made in applied things. Nature's support is: 1. Silent music (vowel) 2. Dance (movement), in which the artist and the art are one and the same. For example, painting - painter, poetry - poet. In painting and poetry, the art and the artist are separate. He gave us the examples of Kaushik Chakravarti and Bhimsen Joshi, the musicians.

He provided guidance on "object" and "objectness." Objectness refers to the process of becoming the essence of an object. For example, a table – a tree that was once a shade for someone, a branch that was once a swing for someone, but now has become a table. This is the objectness of the table. He gave the example of the poem, "Paas paas toye jodan door... Gagan saav adod, toye chheta no bhaas...!"

He spoke about manoyatra (mental journey), in which we cross thousands of kilometers with our mind and meet thousands of people in our mind every day.

He spoke about limitations, stating that we can only know as much as our experiences allow. A writer expresses happiness and sorrow on our behalf. He explained about the world of objects and the world of emotions. When there is a connection to emotions, proximity is created. For example, "મોતી ભાંગ્યું વિંધતા મન ભાંગ્યું કવેણ, ઘોડો ભાંગ્યો ઠેકતા નહીં સાંધો નહીં રેણ." When everything is understood, there is no need for language. "બધો આધાર છે એના જતી વેળા ના જોવા પર..." (Shakuntala) 

Everything is based on the emotional bridge. Just like desires don't take everything along, without experience, everything is shallow. There are limits to understanding. That day he concluded with the topic "સ્નાતક" (Graduation), which means that every part has been purified in the context of knowledge.

                                      

                                           Day-2

Date: 16/01/2025

Discussion on Natyashastta and RasMimansa:

He spoke about Natya Shastra and Rasa Mimamsa, which were composed by Bharata Muni. He explained the six major schools (Sampraday) of Indian Poetics:

1. Rasa Sampraday – Bharat Muni

2. Dhvani Sampraday – Anandavardhana

3. Vakrokti Sampraday – Kuntaka

4. Alankar Sampraday – Bhamaha

5. Riti Sampraday – Vamana

6. Auchitya Sampraday – Ksemendra

7. Ramniyata Sampraday - Jagannath

1. Rasa Sampraday – Bharat Muni:

In this lecture he provided understandinng of Indian Poetics and its philosophical aspects: Abhijñānaśākuntalam and its connectoin with Natya Shastra. The role of Rasa and Sthayi Bhava.

                                                    (Shiva as the Lord of Dance)

Kalidasa’s Abhignana Shakuntalam is one of the finest examples of classical Sanskrit drama, deeply rooted in Bharata Muni’s Natyashastra. This ancient text outlines the concept of Rasa, the essence of emotions experienced by the audience, which is derived from Sthayi Bhava (permanent emotions). The Natyashastra defines drama as a synthesis of various aesthetic experiences that evoke emotional responses in the spectators.

Bharat Muni's Nine Sthayi Bhava and Corresponding Rasas:

Bharata Muni introduced nine primary Sthayi Bhavas, each of which forms the basis of a corresponding Rasa:

1. Rati (Love) – Shringar Rasa (Romantic/Beauty)

2. Shoka (Grief) – Karuna Rasa (Compassion/Tragedy)

3. Utsaha (Enthusiasm) –  Veera Rasa (Heroic)

4. Krodha (Anger) –  Raudra Rasa (Fury/Terror)

5. Hasya (Laughter) – Hasya Rasa (Humor/Comedy)

6. Bhay (Fear) – Bhayanaka Rasa (Horror/Dread)

7. Jugupsa (Disgust) – Bibhatsa Rasa (Repulsion/Ugliness)

8. Vismaya (Wonder) – Adbhuta Rasa (Marvel/Surprise)

9. Shama (Peace) – Shanta Rasa (Tranquility/Serenity)

Types of Drama according Natya Shastra:

BharatMuni classified Dramas in three parts:

1. Drashya Natak (Visual Drama): Performed with acting, expressions and stage.

2. Shravya Natak (Auditory Drama): Based on dialogues and musical elements.

3. Padhay Natak (Poetic Drama): Based on dramatic narration.

                                        

                                           Day-3

Date: 17/01/2025

The six basic tastes are: sour, salty, bitter, pungent, astringent, and sweet. These tastes are not permanent and have limitations. The new taste is exquisite. Through expression, the mind becomes calm. An example of this is Lohini Sagai - Amruta.

Rasa Shutr by Bharat Muni:

"विभावानुभावव्यभिचारिसंयोगाद् रसनिष्पत्तिः"

- Vibhav, Anubhav, and Vyabhichari (Sanchari) Bhavna collectively lead to the creation of Rasa.

1.Vibhav:

Vibhav means the support or basis. There are two types of Vibhav:

1. Alamban Vibhav (Support or basis): This refers to the main characters or entities on which emotions or feelings depend. In Shakuntala, the characters of Dushyanta and Shakuntala represent the Alamban Bhav, as they are the central figures who support the emotional context.

2. Uddipan Vibhav (Stimulating factors): These are the elements that enhance or stimulate the emotions. In Shakuntala, the garden, birds, flowers, and creepers serve as Uddipan Vibhav, as they act as stimulants that evoke emotions in the story.

Due to the stimulus, the support becomes active. Sir gave us a live example like this in class: Sir is the Alamban and the student is the Uddipan. When both Uddipan and Alamban Vibhav combine, Rasa is created. "वादिया मेरा दामन, रास्ते मेरी बाहें, जाऊं मेरे सिवा कहाँ जाओगे?" This is example of movie Kashmir Ki Kali (1964).

2. Anubhav:

Anubhav means reaction or response. Expression against expression. Example:

"સૌ મને તાકી તાકી જોઈ રહ્યા,

પાપણો માત્ર એમણે ઢાળી."

"બીજમાંથી સીધી પૂનમ દઈ દે,

સહેજ પાપણ નમેલી ખોલી નાખ."

Example, કયા નગરના લોકોને તમારા વિરહથી વ્યાકુળ કરો છો? In this example, When Shakuntala is with her friends Anasuya and Priyavada, and Dushyanta arrives, Priyavada asks him a question. Shakuntala experiences everything, but she does not look directly at Dushyanta. She has affection for him, so her reaction is one of shyness, which reflects her emotional response. Shakuntala's feelings of shyness and fear lead to the creation of Rasa.

3. Sancharibhav:

The emotions that remain and those that come and go, as well as uncontrolled, endless emotions, are called Sanchari Bhavas. Mamata Acharya has given 33 Sanchari Bhavas (transitory emotions) that create favorable and unfavorable conditions for Rasa. According to Ravi Pathak, Sthayi Bhava is like a lake, and Sanchari Bhava is like the sea. Thoughts come to the shore and then go away. The creation of Rasa occurs when various emotions such as Shakuntala's shyness (Lajjabhav), compassion (Dayabhav), and others arise. 

Sanyog:

Rasa is created only when there is a combination of Vibhav (stimulus), Anubhav (response), and Sanchari (transitory) emotions.   

Combination (Sayojan) - When separate elements do not retain their individual characteristics, it is called a combination.

Mixture (Misharan) - When separate elements retain their individual characteristics, it is called a mixture. 

When there is a combination (union) of Vibhav, Anubhav, and Sanchari Bhav, and they interact with each other, only then Rasa is created.     

                                        Day-4  

Date: 18/01/2025           

शृङ्गार करुण वीर रौद्र हास्य भयानका।

बिभत्साद् भुत शांतश्च नव नाट्ये रसाः स्मृता ।।

Four critics have commented on Bharat Muni's Natya Shastra:

1. Bhatt Lollat - The founder of the theory of origin. He believes that rasa (emotion) does not exist naturally but is produced by the actors (nat and nati) in a performance.

2. Shri Shankuk - The founder of the theory of assumption. He argues that rasa does not arise only from the nat and nati but also from the spectators, who play a role in the production of rasa. The assumption made by the spectators leads to the production of rasa in them. The spectators are free to think, and their assumptions should lead them to reach the level of perception. Examples,

'સત્યને ધાર નથી હોતી, પણ આંજી નાખે તેવું તેજ હોય છે.'

'દ્રષ્ટિકોણ બદલીને જોવું, સૌને સૌનું હોવું જ હોવું.'

Perception is of four types:

1. Correct Perception (Accurate Perception): This is Dushyant. (Samyak Pratiti)

2. False Perception: This is not Dushyant. (Mithya Pratiti)

3. Doubtful Perception: This could be Dushyant. (Sanshaya Pratiti)

4. Similar Perception: This appears to be Dushyant. (Sadrashya Pratiti)

                                             Day-5

Date: 20/01/2025

3. Bhatt Nayak - The founder of the theory of enjoyment (Bhuktivad). According to him, rasa is not something that is produced, but rather something that is experienced or enjoyed. When the nat-nati, the spectators, and the audience all experience the same perception and enjoy the same taste, rasa is produced. The sir gave an example from his book Morpinchh. Sadharanikaran (generalization) is, in fact, the production of rasa. Example, 

'પરપોટો ઊંચકીને કેડ વળી ગઈ, દરિયો લાવું તો કેમ લાવું?'

4. Abhinav Gupta - The founder of the theory of expression (Abhivyajnavad). Light is the rest of blissful knowledge. When you abandon the reason and enjoy the result, a feeling of peace is experienced, which leads to the state of bhava. The perceiver becomes primary, and the object becomes secondary. Sir gave us example of  movie named Titanic and Devdas.

                                              Day-6

Date: 21/01/2025

2. Dhvani Sampraday:

The Dhvani Sampradaya was pioneered by Anandavardhana, who authored the famous treatise Dhvanyaloka. In this work, he emphasized the supremacy of Dhvani (suggestion) in poetry and stated that Rasa is expressed through Dhvani rather than being explicitly stated. According to Anandavardhana, Dhvani is the soul (Atma) of poetry, and he regarded direct meanings as secondary in comparison to the power of suggestion. He highlighted that the beauty of a poem lies not in its explicit meaning but in what it subtly suggests. He also compared Dhvani to the beauty of a woman (Stri na Lavanya), implying that just as a woman’s charm lies not in any single feature but in an overall graceful presence, the essence of poetry lies in the unspoken, the suggested, and the implied meanings rather than just the literal words.  Sir gave us example of Old man in the sea by Ernest Hemingway. 

                                 Day-7 

Date: 22/01/2025

Dhvani Shutr:

"विभाति लावण्यं इवाङ्गनासु"

Bhav > Rasa > Bhasha > Dhvani

Just as a woman's beauty enhances her radiance, in poetry, Bhava (emotion) leads to Rasa (aesthetic experience), and Bhasha (language) gives rise to Dhvani (suggestion).

In Mammat's Kavya Prakash, three main powers of words are described:

1. Abhidha: The direct meaning of a word, e.g., sweet honey.

2. Lakshana: When the direct meaning is not applicable, and another meaning is inferred, e.g., sweet rain (metaphorically referring to a soft, gentle rain).

3. Vyanjana: Even if the direct meaning is understood, another implied meaning is conveyed, e.g., "that sweet mother," implying something beyond the literal sweetness. Vyanjana is considered the highest power of words. Anandvardhana used the term "Pratymana Vyanjana" to refer to this. Since beauty arises from sound, it is called "Pratymana."

Sound is expressed in three ways:

1. Vastu Dhvani: The sound that directly represents an object.

2. Alankara Dhvani: The sound that conveys ornamentation or embellishment (in a figurative sense).

3. Rasa Dhvani: The sound that evokes a particular emotional essence or sentiment.

Pratymana refers to a situation where meaning is conveyed even in the absence of a word, or whether the word is present or not. The meaning is still understood in the absence of the word. Laukik - Language (worldly or earthly), Alaukik - Love (transcendental or divine). Dhvni is both laukik (worldly) and alaukik (transcendental).

                                  Day-8

Date: 24/01/2025

The worldly sound (laukik dhvani) is divided into two parts:

1. Vastu Dhvani (Non-figurative sound)

2. Alankara Dhvani (Figurative sound)

The transcendental sound (alaukik dhvani) has one part:

1. Rasa Dhvani:

The power of words, such as Abhidha, Lakshana, and Vyanjana, works only in the worldly (laukik) context. In Rasa Dhvani, the words dissolve and become implied (pratymana), which is why it is considered transcendental (alaukik).

For example, the cone of an ice cream is Rasa Dhvani, where all the material is absorbed into it, making it transcendental. Whereas in a bowl of ice cream, the spoon and the bowl remain outside, with only the ice cream going inside, making it a worldly sound.

Example:

"તું જ્યાં જઈશ ત્યાં મારો બીજો જન્મ થશે." 

1. As it is simple meaning (Vastu Dhvani)

2. When you go, you will leave me to burn like embers. (Alankar Dhvani)

3. My death will occur, but not in the literal sense; another meaning will be taken. (Rasa Dhvani)

3. Vakrokti Sampraday:

Kuntaka, in his treatise "Vakrokti-Jīvita," proposed that the essence of poetic beauty lies in "Vakratā" (deviation or artistic twist in expression). According to him, poetry is not just about what is said but how it is said.

He discusses the concepts of Āścharya (wonder) and Vismaya (astonishment):

Āścharya (Wonder): Something that initially surprises but is later understood or resolved.

Vismaya (Astonishment): Something that remains unresolved and unexpected, leaving a lasting impact.

                                         

                                  Day-9

Date: 25/01/2025

शब्दार्थौ सहितौ वक्रः काव्यव्यापारशालिनी।

बन्धे व्यवस्थितं काव्यं तद्विदाह्लादकारिणी॥

Kuntaka asserts that poetry is not merely about meaning and words but about their artistic expression. The use of Vakrokti (stylized expression) in both sound (Shabda) and meaning (Artha) makes poetry delightful and aesthetically superior.

Six Types of Vakrokti (Stylistic Deviation)

Kuntaka classifies Vakrokti (artistic deviation or stylistic embellishment) into six types:

1. Varṇavinyāsa Vakratā – Phonetic deviation (play on sounds, alliteration, unique word formations).

2. Padapūrvardha Vakratā – Deviation in the first half of a word (creative use of prefixes, compounds).

3. Padapara Vakratā – Deviation in the second half of a word (suffixes, altered meanings).

4. Vākya Vakratā – Sentence-level deviation (unique structuring of phrases, rhetorical figures).

5. Prakaraṇa Vakratā – Episode-level deviation (twists in subplots or sequences).

6. Prabandha Vakratā – Overall structural deviation (artistic arrangement of the entire work).

These elements of Vakrokti enhance the beauty of poetry and literature, making it delightful and impactful.

Day-10

Date: 26/01/2025

4. Alankara Sampraday:

The Alankāra School of literary theory was pioneered by Bhāmaha, who emphasized the importance of figures of speech (Alankāras) in poetry. According to him, poetic beauty lies in the use of Alankāras (rhetorical and ornamental devices), making poetry more effective and aesthetically pleasing.

Bhāmaha was one of the earliest Sanskrit literary critics, and his work "Kāvyālaṅkāra" explains various figures of speech, similes, and metaphors that enhance the expressive power of poetry.