The Living Soul of Indian Poetics

From Rasa to Dhvani: Mapping the Inner Cosmos of Aesthetic Experience

This blog is written as part of an academic engagement with Indian Poetics and Aesthetics.

Introduction: What is the Soul of Poetry?

In the vast intellectual heritage of India, literature was never treated as mere entertainment. It was a philosophical exploration of emotion, language, beauty, and consciousness. This discipline, known as Kavyashastra (Poetics), sought to answer a timeless question:

What is the “Atma” (Soul) of Poetry?

Different thinkers gave different answers:

• Some said Rasa (Emotion)

• Some argued for Dhvani (Suggestion)

• Others defended Vakrokti (Oblique Expression)

• And some insisted on Riti (Style)

Together, these theories form what we may call The Grand Architecture of Indian Aesthetics.

1. Rasa Theory – The Foundation of Aesthetic Bliss

The foundation of Indian aesthetics begins with Bharata Muni and his monumental work, Natyashastra.

He gave the famous Rasa Sutra:

विभावानुभावव्यभिचारिसंयोगाद्रसनिष्पत्तिः

Rasa is produced from the combination of Vibhava, Anubhava and Vyabhichari Bhava.

The Three Ingredients of Rasa

1. Vibhava – The cause (stimulus)

2. Anubhava – The physical expression

3. Vyabhichari Bhava – The fleeting emotions

When these combine with a Sthayi Bhava (permanent emotion), Rasa emerges.

Rasa	Emotion
Shringara	Love
Hasya	Laughter
Karuna	Sorrow
Raudra	Anger
Vira	Heroism
Bhayanaka	Fear
Bibhatsa	Disgust
Adbhuta	Wonder
Shanta	Peace

Later, Abhinavagupta added Shanta Rasa and deepened the psychological understanding of aesthetic experience.

Sadharanikarana (Universalization)

When we watch Rama suffer, we do not feel personal grief. We experience universalized sorrow. This aesthetic distance produces Ananda (bliss).

2. Dhvani Theory – The Power of Suggestion

In the 9th century, Anandavardhana revolutionized Indian poetics through his seminal work, Dhvanyaloka.

While earlier theorists debated whether Rasa, Alamkara, or Riti was the soul of poetry, Anandavardhana made a bold declaration:

काव्यस्यात्मा ध्वनिः

Kavyasyatma Dhvanih

“Dhvani (Suggestion) is the soul of poetry.”

This shifted literary criticism from ornament and structure to inner resonance.

What is Dhvani?

The word Dhvani literally means “sound,” “echo,” or “resonance.”

But in poetics, it refers to meaning that is suggested but not directly stated.

Just as a musical note continues to vibrate even after it is struck, poetic meaning continues to echo beyond literal words. Dhvani is the unsaid meaning that the sensitive reader intuits.

The Three Levels of Meaning

Anandavardhana explained that language operates at three levels:

1. Abhidha – Literal Meaning

This is the direct dictionary meaning.

Example:

“The sun has set.”

It simply means the sun has gone below the horizon.

2. Lakshana – Indirect / Indicative Meaning

When the literal meaning is unsuitable, we move to implied meaning.

Example:

“He is a lion.”

We do not mean he is an animal.

We mean he is brave.

Lakshana modifies meaning through association.

3. Vyanjana – Suggested Meaning

This is the highest and most poetic level.

Example:

“The lamp flickers in the lonely night.”

Literal meaning: A lamp is burning.

Suggested meaning: Loneliness, waiting, separation, emotional fragility.

The poem never states the emotion —

Yet we feel it.

This is Dhvani.

Types of Dhvani

Anandavardhana classified Dhvani into three major categories:

1. Vastu Dhvani (Suggestion of Idea)

When a hidden concept or fact is suggested.

Example:

“The king slept peacefully.”

This might suggest political stability.

2. Alamkara Dhvani (Suggestion of Figure)

When a poetic ornament is implied rather than stated.

Instead of directly saying “Her face is like the moon,”

The poet may describe moonlight fading in shame.

The metaphor is suggested, not declared.

3. Rasa Dhvani (Suggestion of Emotion) – The Highest Form

This is the supreme form of poetry.

Here, the poem does not describe emotion directly.

It creates conditions that allow emotion to arise naturally.

Instead of writing:

“She was deeply sad.”

The poet may write:

“Her bangles slipped from her wrist, and the courtyard remained silent.”

We feel sorrow without being told.

Anandavardhana considered Rasa Dhvani the highest because emotion cannot be forced. It must be evoked.

Why is Dhvani Superior?

According to Anandavardhana:

• Literal meaning is limited.

• Ornament is decorative.

• Style is structural.

But Dhvani creates depth.

It transforms poetry from communication into experience.

Later, Abhinavagupta expanded Dhvani theory and connected it deeply with Rasa. For him, Dhvani was the mechanism through which Rasa becomes possible.

Without suggestion, emotion cannot fully blossom.

Dhvani does not impose meaning.

It invites participation.

Thus poetry becomes a collaboration between:

• Poet

• Text

• Reader

Dhvani vs Direct Expression

Consider two sentences:

1. “I am heartbroken.”

2. “The letters remain unopened on the dusty table.”

The first tells.

The second suggests.

The first informs.

The second transforms.

Dhvani teaches us that:

Great poetry whispers — it never shouts.

3. Vakrokti – The Beauty of Deviation

Among the great theorists of Indian poetics, Kuntaka offered one of the most stylistically sophisticated views in his treatise Vakrokti-jivitam.

He boldly declared:

वक्रोक्तिः काव्यजीवितम्

Vakroktih Kavyajivitam

“Oblique expression is the very life of poetry.”

For Kuntaka, poetry is not defined by emotion alone (Rasa), nor by suggestion alone (Dhvani), nor by ornament alone (Alamkara).

It lives in Vakrokti  the artistic twist in expression.

What is Vakrokti?

The word Vakra means “crooked,” “indirect,” or “deviated.”

Ukti means “expression” or “utterance.”

Thus, Vakrokti literally means crooked expression — but not in a negative sense. It refers to language that deviates from ordinary speech in a creative, aesthetically pleasing way.

If ordinary speech says:

“She is beautiful.”

Vakrokti transforms it into:

“The moon seems to borrow light from her face.”

The meaning is similar —

But the expression is artistically elevated.

For Kuntaka, this deviation itself produces aesthetic delight.

Why Deviation Creates Beauty

Everyday language is direct and functional.

Poetic language is:

• Layered

• Suggestive

• Stylistically charged

When language moves away from the expected, it creates surprise and pleasure.

Vakrokti is therefore:

• The mark of poetic genius

• The sign of creative imagination

• The difference between prose and poetry

Poetry begins where ordinary language ends.

4. Alamkara – Ornamentation in Poetry

The Alamkara school of Indian poetics places strong emphasis on figures of speech as the source of poetic beauty. Its early and influential exponent was Bhamaha, whose seminal work Kavyalamkara systematized poetic ornamentation.

Bhamaha famously compared poetry to a bride:

न कान्तमपि निर्भूषं विभाति वनितामुखम्

“Even a beautiful woman’s face does not shine without ornaments.”

Just as jewelry enhances natural beauty, Alamkara enhances poetic expression.

However, ornaments do not create beauty — they intensify it.

What is Alamkara?

The word Alamkara literally means ornament or embellishment.

In poetry, Alamkara refers to:

• Figures of speech

• Rhetorical devices

• Stylistic embellishments

They beautify both:

• Shabda (Sound)

• Artha (Meaning)

Thus, Alamkaras are broadly classified into:

1. Shabdalamkara (Figures of sound)

2. Arthalamkara (Figures of meaning)

Major Alamkaras Explained in Detail

1. Upama (Simile)

A direct comparison using words like like or as.

Example:

“Her face is like the moon.”

Here:

• Face = Upameya (object compared)

• Moon = Upamana (object of comparison)

• “Like” = Upamavachaka

Upama creates clarity and visual beauty.

2. Rupaka (Metaphor)

An implied comparison without “like” or “as.”

Example:

“Her face is the moon.”

Here the identity is complete.

The metaphor intensifies poetic impact.

Rupaka is considered stronger than Upama because it merges two identities.

3. Anuprasa (Alliteration)

Repetition of similar sounds for musical beauty.

Example:

“Softly sings the silent stream.”

The repetition of the “s” sound creates rhythm.

Anuprasa belongs to Shabdalamkara because its beauty lies in sound.

4. Atishayokti (Hyperbole)

Deliberate exaggeration.

Example:

“I cried a river of tears.”

The exaggeration is not meant to be literal.

It heightens emotional intensity.

Additional Important Alamkaras

To deepen your blog, you can include more figures of speech:

5. Utpreksha (Poetic Fancy)

When imagination suggests a possibility.

Example:

“The moon seems to smile.”

The moon is imagined as capable of smiling.

Utpreksha adds imaginative liveliness.

6. Shlesha (Pun)

One word carrying multiple meanings simultaneously.

Example:

A word that means both “lotus” and “face,” creating layered interpretation.

Shlesha demonstrates intellectual brilliance.

7. Yamaka (Repetition with Different Meaning)

Repetition of the same word with different meanings.

It creates rhythmic and semantic beauty.

5. Riti – The Geometry of Style

Among the many schools of Indian poetics, the Riti School gives central importance to style. Its chief exponent was Vamana, who systematized this theory in his work Kavyalamkarsutra.

He boldly declared:

रीतिरात्मा काव्यस्य

Ritiratma Kavyasya

“Style is the soul of poetry.”

While earlier theorists emphasized emotion (Rasa) or ornament (Alamkara), Vamana focused on the arrangement and organization of words. For him, poetry is not merely about what is said, but how it is structured.

What is Riti?

The word Riti means:

• Path

• Mode

• Method

• Style

In poetics, it refers to the distinctive arrangement of words (Padarachana) that gives poetry its unique character.

If Alamkara is jewelry,

Riti is the body structure on which ornaments rest.

Without proper structure, ornament and emotion cannot function effectively.

Riti and Guna (Qualities)

Vamana did not treat style as superficial decoration. He connected it deeply with Guna (poetic qualities).

Important Gunas include:

• Madhurya (Sweetness) – Softness and grace

• Ojas (Energy) – Strength and vigor

• Prasada (Clarity) – Lucidity and smoothness

• Samata (Evenness) – Balance and proportion

• Saukumarya (Delicacy) – Subtle refinement

Riti emerges when these Gunas are harmoniously arranged.

Thus, style is not random.

It is the organized manifestation of poetic qualities.

6) Auchitya

Kshemendra and Auchitya-vichara-charcha – The Principle of Propriety

The concept of Auchitya (औचित्य) means appropriateness, fitness, or propriety. It is one of the most refined principles in Indian poetics because it governs the overall harmony of a literary work.

Kshemendra, an 11th-century Kashmiri critic, systematically discussed this theory in his treatise Auchitya-vichara-charcha. According to him:

Even if a poem has Rasa, Alamkara, and Dhvani —

Without propriety, it loses its aesthetic charm.

What is Auchitya?

Auchitya ensures that every element in poetry is suitable to its context:

• Character

• Situation

• Emotion

Anumiti Theory: The Logic of Art

The Anumiti Theory connects Indian poetics with Nyaya (Indian Logic). According to Shankuka, aesthetic experience arises through Anumana (inference) rather than illusion or blind emotional identification.

When we watch an actor perform the role of Rama:

• We do not mistake the actor for the real Rama.

• We do not believe the events are historically happening.

• Yet, we experience genuine emotion.

How?

Through inference.

We observe:

• Facial expressions

• Gestures

• Tone of voice

• Costume and stage setting

From these signs, we infer the inner emotional state of the dramatic character. This inferred understanding produces aesthetic delight.

The Logical Structure of Aesthetic Experience

Shankuka adapts the Nyaya model of inference:

Example in logic:

• Smoke → Fire (inferred)

Example in drama:

• Tears, trembling voice → Sorrow (inferred)

• Firm stance, powerful speech → Heroism (inferred)

Thus, Rasa is not a hallucination or confusion — it is an intellectually mediated emotional experience.

The Painting Analogy

Shankuka compares drama to a painting.

A painted elephant:

• Is not real.

• Yet we understand it as an elephant.

Similarly,

An actor is not Rama.

But through representation and inference, we understand him as Rama.

This awareness maintains aesthetic distance while still allowing emotional participation.

Distinction from Other Theories

• Bharata Muni explains Rasa through emotional combination (Vibhava–Anubhava–Vyabhichari Bhava).

• Abhinavagupta emphasizes universalization (Sadharanikarana).

• Shankuka highlights inference (Anumiti).

Shankuka’s approach is more rational and analytical, grounding aesthetics in epistemology.

Philosophical Importance

Anumiti theory demonstrates that:

• Art is not deception.

• Aesthetic pleasure is not ignorance.

• The spectator remains intellectually alert.

The audience consciously participates in a structured imaginative world.

This theory bridges:

• Poetics

• Performance theory

• Logic

• Psychology

• Language

• Setting

• Style

• Meter

It is the principle of internal coherence.

Types of Auchitya (Forms of Propriety)

Kshemendra explains that propriety operates at multiple levels:

1. Vastu-Auchitya (Propriety of Theme)

The subject matter must suit the genre.

A tragic theme cannot be treated in a comic tone.

2. Rasa-Auchitya (Emotional Propriety)

The dominant emotion must remain consistent.

For example:

• In Karuna Rasa, excessive joking would destroy the mood.

• In Vira Rasa, weak or timid language is inappropriate.

3. Patra-Auchitya (Character Propriety)

Characters must speak and behave according to their nature.

• A king should speak with dignity.

• A sage should not use vulgar language.

• A child should not speak like a philosopher.

If Ravana suddenly becomes humble and timid without reason, propriety collapses.

4. Desha-Kala-Auchitya (Propriety of Time and Place)

The setting must be culturally and historically accurate.

• Snow imagery in a tropical desert scene would violate Auchitya.

• Modern slang in an ancient epic would feel inappropriate.

5. Alamkara-Auchitya (Propriety of Figures of Speech)

Ornaments must suit the mood.

• Heavy hyperbole in a sorrowful scene may feel artificial.

• Too many metaphors may burden the poem.

Why is Auchitya Important?

Auchitya acts as a regulating principle in Indian aesthetics.

If Rasa is the soul of poetry,

and Alamkara its ornament,

then Auchitya is its discipline and harmony.

Without propriety:

• Rasa becomes weak

• Dhvani becomes confusing

• Alamkara becomes decorative excess

Example of Violation of Auchitya

Describing a battlefield like a romantic garden:

• Comparing swords to “lotus stems”

• Blood to “rose petals”

• Warriors to “dancing lovers”

Such imagery may be poetic, but it destroys Vira or Raudra Rasa and creates emotional confusion.

Auchitya and Modern Literary Theory

Auchitya resembles:

• Aristotle’s concept of decorum

• The classical Western idea of unity and consistency

• Modern ideas of organic form

It emphasizes that literature is not merely decorative language —

it is a structured aesthetic experience.

The Deeper Philosophy Behind Auchitya

Indian aesthetics views literature as a harmonious universe.

Just as in nature:

• Each season has its proper flowers,

• Each raga has its proper time,

• Each emotion has its proper expression,

Similarly in poetry:

Everything must fall into place.