08. Dhwani: The Hidden Soul of Poetry

SriRamaJayam

08. Dhwani: The Hidden Soul of Poetry

In Dhvanyaloka by Aanandavardhanan, he says a poet can turn simple things into an interesting Kavyam.

Verse:

यानेव शब्दान् (चार्थान्) वयमालपामः 

यानेव शब्दान् (चार्थान्) वयमुल्लिखामः।

तैरेव विन्यास विशेष भव्यैः 

सम्मोहयन्ते कवयो जगन्ति॥

Yāneva śabdān vayam-ālapāmaḥ 

yāneva cārthān vayam-ullikhāmaḥ |

Taireva vinyāsa viśeṣa bhavyaiḥ 

sammohayante kavayo jaganti ||

In Dhvanyaloka, Anandavardhana discusses the concept of Dhwani (suggestive meaning) in poetry, arguing that poetry's true essence lies in its ability to evoke hidden meanings beyond the literal sense of words. This specific verse reflects how poets, using familiar words and phrases, can create profound, evocative meanings through their skillful arrangement and composition.

As Nilakantha Diksita says:

A poet, gifted with the genius of extraordinary composition (vinyāsa viśeṣa bhavyaiḥ), can transform even commonplace situations into captivating episodes.

Poets use the same words we use, but they use them so effectively that they enchant (mayakkaraan) the audience.

Dhwani – Hidden Meaning. The soul (Aathma) of Kaavyam is Dhwani (suggestive meaning). Finding this Aathma is challenging, as it cannot be directly seen (கண்ணுக்கு தெரியாது), but it can be felt and experienced (அனுபவிக்கத்தக்கது).

Just as a diamond hidden in the earth must be discovered and extracted, the beauty of Dhwani must be unearthed through effort and understanding.

SarvamSriKrishnarpanam