Development of the Theories of Auchitya and Vyanjana

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Development of the Theories of

Auchitya and Vyanjana

(Academic Script)

Introduction

Poetry or Kavya is a combination of form and content. It is

completed with the necessary inclusion of Sabda and Artha in a
creative composite manner. To acquire extra-ordinary meaning,
words are charged with Gunas, Alankaras, and Ritis. In a
composition Gunas refer to the capability of words to stimulate
emotions, feelings and excitement. Alankaras are ornaments or
decorative devices that enhance the beauty of Kavya. They
enhance the beauty of poetry in a similar way as the jewellery; the
kumkuma and chandana etc enhance the beauty of women.
Another vital element of Poetry is Riti which refers to style. Thus
the form of poetry is constituted by words endowed with Gunas,
Alankaras and Ritis.
The subject expert is Ms. Sana Afreen who is working as TGT
Drawing with the Delhi Administration and I am….
The real significance of poetry lies in its efficiency to generate
Rasa. Rasa is animated mainly through the devices of Dhvani and
Anumana. The synthesis of Rasa, Dhvani and Anumana
constitutes the content of poetry. Sabda and Artha cannot be
harmonized except through suppression. It is the artistic instinct
of suppression that serves as the connecting link.
Kavya or composition or poetry, are a combination of certain
elements that are already discussed in previous episodes of the
theories of Indian aesthetics, such as Bhava, Rasa, Dhvani,
Alankara, Riti, Guna Dosha etc. This episode is based on the
concept of Auchitya that literally means adequacy. This adequacy
plays an important part in a experiencing the beauty in a
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composition. It determines the dimensions of beauty of

expression. This way, the focus is not on the beauty of expression
but the adequacy that direct the reader or observer to the inner
meaning of depicted emotion.
Hence, the appeal of the expression is to be judged only by its
adequacy (Auchitya) to express the inner meaning.
The inner meaning of Kavya is comes to life in its suggestive,
figurative or expressions evoking visions. It reveals the moods,
the attitudes and the idea of the poet expressed with the aid of
imagery and rhythm. Such vision is the intuitive perception. It
reveals the many-splendored reality that is clouded by the
apparent.
Various scholars and rhetoricians have written texts on various
aspects of Indian Aesthetic theories. These texts helped us to
identify and understand the Indian ancient Shastras, written
around 3rd BC to 1st AD.
Kshemendra was the son of Prakashendra and the student of
Abhinavagupta. He lived during the reign of King Ananta and later
King Kalasha in the 11century AD. He was a prolific writer text
like ‘Kavikantaabharanam’’, auchityavichaaracharcha’ and
‘suvruttatilakam’ goes to his credit. He called himself “vyasadasa”.
Ksemendra was a keen supporter of the theory of Auchitya in
Kavya compositions. The age-long predominance of Rasa
(sentiments) has been subordinated by him to Auchitya
(propriety). This is the concept of propriety that advocates
observing certain norms of behavior and speech. Ksemendra in
his work ‘Auchityavicharak’ confers about a fact that improper
use of figures of speech and stylistic merits will put the aesthetic
effect aside and therefore the aim to relish a text will not be
realized. Propriety (Auchtya) therefore is a device to make speech
or composition convincing and effective.
In view of Kshemendra, Auchitya is the jivita (literally means life)
of rasa. He says that “if rasa is the essence of a Kavya, Auchitya is
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the quintessence of Rasa”. He says that Alankara, Guna, Dosha,

etc., are all insignificant and have no meaning without the
presence of Auchitya.
Kshemendra mentions 27 types of Auchitya in Auchityavicharak,
they are named as:
Pada, Artha, Prabhandaartha, Guna, Alankara, Rasa, Kriya, Karaka,
Linga, Vachaa, Visheshana, Upasarga, Nipata, Kala, Desha, Kula,
Vrata [Vow], Tattva [Reality], Abhipraya, Svabhava,
Saarasangraha, Pratibha, Avastha [State Or Condition], Vichara,
Aashishinaamnyata [Benediction], Kavyaanga.
Every single feature of poetic representation; prosody, syntax,
diction, tense, figurative speech, sentiment, circumstance, intent,
social status of characters, time and place of poetic action, every
possible feature derives its merit in an artistic work, argued
Kshemendra, only by being appropriately deployed and well
aligned to each other. For Kshemendra, “Auchitya is no longer a
criterion to be adhered to by a poet; it has become the abiding life
of poetry, full of flavor”.
Auchitya with reference to rasa has been dealt with in detail by
Kshemendra. He says that if different Rasas are mixed
appropriately, they enhance the relish and pleasure of reading a
Kavya. He asserts that anything which is suitable to its context is
proper (uchit) and that the state of being proper is propriety
(Auchitya). An item which is suited to another is called uchita
[proper]. The state of being proper is Auchitya [propriety].
However his assumption could not achieve universal
acknowledgment for it is never complete. It is incomplete in a
sense that it emphasizes appropriateness but how it can be
achieved depends heavily on the poet’s talent. Moreover, it is a
changing literary notion that at times satisfies ethical and moral
considerations and at other literary and aesthetic ideas. He
said Auchitya is the very life of Kavya (Kavyasya jivitam) that is
endowed with Rasa (Aucityam rasa siddhasya sthiram kavyasya
jivitam).
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According to Kshemendra, all components of Kavya perform their

function ideally only when they are applied appropriately and
treated properly. “When one thing befits another or matches
perfectly, it is said to be appropriate, Auchitya”:
(Aucityam prahuracarya sadrasham kila; Aucitasya ka vo bhava
stadaucityam pracaksate).
It said; be it Alankara or Guna, it will be beautiful and relishing if
it is appropriate from the point of view of Rasa; and, they would
be rejected if they are inappropriate. And, what is normally
considered a Dosha (flaw) might well turn into Guna (virtue)
when it is appropriate to the Rasa.
But, many are reluctant to recognize Auchitya as the Atma of the
Kavya. They believe that Auchitya is something that attempts to
bring refinement and enhancement into text; but, it is not self
sufficient as it is not considered as an independent factor. And, it
does not also form the essence of Kavya. Auchitya is also not a
recognized School of Poetics by several poets and rhetoricians.
"An embellishment is a real embellishment when applied at the
proper place, and Gunas (merits) are actually merits when they up-
bold the norms of propriety”. So it is clear that Ksemendra does not
subscribe to Rasa theory of poetry and makes bold to give his own
definition. He actually makes the poetry purposeful. Furthermore
in a poetic composition when different Rasas (sentiments) are
intermixed propriety alone can preserve their flavour, if this kind
of discretion is not employed, then the composition would only be
a counter-feit mixture of sentiments.
The author lays emphasis on the existence of propriety in each
word, sentence, figures of speech, verbs, syntax, gender, number,
adjective, tense and even on other outer limbs of poetry
(Kavyangas) i.e. environment, time, intuition, thought and
nomenclature. Anandavardhana has employed the term
Anauchitya on more than one occasion. Anauchitya is the source
of all Doshas. Bharata itemize 10 Doshas and articulate that
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wrongly placed ornaments and embellishment just cause

laughter.
Bhamaha has also detailed about Doshas. Dandin however shifts
the perspective to the sahrdayas; Sanskrit poets call the man of
taste as Sahrdaya (literally means Merciful). If a refined and
tasteful scholar has no irritation or displeasure while reading a
piece of literature then Doshas are not blemished.
Consequently Auchitya becomes a mode of indication that tells
what is right or wrong. Anandavardhana in his texts reveal the
significance of Anauchitya as he says Auchitya decides the type of
sanghatana in a Kavya and Anauchitya is the greatest obstruction
for the relish of rasa. Abhinav Gupta states that Auchitya is the
harmony or synchronization of all essential elements of Kavya
with rasa being its most important and imperative element.
Kuntaka counts Auchitya in the category of Guna.
Mahimabhatta says Anauchitya is of 2 kinds named as Antaranga
and bahiranga.
In India Kavya is one of the earliest forms of creative expressions.
Being an ancient form of art, it has been extensively researched
by scholars and rhetoricians. It has been in vogue even from the
Vedic times. In the framework of Rig Veda, Kavi is define as a
creative being, he is believed to be the one who through his
intuitional perception known as prathibha in Sanskrit , a poet sees
the unseen this skill in Sanskrit is explained as “kavihi-krantha-
darshano- bhavathi” and he gives expression to his vision called
Darshana, spontaneously, through words. He is the wise Seer. It
was said: one cannot be a Kavi unless one is a Rishi as said in
Sanskrit “naan rishir kuruthe kavyam”. However, it does not mean
that all Rishis are Kavis, but certainly a Kavi is a class by himself.
The Kings found pleasure in having a poet in his court that was
the best among many observed. Vatsayana in his Kama sutra
describes the Court poet very magnificently. Generally as an
educated, cultured, suave gentleman of leisure who is the owner
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of a refined taste and versatility; he belongs to fairly well family

and lives in urban surroundings known as Naagara or Nagarika in
ancient India. The ancient poet according to Vatsayana, loves to
dress well like bit of a dandy, indeed- smearing himself with
sandal paste, fragranting his dress with Agaru smoke fumes, and
wearing flowers. He appreciates art, music and good food; and,
loves his occasional drink in the company of friends and
courtesans.
Kavisiksha is the conceptualization of the need for training and
disciplining for a poet by Kshemendra and his like-minded. It
would be inaccurate to say that Auchitya is not known to others
before him, for Mahima Bhattaraka and even Anandavardhana
suggested this touchstone for the assessment and evaluation of
accomplishment and beauty of a poetic artifact.
It is not possible to go into the various propositions and their
ramifications at the hands of succeeding lakshanikas, but it must
be said that familiarity with various concepts and craft-related
devices used in imaginative writing would be useful to the
aspirants of poetry.
He showed the path to progressive trends in literature in those
hoary times when dogmatic approach was the order of the day.
Some ten centuries after him the humanity woke to the necessity
of ushering in progressive outlook in literature, more especially
after the Russian revolution of 1919. In a way Kshemendra
combined in himself the characteristics of a prophet and a poet.
He brought down the poetry from the ethereal heights to the
matter of fact and real dimensions.
The style which he employs deserves some mention before we
close this paper. Style is defined as a mode of expression and we
shall have to examine as to how Kshemendra acquits himself in
this field. We know already that he uses very simple words,
avoids lengthy compounds and ambiguous epithets. His appeal is
direct. He does not believe in traversing zigzag when shorter
routes are available; with the use of simple straight and chiseled
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words he produces the maximum effect. This is his immortal

contribution to Sanskrit literature.
Kshemendra had pleaded for on the ground that the observance
of 27 forms of Auchitya guarantees the excellence of poetry. True,
the Western world has never been unaware of Auchitya; for, even
Aristotle had stressed its importance under the head of ‘Prepon’
and Horace had stood for ‘decorum’. But Ksemendra's theory of
Auchitya is far more penetrating and far more broad-based than
either of the two Western doctrines of ‘Prepon’ and ‘Decorum’.
By applying the theory of Auchitya to poems like “To a Skylark”,
“Ode to the West Wind” and “Adonais” the charges levelled
against Shelley by critics like Arnold and F.R. Leavis can be
successfully met and justice can be done to the genius of the poet.
The theory can also reveal the mystery of Milton's apparently
misplaced glorification of Satan in the opening books of the
Paradise Lost. The application of the theory of Auchitya to the
vexed question of several episodes in the great novels of the
world can bring out the significance of those apparently
irrelevant episodes. Evidently, the theory is very broad and
universal in its appeal and can enrich our reading not only of
Indian texts but also of non-Indian texts.
In the beginning of 9th century Anandavardhana followed
Bhamaha’s position on Vakrokti. He considered it as synonymous
with hyperbole. But his real contribution lay in relating Vakrokti
to ‘Auchitya’ (propriety) as he stressed that,
“The Vakrokti should be used in accordance with the context.”
Bhoja saw the whole literature in three categories as:
1) Svabhavokti (Natural Expression)
2) Vakrokti (Oblique Expression)
3) Rasokti (Expression capable of pleasing, sentiments)
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But Vakrokti that was endowed with large scope by Bhamaha was
narrowed down to just a figure of speech later. It was Kuntaka
who intensely thought on various aspects of Vakrokti. He may, in
fact, be called a direct descendent of Bhamaha.
Indian poetics, on one hand has recognized the significance of
pure literary elements and discussed and analyzed them purely
subjectively. On the other hand, it has concentrated on their
Propriety, in its Auchitya theory. Raghavan in Some Concept of
the Alankarshastra remarks:
“Auchitya is a very large principle within whose orbit comes
everything else.
All the other theories run at the back of Auchitya, which leads the
van.”
Moreover, he says, if there is harmony or beauty as such, innate in
every part of great poetry, it is this Auchitya.
Abhinav Gupta criticizes those critics, who consider Auchitya
more essential to poetry than Rasa. He says that one cannot be
indiscreetly using the word Auchitya by itself; further he defines
Auchitya as.
“A relation and that to which things are on should be in that
relation must be first grasped.”
Hence, according to Abhinavgupta, Auchitya is understandable
without something else to which things are ‘Uchit’ - appropriate.
Thus, Indian poetics related critical concerns to non-literary
elements, special and temporal factors and their propriety. The
western poetics however is almost silent on the question of
Auchitya,
But it should not be ignored here that Indian poetics did not
consider certain non-literary elements like society and history as
deeply and intensely as its western counterpart did with its
sociology approach to literature in particular.
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VYANJANA
There is another concept without which Kavya is not complete.
Vyanjana is that function of the word which discloses the vyangya
or the suggested meaning. The consequence of Vyanjana in poetry
cannot be overstated but subtle. Rasa which is the epitome of
Kavya can become apparent or visible only through Vyanjana and
it is the suggested sense which makes Kavya beautiful and
charming.
Vyanjana is understood as:
1. Based on lakshana
2. Based on abhidaa.
When we say gangayam goshah, the word ganga denotes the
stream. This is the abhidaa or denoted meaning. Further since
there is an incompatibility between ganga and gosha (hamlet), we
adopt the indicated meaning [lakshana] which helps us
understand ganga as ganga tata – the bank. The prayojana or
purpose for resorting to the indicated meaning is to highlight that
the qualities of ganga [sacredness, coolness, etc.] are present in
the hamlet also due to its closeness. Thus Vyanjana is required to
realize the prayojana or phala or the intended purpose.
For example in gangayamgoshah, the special qualities which are
cognised in the bank ie.,sacredness and so on are grasped through
a function which is different from abhidhaa, lakshanaa and
tatparyaa. That function is called vyanjanaa, dhvananaa, dyotanaa
etc. This is an example of vyanjana based on lakshana.
The next category is Vyanjanaa based on Abhidaa. There are 14
conditions in this category.
Samyoga: Contact.
Eg. Hari carrying shankha and chakra. The meaning is restricted
to Vishnu because he is known to have a contact with shankha
and chakra.
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Viprayoga: Separation.
Eg. Hari without shankha and chakra. Again we understand Hari
as Vishnu because he is the only one capable of being separated
from them.
Saahacharya: Association
Eg. Ramalakshmanau. Here meaning of the word Rama is
restricted to son of Dasharatha due to his association with
Lakshmana.
Virodhita: Enmity.
Eg. Ramarjunagatistayoh. Here Rama is Parashurama and Arjuna
is Kartaveeryarjuna. Their known enmity is referred here.
Artha: Purpose.
Eg. Sthanumbhajabhavachchide. Here Sthanu can mean pole or
Shiva. Here it refers to Lord Shiva due to the purpose of
bhavachedana that can be attributed to him.
Prakarana: Context.
Eg. Sarvamjanatidevah. Here the meaning is based on the context.
Devah can mean God or a king. Here it refers to the person
addressed to in that context.
Linga: Peculiar feature.
[Link]. Here makaradhwajah can mean
Manmatha or the ocean. Here kopa or anger can be linked to
Manmatha only.
Shabdantarasannidhi: Proximity of another word.
[Link]. Here again deva can have different
meanings. But due to the proximity with the word purarathe, we
understand Deva as Lord Shiva.
Saamarthyam: Ability.
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[Link]. The word madhu has various

meanings liquor, nectar, honey etc. but the ability to produce
intoxication in kokila exists only in vasantaritu. So madhu here
refers to the season vasanta.
Auchiti: Propriety.
[Link]. Here mukham can mean face,
presence, beginning etc. based on propriety here it means
presence.
Deshah: Place.
[Link] can refer to God and
king. The meaning here is king as the sentence is spoken in the
capital city of a kingdom.
Kalah: Time.
[Link] means sun and fire. If the
sentence is spoken during day, it refers to sun and at night it
refers to fire.
Vyaktih: Gender.
[Link] or [Link] neuter gender means
friend while mitrah masculine gender means sun.
Svara: Accents used in Vedas, namely Udaatta,Anudaatta and
Svarita.
[Link] on the accents, Indrashatru can mean 1. One for whom
Indra will be the killer and 2. Indra’s killer. The first one is a
Bahuvrihi compound and will have Purvapadaprakritiswara or
Adyodaatta. While the second is Tatpurusha compound and is
Antodaatta.

As mentioned earlier in previous episodes, a word has three

functions: it signifies or denotes (abhida); it indicates (lakshana);
and it suggests (Vyanjana). The meaning of a word that we
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understand after the word is uttered is known as primary

meaning or mukhya-artha. The relation and connectivity among
words in a composition is known as Abhida vyapara also known
as the power of denotation or sense.
The suggestive power of the word is through Vyanjana-artha.
Among these elements the Vyanjana Artha, which is the suggested
sense or the essence of the word, is most fascinating. It means
that the connotation of word is not limited to its literal sense; the
word has the power to reach far beyond the obvious and apparent
senses.

Vyanjana Vrtti is another significant suggestive function which is

acquired by the word in a Kavya. It activates the potential hidden
in the word and it acquires meanings that are beauty and
sensitive. The suggestive word, the suggested meaning, the power
of suggestion; and their mutual relationship are virtually the
lifeblood of Indian poetics.
The Vyanjana Artha is the concept through which a Kavya could
be distinguished from ordinary literature. Anandavardhana
through his Dhvanyaloka brought focus on the potential power of
the word in a Kavya. Here, the word (Sabda) together with its
literal sense (Vakyartha) is said to form the body of Kavya, it is
its cloak.
It is said; “In the highest class of Kavya, the denoted meaning
(Vakyartha) and the denoting meaning (Lakshyartha) is
subservient to revealing the suggested sense word (Vyanjana-
artha)”; and , it is called Dhvani by the scholars.
Anandavardhana, in his Dhvanyaloka says that Vyanjanartha (the
un-expressed or the suggested meaning) is Dhvani. It is the
essence of poetry and illuminates the function of suggestion in
Kavya. In other words, in a verbal
expression abhidha and lakshana form the body; and, Vyanjana or
Dhvani is in the nature of its contents.
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The artist has capacity for anticipatory imagination and the

reader has scope for anticipatory realization. Here, Vyanjana acts
as the bridge that carries the art from the artist to the reader.
Usually, Indian rhetoricians and poets see Sabda and Artha as an
inseparable pair. In the Mangala Sloka to Raghuvamsa, Kalidasa
invokes Parvati and Parameswara to help him make a synthesis
between Sabda and Artha. Here Kalidasa invokes the power of
Vyanjana. Without it, even a great artist cannot produce a great
work of art.
In phonetics, speech sounds are formed as a result of certain
adjustments of the speech mechanism, and meaning is quite
different from this. Thus organically, the two cannot be
harmonized. But here too, the synthesis is made possible, by the
power of Vyanjana.
Ordinary words grouped in a creative approach with their
primary sense, compose structure. In other words, the creative
collocation of Sabda, Artha, Guna, Dosha, Riti and Alankara
constitute literary form. The sense which is beautiful, the sense
that is charming, constitutes content. The great synthesis between
literary form and literary content is made possible by the power
of Vyanjana.
Anandavardhana was the first to recognize and explain
successfully the theory of Dhvani/Vyanjana. Prior to him, Valmiki
and Kalidasa had recognized the importance of Vyanjana.
Vyanjana is considered important in a Kavya because it involves
suppression, not of the ordinary type, but of the agreeable type
and gives us a delicate impression described as artistic thrill. It
enables us to feel that we have done with the compartmental
slicing of Sanskrit literature into different genres. It enables us to
feel that we have done with matters related to Alankara Shastra.
Vyanjana should be interpreted as the power of, suggestibility
tending to comprehension of Rasa. Vyanjana enables us to adopt
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the right view towards literature. It enables us to ask the right

questions.
There is an element of novelty in Vyanjana/suggestion that makes
it interesting and charming. The suppressed idea has an
appearance of freshness or ‘newness’ for the time being. In
Vyanjana there is scope for an intellectual quest that leads to
some conquest. Quest and conquest are themselves charming
enough to generate interest.
When things are hidden from view, the charm of the object is
enhanced. It is said that ‘concealment lends charm’ – ‘Gudham sat
camatkaroti’. Likewise, when the suggested element is revealed
after some degree of concealment, it proves to be attractive.
Vyanjana makes it possible for art, for every suggestive art, to re-
live its life in itself through a purely artistic process and to find its
fulfillment and consummation in a definitely artistic purpose. This
is the real secret behind the attractiveness of Vyanjana.
I hope that you found this video helpful in your understanding of
theories of Auchitya and Vyanjana.