Chapter IV.

POETIC TfIEORI ES OF RICHARDS AND AAHINAVA G[JPTA

Every writer and for that matter every critic will have

a number of critics. I.A. Richards has had a heavy share of

adverse criticism.l The poetics of Richards is basically

expressive and affective, and there is no question of any

supercriticism annihilating it. We do not propose to go

into the criticisms against Richards. Sufficient for our

purpose to accept that as a school of new criticism, the

poetics of Richards is as much respected to day as ever

before.

What engages our attention in the poetics of Richards

and elicits our admiration for him is the astonishing

similarity of his poetic theory with the aesthetic

principles of Indian Acharyas like Abhinava Gupta at

various levels.

The poetic theory of Richards is affective, so also is

the poetics of Abhinava Gupta. I t is true that the poetics

of Richnrdv is psychologicnl clnd s c l c n t i f i c . N C ! V C ~ L ~ ~ C ~ C S H

there is u strain of neo-Platonism undergirding his theory,

which he has imbibed from his study of Coleridge. Richards

and co-authors refer to Coleridge in The Foundations

Aes-thetics trnd there is r l discussior~ of Lhc theory of

Coleridge in Princi~les Literary C-. Coleridge

was a neo-Platonist; as Kanti Chandra Pandey has shown in

his Comparative Aesthetics, there is considerable similarity

between the philosophy of Plotinus and the philosophy of

Saiva Advaita. This may be at bottom the reason why the

poetic theory of Richards has so much similarity with the

poetics of Abhinava Gupta on the poet, the poem,the reader-

response, and poetic experience.

ITI his P-riwj~.l~s d Literary L!riticism, 1 . A . Ilichards

gives an account of the equipment of the poet. This he does

i r ~ the l i g h t o f thc psychologicul Cinrli~~gs nt his d i s p o s t ~ l .

'The Ancient Indian Actiaryas had their owr~ understanding of

the human mind and in the light of thnt they formulated

their conception of pratibha.

The Indian aphorism on the poet that the poet is the

sole sovereign in the boundless empire of poetry reminds one

of the similar description of poets, given by poets like

Blake and S h e l l e ~ . ~ Such descriptions are figurative,

not scientific.

Another aphorism says that:

"A poet should know a lot about the world

Must have mastery over a number of subject^".^

The Indian Acharyas have written about the learning,

training, and skill acquired by the poet. But they are of

little avail unless the poet is gifted with genius. The

genius of the poet is inborn and not what he acquires.

Poets are born and not made.

We have seen that according to the Indian Aesthetician

the linll-mark of A genius is its power lo crcatc sorrlcthing

that has never existed b e f ~ r e . ~ A born poet can ncver he a

plagiarist, The Indian aestheticians believed that the mind

of a poet is a mystery. Every poet has a store-house of

memories. Indian aestheticians speak of vaasana,7 which

may be explained as the experience of the past stored in the

gene.

The poet according to Indian Acharyas is a 'cranta

darsi', one who can penetrate into the mystery o f things,

one who has an insight into the truth of things which others

fail to observe. The poet is sensitive to the beauties of

life. He hears, sees, smells and touches certain aspects

of things that others have not been able to experience.

The poet is a vaacasyati,9 one who has command over

words. His symbol-weaving power, his metaphor-making

capacity is a god-given gift. He has bhaavana or creative

imagination. It is bhaavana1° that helps a poet conceive

ti l i y w o k I c I i t i 1 . Ir~dinrl c~c:;li~cLicir~r~s d i t l

not hesitate to compare the creative artist with the Creator

himself, the difference between them being only a matter of

degrees not of kind.ll Whoever knows how the Lord Creator

created each of the items in the universe. The process of

creation is inexplicable, a mystery.

The Indian exposition of the equipment of a poet is

neither so scientific nor so psychological in analysis as

the exposition of 1.A Richards. But i t has philosophical

depths. Richards is meticulously scientific in his

exposition of the poet's mind. Though he is reluctant to

qualify the poet as a genius or heirophant he concedes to

the poet certain remarkable qualities and special gifts.

According to Richards a poet is pre-eminently

accessible to external influences and is discriminate with

regard to them. He enjoys a freedom which enables him to

let his impression form new relations. The difference

between an ordinary man and the poet consists in the range,

delicacy and freedom of the connection he is able to make

between the different elements of his experiences. Richards

says that cvery state of mind is available to the poet and

he can rcvive any of his experiences. According to lndinn

Aestheticlans, no1 only memories, even vaasana, the latent

inclinations inherent in the poet can be revived.

The Poetic Process.

Itichartls l~~nkcs his uriulysis of poelic process

s~icnlific. In ordcr lo explain i t hc uses such subllc

terms as vigilance, attitude and attention. The poet

organises the impulses that he values coherently. The

Indian Aesthetician uses a different terminology

altogether. The words used are bhaavana, bhanva, rasn,

rasana, and the like.

Richards speaks of the poetic process in precise

psychological lcrnls.

"ln a high statc of vigilance the ricrvoiis system

reacts to the stinluli with highly adapted

discriminating and ordered responses."l2

Abhirlt~va Ciupln Says :

"Genius is enabled to create poetry that is lucid

and beautiful when i t is excited with emotion".13

This description of Abhinava Guptu is more similar to

what Wordsworth has said about the poetic process than

what Richards has said about i t . Richards gives a

psychologicnl description of what happens in the mind of a

poet at the moment of poetic creation. But the question may

bc raised how a high state of vigilance is caused in the

mind of the poet. Certainly he builds this scientific

explanation on the foundations laid by Coleridge.

We have seen how Richards quotes Coleridge in his book,

'Coleridge on Imagination'. According to Coleridge i t is

emotive i~nngir~rltion that creates a heightened state of

consciousness in the poet. I t is in this state of heightened

slatc of corlsc iou8ncss, that thc rlcrvous system retlches n

high state of vigilance.

Coleridge says:

I t is poetic imagination that puts life and beauty

into objects. This essence or character was not in

the material, but in the conceiving mind by virtue

of its imaginative power. By virtue of

imaginative power the poet identifies himself

with the object. The perceiving and the forming

are the same. The subject has gone into what i t

pe t c c i v r : i , 8 0 I 0 I > U ( . ~ I I I U N 1 1 1 ~ . ::IIIII~C(:L 111111

the subject becomes object.14

Coleridge's exposition of the poet's activity has much

in common with Bharata's explanation of the creative

process. In Bharata's poetics, the raw material of the poet

is none other than the material world of man bristling with

fcclir~gs, elnotion ar~d sentirner~ts. Uut thesc actur~l crnotio~~s

are not aesthetic in themselves. Mental states in life are

accoalpanietf by pleasure and pain. An artist puts them into

n put Lerri of his own rllakir~g in his i~r~aginatior~. 'I'hesc

patterned mental states are bhaavaas.15 The process of

creative imagination that transforms emotion into patterns

is 'btini~vunn' , or the imaginal ive process. 'This facul ty is

a pre-requisite ol the poet.

I I I . Ernr)cll l~y ar,d Vaasuna.

Richards' theory of empathy is modern, a contribution

of I I I O I ~ I I : y c l ~ o l o y . Ycl i t I)c111's LOIII~)ILI' i :;on w i t 1 1 1111.

Indian concept of 'vaasana'.

We have already explained what empathy is, In the

cou~.:ic of ot~r' I i v i rl);, we 111 lr i f . 1 ~ 1 ~ >) O I I I ~ I I I O I I ~ ? ; o f (111 I 1 1 l'c 01,

experience to lifeless objects. They are thus enriched

with our experiencc and blended with them. 1,atcr wherl we

encounter the111, they revive in us our own experience of them

spccir~lly I I I I ~ I I I I I L C I I 11y 11s r1r1(1 111(:y ~IIIIII,(!:;:I 11;: 11s IIIIJ(.I:I:I r ~ l '

beauty.

The Indian Acharyas spoke of memories of the past, even

of previous births being revived in us by certain objects by

virtue of instincts inherited from past birth, which they

called 'vaasana'. In the modern context i t is hard to

entertain a belief in birth cycles. Yet i t may be argued

that the genes of ours are store-houses of memories. The

Indian aestheticians qualify these memories as the fragrance

transnlittetl from one 1,irLti to another or vncisana. I 1 is by

virtue of vaasana that is highly potent in the poet, that

the poet gets inspired by certain objects at certain

Illonlrllls. Tl~c t hcor'y of en~pr~tl~y socks t o ~ o r t I(II t l~c

~l~ystcry by which certain objects appeal to the poet as

beautiful . l o The theory of vaasana also attempts to explain

why certain experiences rather than certain other

experiences kindle the imagination of the poet.

The self and the non-self.

Richards has given us a masterly exposition of the

impact of the non-self on the self. Abhinava Gupta also

gives us an account of the interaction between the self and

the non-self. On the surface, there is little similarity

between their approaches, yet the approaches have much in

common.

'I'hc poel is rlol a passive receiver of st ilnul i , but an

agenl active in handling the stimuli. The stimuli produce

in the poet a number of impulses. According to I.A.

Richards, the power of the impulses extends from crude

sensation to the highest sensations responsible for

civilization. An impulse is a physico-chemicul happening.

Even in everyday life we seek to organize such impulses, we

suppress a lot of impulses and work on the basis of only a

few impulscs. I.A. Richards says, that in handling the

I I I I ~ U l s c s tlic poct is (I I Tfcrcnt frorr~ o r t l inar y pcol)le. 'l'l~c

poet does no1 suppress these impulses; he organizes them.

According to Richards the internal system of attitude

fortnntinr~ ccir1si::lr: o r rl scric,; or l i r ~ l { i r ~ } { cc)r~(:t!lll:~ wl~i<:lt

include, integration, equilibrium, stability, poise, unity,

attention, vigilance and feelings.

I n n state of vigilance the self rencts with 'highly

adapted discriminating ordered responses'. l 7

The attitude of the poet is decisive in his response to

Lhc r~orl-self. Ile is vigilant at the creative mornent. lie

concentrates his attention on the organization of his

~ I I I ~ I I l:i(?:i. WC III I V C :ICI:II that ' 1 I o r I:i Ll~e LCII(I(:IIO~ I I ~

a distinguished system to regain equipoise.18 Equipoise is

Lhe key-word in Ogden, in Sherrington and in I.A. Richards.

1 1 1 : > j ~ i L c o r Ilia L*~II.[IC:~L clc>~ir.c 1c1 l~c 1 1 : ; : ~ ~ i c ~ ~ t l l ' l c i~:i

possible in his analysis of his poetic process, Richards

calls to witness Coleridge as and when he deems i t

necessary. Coleridge describes the process of poetic

creation in terms that border the mystical.

Coleridgc writes:

Now so to place these images totalised and fitted

to the lirllits of the humnn r~rirltl as to elicit fro111

and to superinduce upon the forms themselves the

1 1 1 o r i 1 1 ~cl'lcclior~:~ to wl~ich Ll~cy t~l)~>~.oxi~~~ulc, Lo

make the external internal, the internal external

to make nature thought and thought nature, this is

Illc mystery in the 'Pinc Arts'.I9

The sin~ilarity between Coleridge's exposition of the

creative process and Abhinava Gupta's explanation of the

crenLivc art is pronounced. Colcridgc says:

"....it is the rays of the intellect that are

sct~t tcrcli th~oughout the in~r~gcs of rliiturc." 20

In Abhinnva GupLa thc ullimate rcality is Sivri which is

'caitanya', which is effulgence. I t reflects itself in

milrly Sorl~~s i r ~ i~~tlivitlut~ls, clritl objccls. Siva cr~itrinyt~ i:;

in each individual as sarnvit, unlike as in advuita, in Siva

advaita, the individuals have a reality of their own. The

samvit is a radiant

In thc philosophy of Saiva Advaita everything is Siva.

The limited individual human soul is Siva itself. I t is the

cognilion of Siva in one-self, that gives i t the highest

joy. This is pratyabhigna, the realization of one self as

Siva. The objects in nature are also reflections of Siva

Sakti. When the poet is able to recognise and identify

this Siva in an object, he gets sheer delight. This is

p r a t ~ a b h i g n a . ~ ~

The radiant self perceives the radiance in the object

and expresses i t in his poetry or drama. In Abhinava Gupta

a t o t a l b l e n d i n g a n d m e r g i n g o f t h e o b j e c t a n d s u b j e c t d o e s

n o t l i t k c p l ; ~ c c r~ntl . , trcl~ o hlcr l t l i r rg i s rrot i l l i l l 1 I f o r

t h e s u h j c c t arrd o h j c c t a r e rntlni f e s t a t ~ o r ~ s o r t l rc s c l l - s a m e

s o u ~ c c , Sr v d . Irl irlysl i c a l a s we1 l as i ~ e s t h e t i c c x l ~ e c i e n c c s

w h a t r c a l l y h a p p e n s i s t h a t t h e s e l f w h i c h i s S i v n

r e c o g n i s c s t h e n o r l - s e l f a s ~ i v n . ~ ~ A c c o r d i r r g t o At)h i n i ~ v a

G u p t n , h o t h t h e 11oct c~rld t h e s a h r u d r l y a h a v e t h i s c a p a c i t y t o

r e c o g r l i s c S i v ; i o r t t r c c i ~ p a c i t y o r p r o t y i ~ b h i g r r a . T h c r c i ~ d c r

g e t s j o y when he r e c o g n i s e h i s own e x p e r i e n c e s i n t h e

e x p e r i e n c e s o r Lhc p o e t , when h e i s i n p e r f e c t h a r m o n y w i t h

w h a t h e f i n d s i n t h e poem.

L e t u s i n t h i s c o n t e x t , r e c o u n t w h a t C o l e r i d g e h a s s a i d

a b o u t t h e same p r o c e s s . A s p o i n t e d o u t e a r l i e r C o l e r i d g c

s a y s t h a t t h e perceiving a n d f o r m i n g a r e t h e s a m e :

" I 1 , 1 1 1 1 1 , , I I I I I I I . ! i I l l <I w l l l l I I I

p e r c e i v e s o r i n t o t h e o b j e c t . I n t h i s w h a t i t

r e c e i v e s i s i t s c l f . T h u s t h e s u b j e c l : I )ccor~rcs t h c

o b j e c t a n d t h e o b j e c t s u b j e c t " . 2 4

I n o n e o f h i s poems C o l e r i d g e w r i t e s ;

" I n o u r l i f e a l o n e d o e s n a t u r e l i v e . . 11 25

R i c h a r d s w i l l n o t p u t h i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e p r o c e s s

i n s u c h t e r m s . Bu t h e makes i t c l e a r t h a t u poem i s t h e

e x p r e s s i o r ~ o f ilrr o r g u r l i s e d i m p u l s e - c o m p l e x r a t h e r . t h a n i t r c

d e s c r i p t i o n o f a n e x t e r n a l o b j e c t . T h e p o e t i s b a s i c a l l y

subjective in his approach rather than objective, in so far

; ir : i 1 i i s I I I I I I I l l ~ i ~ l i~c.

expresses irl his poem. But there is r~othirlg personal about

i t . According to Richards a poet does not express his own

personality in his poem. He is rather expressing an

impersonal 2nd universal emotional complex. This complex is

what he has made, not something that he has taken from any

external objecl.

When Abhinava Gupta says that everything is Siva, he

means that what the poet expresses is impersonal and

universal rather than personal. Ye1 i t is something that

he has made.

In Abhinava Gupta, the poet recognises in the poem the

ut~ivt:r.stll Sivi~. ' I I r L I I I I L i : i S i V I L I.CI.:~I]<II I:;(.:: I I I ~ ! I\OII..

self too as Siva.

In Colcridge what the subject perceives as t h e object

is itself the subject. The subject becomes the object and

the object the subject.

In Richards poetry is the expression of what the poet

forms in his mind out of the reconciliation of the stirr~uli

in him. I'octry is tt~c expression of the higl~ly orgflni7cd and

ordcrcd ilnpulscs in the n~inrl of the poet. This inlpu1:;e-

complex is in~persontll and universal. 26

Inherent Structure.

Abllilltlvil ( ; u l > L u tloc?; 1101 say Lhtll 1i1ci.c is i r ~ ttlc mir~d

of every persor~ an inhercnt structure in the way in which

Sherrington speaks of structure. But he says that every

poct has his samvit or consciousness which consists of

elr~otior~ as well as intellect.

The Indian Aestheticinns talk not only of samvit they

speak of 'bhaavana' which is capable of weaving grand

conceptions into sublime verbal structures. Also they speak

of 'vi~nsunn' wl~ich is ilcquirc(1 at t i ludt:. 13ut Ltlc !$I~f~pii~f:

faculty is the samvit, the bodha, the consciousness. I t is

the structure-forming capacity inherent in every poet.

I i:: I v y : o r rot o~lly I l ~ c * : I I I V I I l r ~ l l

certain permanent basic emotions which determine his/her

rcsposc 10 cxtcrr~rtl 1 i 1 1 i . 'rtiesc n1.c terrl~crl.

staayiibhnavaas, which are store-houses of specific types of

emotions. As we have already seen there are nine of them.

"These primary emotions arc the arnorous, thc ludicrous the

pathetic, the heroic, the passionate, the fearful, the

nauseating, the wondrous". We may add the peaceful. 2 7

Richards also says something similar:

Sl iml~lrrl irlg si turlt ions give ~rist: 10 witlc-s~~~.cntl

repercussions through out the body as clearly

marked colouring of consciousness. Those patterns

i r ~ organic responses are fc:ir., grief, .joy ;lrltl

i~rlger, i ~ r ~ t l other emolior~al states. They arise

for Lllc rr~osl part when yern~anent or periodical

tendencies of the individual are suddenly either

f ~ c i l itated or f r u s t r ~ t e d ~ ~ .

T:C;II' and gricr ilre pal terns I : r ~ i . s t I , "The

stayiibhaavaas too have their structures and patterns.

Richards, describes the emotional states which are fear and

grief as feelings29. These states are dynamic. Fecl ings

I 1 1 i ~ I I 1w0 w:ly:i. Fi 1.5 1 1 y W ~ C I I wc :ICIISC SOIIICLII i 11% I ) U ~

sensation is caused by what we sense. Secondly when we

refer to something absent, if the present situation is

similar to the sensation which in the past has coincided

wiL11 i t , i t I I I I ' I t I I I I ' I : c I I I I ~ : I . I ~ I ~ : I I I I I . ( I ; I

saw that i t shall be so in more intricate nlnemonic sign-

situations3O

As Krishna Moorthy in his interpretation of Bharatn's

rasa siddhanta writes :

But the actual passions in the world are not

artistic in themselves, mental states in life arc

accompanied with their pleasures and pains. When

nrl artist turns to thcn~, he puts thcnl into ;I

pilttelrl of his own making in his imaginatir)n, a

pat t e ~ n which never existed before on earth. Only

t h e s e p a t t e r n e d m e n t a l s t a t e s , o b e y i n g a law of

c r c n l i v c : j:cl~ i 11:; i t ! ~ I I I ~ L ~ , ~ I I I I L ~ ' I I I I c lc : ;c~~vc I I I l)c

t e c h n i c a l l y c a l l e d b h a a v a a ~ . ~ ~

The p a t t e r n t h e a r t i s t imposes on h i s f e e l i n g s i s h i s

own c r e a t i o n , t h e p r o d u c t o f h i s s e n s e o f p a t t e r n t h : ~ t i s

i n h e r e n t i n him.

Rasa and s e n s a t i o n s . --

T h e r e a r e s i m i l a r i t i e s be tween Abh inava G u p t a ' s t h e o r y

o r I~II! ; : I ; I I I ~ l ? i 1 : 1 1 1 1 r . c 1 3 ' c:c>r1ccpLio11 ! . I ~ ~ I ! ; I I ~ ~ I ) I I ! ; .

Abhinava Gup ta s a y s t h a t a s soon a s n c r e a t u r e i s b o r n

i t becomes imbued w i t h ' s a m v i t s ' o r fo rms of c o n s c i o u s n e s s .

'l'11cr.c a r c ;I t I c i ~ s t rl i r i u s t t r i ~ y i i bhni~vnri:: I I : ~ w(! t l c ~ v c ::c.<:r\.

'I 'l~c d c s i r c t o c r ~ j o y o n e s e l f s p r i n g s fro111 r a l i , and s o t h e

o t l ~ c r bhc~:~vclr~s n r i:;c o u t o r t h e s c nicrll;~ l : ; t ; l t c s . Al) l~ir~f~v: l

Gup ta s a y s Lhat no c r e a t u r e i s d e v o i d of t h e s e m e n t a l s t a t e s

o r ' c i t t a v r i t t i v a a s a n a a s ' . 3 2 ' R i c h a r d s a l s o s p e a k s of t h e

r e s p o n s e s s u c h a s f e a r , g r i e f , ar~cl joy ar~tf a n g e r . '

R i c h a r d s s a y s t h a t t h e r e may o f t e n be a dominant

: , e n s a t i o n which h e l p s t h e u n i f i c i l t i o r ~ o f t h e i m p u l s e s .

C:oleridge h a s s a i d t h a t t h e p o e t m o d i f i e s a s e r i e s of

111o11):Iil I I o r r c l n ~ i t ~ t ~ L I I I I L t r c c l i ~ ~ j : , . . I t w t l * ,

. J . S . M i l l who s t l id t h a t i m a g i n a t i v e w r i t i n g woultl a l w a y s

possess~'some dominant feelings'. poetry is feeling itself,

any thoughts which fecl ings suggest are carried t ~ l o n g

irresistibly by the current of feelings. According to the

Indian aestheticians the poet unifies the emotional

responses evoked by stimulants, either external or internal

with a dominant emotion. He gives i t a verbal structure

which functions as vibhaava. This vibhaava is n complex of

basic emotions, floating emotions and their environment.

Thus vibhaava with its floating emotion and attendant

context is competent to evoke powerful emotions.

V1. Communication.

We have seen how Richards has given us a masterly

analysis of the process of communication. He says:

"All that occurs is that under ccrtain conditions

separate minds have closely similar experiences.

We start then from the mutual isolation and

severance of minds. Their experience at best

under the most formidable circumstances can be but

similar. 1133

Richards makes i t clear that communication is easy

between people whose circumstances have corresponded. An

exceptional fund of common experience is needed if people in

the absence of special communicative gifts active and

receptive are to communicate. In difficult instances past

similarities in experience have to be evoked. Sometimes the

s~>c:~kcr- n~itsl hinlsc 1 r si~l~ply t ~ r l t l cor~lr'ol n Inr'gc 1 of' lhc

causes of the listener's experiences. The listener has to

overconle i r ~ elcvant intrusion from his past exper iences.

Rich;~rds says:

Communication takes place when onc mind so acts

upon its enviror~rncnt t t ~ r ~ t another mind i:;

influenced and in that other mind an experience

occurred which is like the experience in the first

mind and is caused in part by that experience.

~ ~ ' ~ I I I I I I I J I I ~ C I I ~ iot~s irlvol virlg ; ~ t 1 i tutlc i~tc tlccpcr lht~n

those in which references alone are

corrlrnur~icatcd. "

A I i I 1 1 1 I I I I A I I I I I 1 1 1 1 . 1 1 1 1 1 . 1 111111

the reader have the slaay i ibhaava and vyabicaar ibhnnvaasa

i I ~ I I I I I I O ~ I . Norlnal l y comnlorl objecls irl N?tlirrc do rloL i~rousc

uncorc~mon feelings in the ordinary man, b u t they may appeal

lo Ll~c scnsihi lily o T Ltte poet, Tor he rltily see i r ~ them

unconlrrlon aspects. Super sensitive as he is, the poet can

straight away get an insight into the essence of an object.

But the ordinary man needs an aesthetic object to help him

realize the beauty of the objects in nature.

V c t l d Ii<~rrdhu points ouL that Ilrdian acsthet i ~ i n r ~ h a v c

no1 gone into the proccss of poetic crcat ior~ as much as the

w c s t c l n l i t e r a l y t h e o r i s t s . But he p o i n t s t h a t Abhinava

Guptn s e e s t h c w i d t h and e s s e n c e of t h e r a s a t h a t f l o w s f rom

tl~c. ~ x ' c l i n t n 1I1c [ 'OCIII ; l r l c l Tlolll t l ~ c [ I O ~ I I I t o I l ~ c I { , ~ I I I I , I .

Rasa e x p e r ~ e n c e d by t h e p o e t i s t h e c a u s e , t h e r a s a

en~bctltlccl i n t h e pocm i', t h c e f f e c t , i~rlrl t h e r a s a

expe l ~ e t l c c t l b y t h e r t n t l e r i s l h c f ' i r ~ a l r c s u l t o r f r u i t ; 3 4

The s o u r c c of en joymen t of r e a d e r i s t h e poem . The

f o u n t a i n s p r i n g of r a s a i s t h e p o e t .

A i I : I I w I i I r i l l ctl w i 111 i I I ten:;c

en lo t ion expresses h i m s e l f i n p o e t r y . However b y anti l a r g e

I n d i a n A e s t h e t i c i a n s have n o t e x p l a i n e d i n d e t a i l how r a s a

i s awakened i n t h e p o e t . The p o e t i s s e n s i t i v c . C e r t a i n

I I I i t I I I I I l I I III:I I I I I I I I I w l 1 1 1 I I I ~ I ! I I ! I C , < . I I I O I I ~ I I I I I I C I

f e e l i n g s . 'I'he p o e t imposes a p a t t e r n up011 t h e in rpu l se s s o

R ~ O I I S C ~ ~ . T I C ~ O ~ I I I ! ~ i l bhnavn-complcx o r t h c s e i111pu 1 :;c:: i111d

t h r o u g h a v e r b a l s t r u c t u r e t r a n s m i t s i t t o t h e r e a d e r .

I . A . R i c h a r d s a g r e e s w i t h t h e p s y c h o l o g i s t t h a t o u r

minds a l e p r i v a t e , b u t a l l t h c same we a r c a b l e t o

communicate b e c a u s e of " a l l i n e a c h o f e v e r y m i n d " 3 5 .

P e r f e c t communica t ions depend upon t h e e f f o r t made by t h e

p o e t t o r e c r e a t e i n t h e mind of t h e r e a d e r t h e same m e n t a l

s t c i t e he h a s c x p e r i c i l c c d . 11 poem i s e f f e c t i v e when o r ~ l y i t

a c c o m p l i s h e s t h i s t a s k . R i c h a r d s p o i n t s o u t t h a t a l l

1-c;1del-s III~LY 1101 bc equally qualified. Also there are

1 i I . I . r I I . I I i r ~ i I ! w 1 1 w(.

bring to Lhern.

Poetry communicates attitudes which are not accessible

elscwhere.

Accortlir~g to the lrlcliar~ Aestheticiilr~s the mir~d of thc

sahrudaya or reader is cultivated in two ways, one through

a process of common place inference, two through living

experiences. When the reader encounters a poem or a drama,

1 I I I L s1;~Lc wi L ~ I iL:; cor rc:,por~tlir~g i~ffcctiorl woulcl ilrisc

in his mind, and there is concordance of heart.

In this there is concordance of heart. In this there

i :: {I : : I 1 1 1 I . <,I' , . ~ I I i I l 1 , 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 . '1'11i: I C I L I I C I ~ , L I L : I 1 . 1 1 ~ j t < , < , l i t

experience without the steps of inference , memory and the

like. The essence of such an experience is cognitive

chewing; cognition consists in a sense of identification or

at oneness with what is perceived. When the mind of the

reader becomes identified with what he perceives he

experience:; Lhe joy of carvana or cognitive chewing or

cognitive relish.36

The Principle of Communication Process is substnntinlly

the same in both Richards and Abhinava GupLa despite the

differences in their approaches. And now let us see how far

t h e y a g r e e i n t h e i r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e r o l e o f t h e med ium.

Wc htlvcs s e e n hclw I< ic11:ir d s I I ; I S ~ I \ V I I s u b t l c

d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n r e f e r e n t i a l l a n g u a g e a n d e m o t i v e

I a r ~ g u n g c .

' I ' l~e r e f e r e n t i ; l l 1 ; ~ r i g u a g e i s s c i e n t i f i c , i t h ; ~ s s p e c i f i c

r l i ean ings . I t i s p r e c i s e , u n a m b i g u o u s a n d l a y s e m p h a s i s t o

correspondence t o f a c t . I t b a s e s i t s e l f u p o n a l o g i c a l

s t r u c t u r e .

E m o t i v e l a n g u a g e i s d i f f e r e n t f r o m s c i e n t i f i c l a n g u a g e .

I t e x p r e s s e s attitudes a n d e m o t i o n s r a t h e r t h a n i d e a s . Many

n r r ; i r i g e m c n t s o f worcls a r e t h c r e w h i c h e v o k c a t t i t t l d c s

w i l l ~ o u l i111y 1 : 1 1 I I I I L . '1'11cy O ~ C I I I ~ C . I i kc

I i I p t i r . ; t ~ ; c s . I t c l ' c ~ . c r ~ c c mtly b e i ~ i v o l v e d ns contl i L i o n s ,

I ~ u t iL i s t h e u t t i t u c l c s Lliat r n a t t c r n r ~ d n o t t h e r e f c r e r ~ c e s .

T h e a t t i t u d e b r i n g s o u t a n d s u p p o r t s t h e a t t i t u d e s t h a t

f u r t h e r r e s p o n s e . Elr~oL i v e l a n g u a g e i s n o t r t : s l r i c t e c l by

a n y l o g i r : ~ l s t r . u c t u i - c . I n p o e t r y , c111o1 ivc 1 1 i 1 a ; c ir; usc:cl

t o s t i ~ r l u l a t c a t t i t u d e s a n d c r e a t e s t a t e s o f a w a r e r l e s s , t o

3 7 e n g a g e t h e w i l l a n d p r o m o t e i n t e r e s t s .

Acc<lrtl i r i g l o R i c h r ~ r t l s enlot i v c I nrip,u:ljie 11~1:: ;I i ~ o t l y t o

i t , i t e m p l o y s a l l d e v i c e s o f l a n g u a g e , s o u n d , r h y t h m ,

i n l a g c , s t a r i z a i c p a t t c r - r ~ s , t y p o g r a p h y ant1 s o f o r t h .

"Wl~nt are awakened arc feel ings, ntt itudes and

I I , . 1 o 1 t I I I I I I 1 1 1 1 . I I I I I V ~ . i I I

the past situations wi t t ~ which the cniolivc words

arc conjured."D8

1ritliit11 Acsthct icians also makc il [list jnctiorr bctwcerl

referentinl language and emotive language. But their

; . l is i S r r 1 1 . The liir~gu;~gc 1h;ll wc use 111 cvcr-ycli~y

lire is explicit language. I t stands for a fact or an

cvcrrl. I t i : e l c r c ~ ~ t i a l . I t has its logical struclure.

At the same time there is a type of language that is

st~ggest i vc, ; I 1;irlguilgc ihc :;c>ul ~ ) r wliic11 i s iinpI i c i 1 . 'I'hi!:;

moves from the referential level to the emotive level.

Discussion of suggestive language, we have seen, begins

w i I I 1 I i I : I I ' ':;IIOLI' . :;L)IIOLLL IIII:UIIS, ' I J U I : B L O U L ' U I

the energy rclcased when something breaks. Sphota is a

dist i ~ ~ c t ci~lity by ilself. I t is 'urlti~llu budhigsi~i~hycl' or

evcrl "ant inl;~ varnn granhyn" . J:,acll sound-urli t rcvc;] Is the

wholc of sphota, and not a portion of i t . The sphota

revelation is a gradual process. Sphota is vyanjaka, or

what is suggested. 'prakrata dhvani' is 'vyanjaka

sabdaarta vyanjaka', vynnjaka means the suggestor.

In suggestive language literal meaning subordinates

ilsclC to tlic suggested meanings. Anandavardhana insists

that the language of poetry should be suggestive. We have

s e e n how s u g g e s t i v e l a n g u a g e i t s e l f h a s t h r e e l e v e l s .

I i I :111( l I I : I I I I ~ I I ; I I I I I i I t 1 1 I i I I I i ( c : ( I

d c g r c c . I n p o e t r y w h a t i s r l eeded i s v y a n j a k a i r ~ s t i r l c t w i t h

i m p l i c i t b h n a v n o r r a s a , l a n g u a g e c h a r g c d w i t h e n l o t i o n .

P o e t r y i s c o n s t i t u t e d o f l a n g u a g e c h a r g e d w i t h e n l o t i o n s .

P o e t r y i s c o n s t i t u t c r l n f l u r ~ g u a g c s;tcel)c!cl i r i ~ 1 1 : ~ ; ; ~ (111vn11 i ,

t h e suggestion o f p o w e r f u l e m o t i o n s .

W h a t e v e r i s e x p r e s s e d i n l a n g u a g e o v e r a n d a b o v e s o u n d

ilrld s e n s e i s d h v a n i . T h e r e ]nay b e some f o r m s o f t l h v a n i i n

e v e r y d a y l a n h a g e ; b u t t h a t i s l o u k i k a d h v a n i . What i s

e x p r c s s c d i r l p o e t r y i s n o t j u s t l o u k i k n ; , i t i s r;l:;a ( I h v a r ~ i .

The l a n g u a g e o f p o e t r y i s ' k a a v y a v y a a p a a r a g o c a a r a . ' 3 9

W h a t i s cornmur~ic :~tcr l i n p o e t r y i s n o t 1 i t e r a l mc; ln ing

r w l : I , I l 1 C I I I < ~ L I 0 1 1 ( 0 1 . I J I ~ ~ ~ ~ I V I ~ , 11 111(!11 1.11 1 I I . ! . ' 1 ' I l I : i

s t a t e may eve r ] b e d e s c r i b e d a s a t t i t u d e , a l t h o u g h n o t i n t h e

c x i ~ c t . s c ~ > s c ill w h i c h l ( ic l lnr r1s t r i l s u s c ( l Lhc wol-11.

'l'lie r e f c r c r l t i n 1 I ; ~ ~ i g u i i g c i s described ;I:; g u n i l ~ h o o l a

vy;lrrgyn wticrc e v e r y t h i n g i s c x p l i c i t w h c r e w h a t i s e x p r e s s e d

i s 1~1orc ~ ) r o r r o u r i c e d t h a n t h e s u g g e s t i v e . Emot i v e l a n g u a g e

c r o s s e s t h e b o u n d a r y o f g u n i b h o o t a v y a n g y a ; i t i s p a c k e d

wi t11 r:rs;i t l t rvi lni ; i t i s n o t s t r i c t l y bound hy iirly l o g i c a l

s t r u c t u r e .

Irltliclr~ ;~csllic(.icians set store by the rnultiple meaning

I ' I : : ycl I . t i t llrr l v I I i :i : ; I i I I (o

a variety of interpretation. Poetry reaches the level where

i t becomes 'snrvc sarvarta vaacaka : ' . 40

Ariglls Fletctler says : ( I . A . Ricl~iirils, Fssny:; jri

llonou~ - 11. R G - R ? )

"'I'hc gcncral cffccl of Richar(l's c:lr.ly work was a

tremendous explosion of semantic energy - - - . ' I M of Mcarlir~g and P&_nc.i_plcz 521. -- --

Literary Criticism opened out wide, seemingly

~ I I I ' L I I ~ te f-irlds or scrt~:~r~Lic cxpl:~rlc~t iur~>i- -- - . I 1

leads to Coleridge's stress upon the variousness,

thc varieties, the multiplicalities, what E~npson

called ttlc ';tmbiguities of poetic utLt:~-artcc'.~~

The poet and the reader.

According to Indian Aesthcticians, satirudayatva is the

faculty of sclf-identification with the events represented

in Lhc pocm or tflc play.

"It is hrdaya samvada - parity or community of hearts leading to its total merger (Tanmayii Bhaava)" . 4 2

A Salll.utl;ly;l IIILI:; 1 11c1ve 11 is rllir~d S C I I S ~ t ised by 1.cl1cntetl

acquaintance with the reading of poetry.

W I I C I I 111c ~ n i i r i t l t ; l s t c s p o c t r y w i t l ~ t h c f u l I c u n s c n t o f

1 1 1 ~ . 1 1 1 . . 1 I 1 , I I I i : I I v i ~ < l < . { l w i 1 1 1 i I . ' 1 ' 1 1 ( . 1 1 ~ . 1 1 1 1 i : . I !

s l ; r t c . o f ! # i b ~ - n l i o r ~ ;rt lllonlerlts o f c r e a t i v e a p p r e c i ; r l i o n . I n

s u c h ;i s t a t t : iL iiiay h e : ; a id t h a t t h e rnirirl o f t h e s a h r u c l a y n

C ~ Y L I ~ I . i c ~ l t , c s : s l ~ r c . ~ . j o y .

111 R i c . l ~ ; ~ r t l s i 1 i i n t e r a c t ir,rls of' L t ~ e 1 . c a t i e 1 i111(l Lhc!

w r i t c ~ . t h a L p r .o~ luc :cs t h e a r t - o b j e c t . T h e v ; l l u c - ; l s i ? e c L , as

p e r R i c h a l . d ' s t h e o r y i s a t t r i b u t a b l e t o t h e fornnal

o r g a n i z a t i o n o f t h e w o r k o f a r t .

'l'llc I c . ; ~ t l c i I I I i y 1 1 i s 1 i l l t l ~ e Sz~cu l ( y of

e n t c r i n : : i n t o i c l e r l l i t y w i t h t h e h e a r t o r t h e p o e t . When a

s a h r u d n y a c n c o u n t c l s ;i pocnl, a t t h c c n ~ p i r i c a l l c v e l h c

becolllcs c t>r lsc i(>us o f the I i I s c ~ l s e u r t h e WOI-(1s. I lut

; i I , I I I I . \ V I I I 1 1 : : i t I (. ) : , . I I I I i I I ( . 13, L : I I I O l i V C . , 1 111.y I; i l l t l l <. 1 1 i : i

i n l a g i n a t i o n ; r r i r l rne11t;ll v i s u i l l i s a t i o n t a k e s p l a c e . T i i s

\: i : ; t 1 ;11 i : , ; [ I i ( 1 1 1 o r I I I V 1111 i vc r : : ; i I C , I I I O I i o n w l ~ i c t i t I ;111:;f :c:r1~1~;

t h e s i t u a t i o n , t i l e c h i ~ r a c t e r , t h c ~ > I : l o e ;ar l t l t h c Li111c.

R i ~ j a s h c k a r a , f o r i r l s t a ~ i c c s ~ e ; ~ h s o r Lhc t w o t l i f r c i - c r l t

I ( 1 1 L i l 1 1 , l l ~ c c r e a t i v e w i t h w h i c h t h e r i o c . 1 i : ;

c11d<1wcd ;inti t l ~ c a p p r e c i a t i v e w h i c h j s t h e g i f t o f t o t h e

~ < ~ l l l l ~ ~ l ~ l ; l y ~ l

\ Y ~ I C I I I 11c.1-c. i 1 1 1 i a r i i I I o Lhc clllol ~ C I I I , t h c

p a r t i c u l a r i n t h i s p r o c e s s rrlerges i n t o t h c u n i v e r : ; ; l l o f t h e

elllot i o n . S i rice t h c elnot iori b e c o m e s u r i i v e r s a l arid t r a n s c e n d s

t h e b o u n d a r y o f p r i v a t e e m o t i o n , t h c r e a d e r a s a p c r s o n

r c ~ l i a i ~ i s u l i i l fScctcr1 . T h e s a h r u d a y a c e a s e s t o b e a p 1 - i v a t c

p e r s o n , h e i d e n t i f i e s h i m s e l f w i t h h u m a n i t y a n d e x p e r i e n c e s

a u r i i v e r s a l c i n o t i o r i . IIe i s a t p e a c e w i t h h i m s e l f w h i c h

nlcnlis t h e r e i s ;In ~ : c l ~ ~ i p o i s c , o f l i i s crnot i o n .

' l ~ l i c , s ; ~ h ~ . ~ ~ d ? i y i ~ 11:1s t h e c a p a c i L y f o r v i s ~ 1 i 1 1 i ? ; ~ t i o n :1r111

a l s o Lhc c o g n i t i v e d e t e r m i n a t i o n . T h e m e n t a l p r o c e s s o f

p u t L i I I ~ i d e a s aritl for.mi rig ; I who1 c ( ' a d h y a v i ~ : i a i l y ; ~ ' ) i :; d u e

t o Lhe f a c u l t y o f i m a g i n a t i o n ( ' s a n k a l p a ' ) . T h e power o f

a p p r c h c r ~ : ; inri i : ; c i i l l c l l p r a t i i t i 4 3 . T l~c : power o r

v i s u a l i s a t i o n a w a k e n s v a a s a n a o r t h e l a t e n t d i s p o s i t i o n .

A cornpcLcnL s a t i r u t l a y a who h a s power o f s m r i t i a r ~ d

1 ' 1 :I I i i I i I I I : I ( I 1 1 1 1 1 O I L I I C ~ ) C I ( . I I I i I I O I I C C I I I I I I I I I C L I I C : ~ : ~ .

"T l ius t h e u l t i o r a t c p o s i t i o r l a c c o r d i n g t o t h i s v i e w i s t h a t

I I I I I I I I I ~ I I ( I lc i t l c r 1 1 i c ; i I I : I ; ~ I I I I I I ~ ~ I I V ~ I i r ~

t h e i r c r e a t i v e a n d e c s t a t i c moments a n d a r e a t q u i t e a t p a r

i n t h e r c s p c c t e x c e p t t h a t t h e p o e t ' s c x p c r i e n c e i s n w h i t

s u p e r i o r , q u a n t i t a t i v e l y t o t h a t o f t h e ~ a h r u d a y a . ~ ~ ~

I n t h e p r o c e s s o f r e a d e r r e s p o n s e t h e r e i s t h e

i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n o f t h e s t a a y i i b h a a v a o r Lhe p e r m a n e n t m e n t a l

s t a t e w i t h o u t a n y r e s t r i c t i o n i m p o s e d b y t i m e arid p l a c e .

RLISI I is 11111 j u s t t l i e i n t e n s i f i c a t i o r i o f s t a a y i i b h i ~ ; l v a .

T l i e r c i s a v i e w t h a t ' a n u k a r a n a ' i s d o n c f o l l o w i n g t h e

o r i g i n a l s t a t e o f m i n d . A l s o , t h e r e i s p r a t i i t i , o r

; I [ > ~ I ~ c I I ~ ~ I : ; ~ < > ~ I rrc1111 wl1ic11 ? I I I o I ) s ~ / I ( : l c ! ~ 1111ve l)c:cr~ c I ~ I I I ~ I I I I ~ C I ~

A salllvi t , f r c c d fro111 o l ~ s t a c l e i s c n l l c t l c r u l l a l k i ~ a r ; ~ ,

n i r v n a n n , r a s a n a , a a s v a a d a n a a n d b h ~ o g a . ~ ~

S t a a y i 01- p e r m a n e n t s t a t e s a r c v a a s a n a a s , c v c r y o n e h a s

v a a s a l l a u s . 'r11c s t a i l y i o f a s a h r u d a y a cor11cs i n t o

c o r ~ : ; c i o u : i r ~ c s s when hc 5;ccs :I p l a y 01. r c i ~ d s a ~ O C I I I . 7'hj:i i:;

why t h o u g h t h e s a h r u d a y a i s n o t c o n c e r n e d i n a w o r l d l y

s e n s c w i t h w h a t h e s e e s o r r e a d s h e f i n d s h i m s c l f p a r t o f

t h e a e s t h e t i c c x p e r i c n c c .

N o r m a l l y , i f we o b s c r v e t h e c o n c o m i t a n t r e l a l i o n

b e t w e e n t h e p e r m a n e n t m e n t a l s t a t e s a n d c o l l o c a t i o n o f i t s

c a u s e , e f f e c t a n d a c c e s s o r i e s we a r e a b l e t o i n f e r a

11,. 1 111 l l1 l< . l1 l ,11, .1l I l l l ,, 1 11 I L, ,

I : I o f 1 I I v i 1 1 1 n v 1 , r u l 1 v ; ~ r ~ c l

v y a b h i c a a r i b h a a v a a s . V i b h a a v a i s t h e k a a r a n a , a n u b h a a v a a n d

v y a b l ~ i c ; ~ ; ~ r . i ; ] I - ( : t h c k : ~ n r y ; r . V i b h n n v a , ; ~ r > u b h n n v ; l , arid

v y a b h i c a a r i a r c t o b l e n d i f r a s a i s t o b e g e n e r a t e d . R a s n

c s p c r i c r ~ c c i 1 r e , ;1r1(1 n o t ari o l ~ j c c l . W I I ~ I I Lhcr.c i s a

p e r f e c t u n i o n , t h e r e i s c o g n i t i v e c h e w i n g o r s a r n v e e d a n a , i t

i s c n o l a t k ; ~ n r n . T h c m e a n i n g t h u s g r a s p e d i s r a s a , I t i s o f

t h c c s : ; c r ~ c c o f c o g n i l i v c c h c w i n g , a r ~ d n o t s o m e t h i r ~ p , w h o s c

c x i s l c n e c t~;,:; 11ct.n a c c o m p l i s h c d b e f o r e ( s i d d h a s v a b h a a v a ) . 4 5

A c c o r d i n g t o 1 .A R i c h a r d s t h e r e i s n o t h i n g l i k e a n

o h j c c t i vc s t r u c t u r - c o r a e s t h e t i c e x p e r i e n c e Lt1 ;1 l :I r . c ; ~ t l c r

d c r i v c : ; f r o ~ n ;I wc)l.!i (11 r t r t . A 11oc11t i:; t h e w h o l e :; l irl .c of'

i n i i ~ t l , ci n ~ c r l t a l c o n d i t i o r ~ . ~ ~

T h c r c i s n o t h i n g o u t t h c r c , b e a u t y i s n o t i n h e r e n t i n

p l ~ y : ; i c ; ~ l c ) l ~ j c c L : ; . I t i s Lhc c h i l r a c t c r o r sorrlc o f o u r

r c : ; l ) < u ~ s ( ' : ; I i I I t i . I i I I 1 ; ~ i l i v i I y i ::

d e v e l o p e d i n r e g a r d t o a l l a s p e c t s o f t h e poem. F o r

c x : ~ m p l e w o r d s a r c f r c c t o rncarl w h a t t h e r e a d e r i s p l e a s e d t o

s u p p o s e .

The iliain i n t e n t o f t h e p o e t i s t o c o i r l n ~ u n i c a t e w i t h t h e

I-c:xtlcr. T11c p o c l who h a s u h i g h l y c o i ~ t [ ) l c x i ~ r ~ t l i n t e r l s c

c x p c l . i e r i c c e x p r e s s e s i t i r l t h e medium m o s t s u i 1 crl t o h i m .

I I I I I I I : ; I 1 1 1 1 I I l l i. I I l l 1 1 c x J l 1 t.:,:,c:i I l l : ; I 1 I I I . 1 . I (

c x p e r j e n c c nlos L adcc lu i l t c I y .

A g o o d poern s t i r ~ l u l n t e s t h e rnirld o f t h e r e a d e r a n d

a r o u s e s i n i L a v : l r i c t y o f i m p u l s e s . T h o s e inipulsc::

d i s t u r b t h e m i n d o f t h e r e a d e r f o r a w h i l e . T h e m i r ~ d t h a t

i s d i s t u r b e d i n i t s t u r n s e e k s a s t a t e o f p o i s e o r b a l a n c e

o r e q u i l i b r i u t r l . P o i s e i s a c h i e v e d o n l y when i m p u l s e s a r e

s a t i s f i e d .

A C L ~ I cl i r l j : t o I r l d i i l r~ A c s l l ~ e t i r i i l r l s t l l c v i b h ; l : ~ v ~ i i ~ ~ o u : , ~ : ;

i n t h e r e n d e r s e n s a t i o n s w h i c h make t h e r e a d e r r e s t l e s s f o r

a w h i l e . The mind a t t a i n s e q u i p o i s e when t h e e m o t i o n i s

ge r l c r ; l l i sc t l o r i i r i i v c ~ :;ill i scrl o r w h c ~ i Ll~cr c i:,

s a a d h c ~ n r a n i i k a r a n n m . T h i s l e a d s t o s a l n y o g a , o r p e r f e c t

harrnony o r p o i s e . At t h e t i m e o f r e l i s h i n g r a s a , t h e

v i b l i c ~ a v a : ~ s , a r i u b h a a v a a s arid v y a b h i c a a r i b t iaavclas n l o r l g w i t h

Lhc s t : l a y i i1 )h ;~i ivc l i~s cvokct l l )y t hcrr~ pr.t:::c:nt I.I~crn::i: Ivc: ; i r i

t h e i r u n i v e r s a l arid i m p e r s o n a l a s p e c t , a s t r a n s c e n d i n g t h e

I i n 3 ilrlpo::ctl by t irnc a n d s p a c e . "What i s m e a n t i s t h a t

t l i c s p c c t : ~ L o ~ - ' s mirid b e c o m e s i d e n t i f i c i i w i t 1 1 w h a t h e

perceives iind thi:; g i v e s r i s e Lo t h e a p p r o ~ ~ l . i a t e c a r v i ~ r ~ : ~ 01-

c o g n i t i v e c h e w i n g . 4 7

I .ong I ~ e f o r c R i c h a r d s w r o t e a b o u t Lhc s c > u r c c o f

n i i s r c ; ~ t l i r i ~ ; At>hin;i\~:i C ; u ~ ) t n w r o t c :ihouI vif7,si;~:i:; i r i p r > r l i c ,

: i ~ ~ r c c i a l i o r i . R i c h a r d s s a y s t h a t n poem e v o k e s , elnot i o n s i n

t l i c r c : l d c r , b u t or1 t h a t a c c o u n t , we c : ~ n n o t c o s ~ c l u t l c t l l a t

t h e r e h a s b e e n a corrlrr~union o f t h e r e a d e r ' s s e n s i b i l i t y w i t h

t h a t o f t h e p o e t h e c l a i m s t o h a v e e n j o y e d .

R i c h a r d s l i s t s t e n s o u r c e s o f r n i s r e ; l d i n g Lhc pocm, e a c h

s t a n d s i n t h e way o f t h e e n j o y m e n t o f s h e e r d e l i g h t . I n

' r a c l i c a l ~ r i t i c i s r n ~ ~ . R i c h a r d s d e s c r i b e s t h e s e s o u r c e o f ---

r o i s r e a d i n g i n some d e t a i l . T h e y a r c :

i . 'I'llc d i f f i c u l t y of' m a k i n g ouL o f t h e p l ; r i r i

s c n s c o f p o e t r y .

i i . The d i f f i c u l t i e s o f s e n s u o u s a p p r e h e n s i o n .

i i i . ' r l ~ c t l i f f i c u l t i e s c o n r ~ c r t c d wi t11 t h c p l : ~ [ . c

i lnagcl y .

i v . The pervasive i n f l u e n c e o f mnemonic i r r e l e v a n c e s .

v . S t o c k r e s p o n s e .

v i . S c n t i m c n t n l i t y .

v i i . I n t ~ i b i ti or^ d u e t o h a r d n c s s o f h e a r t .

i x . The c f f c c t o f t e c h n i c a l p r e - s u p p o s i t i o n .

x . G c n c r a l c r i t i c a l p r e - c o n c e p t i o n s ,

T r l P I I I ~ ~ i v c l ; l r~gun&:c w o r d s ; ~ n d w o r tl-co11111irl;rt i o ~ ~ . , 111,iy

mean d i f f e r e n t t h i n g s t o d i f f e r e n t r e a d e r s .

Izvcry pucrn h a s i t s s e n s e , f e e l i n g , l o r l e , ;ant1 i n t e n t i o n .

I < s I i I I I I 1 I I I I I t 1 1 1 1 1 - r , I 111p. I ~ I I I I I ID I

I)c c o r i c c p t u n l i s e d . W c h a v e r ~ o r r l e r ~ t a l i n s t r u r r i e r ~ t s w i t h w h i c h

t o 'r~nrltllc. fccl i r ~ g : : . T < ) I . t h i s w c h c ~ v c 10 dc11cr1d L I L ) O I I

i n t r o s p c c t i o n . However i n o r d e r t o a p p r e c i a t e a poem, n

r e a d e r mus t b e : ~ b l c t o e x p e r i e n c e t h e f e e l i n g s t h c r c i n .

B u t many ol):;t r u c t ion:; a r e t o b e o v e r c o r n c b e f o r e a p p r c c i u t i o n

as s u c h i s r e n d c r c d p o s s i b l e .

A b h i n a v a G u p t a w a s a l s o a w a r e o f t h e o b s t r u c t i o n o r

v i g n n a s t h a t b l o c k e d t h e e n j o y m e n t o f n p l a y o r :I poem. Me

:;peak:; of s c v e r i v i g r l a a s t o t h e e n j o y n l c n t o r p r o p c i -

a p p r e c i a L i o n o f a poem.

1 . I m p r o b a b i l i t y i s t h e f i r s t o f t h e v i g n a a s . What i s

I l l t I 1 1 1 111y j l c i t o I ) c 1 1 1 1 0 : : ; 1 I I 1 C V C I I

i1nprob; rh le . I T t h e t h e m e i s we1 1-known t h i s i lnpedinier l t may

b e o v e r c o m e .

2 + 3 . T h e i n t r u s i o n of s p a c e . - t i m e p a r t i c u l a r i t y i s

ar1oL11cr vigrl i r . Drarl laLic Lccl~r l iquc: ; a r c t o b e usc i l Lo

r c r i d c s Lf~c a p I ) c a r a r r c c of' Lhc h e r o c r c d i b l c i r ~ n p l a y . M u s i c

i n t h e p l a y c a n c r e a t e f o r g e t f u l n e s s a b o u t t i l n e .

4 . H e l p l e s s n e s s r i s i n g o u t o f p e r s o n a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f

h a p p i n e s s iirid Lhc I i k c i s a l s o a v i g n a . A r c n t l e r s h o u l t l n o t

I x I I I L I v t I I I I I : I t i i t11c

p l a y .

5 . 1, i~ck o r c l ; r r i t y i s s t i l l a n o t h c r . I n ;I p l a y i n

n111 t . 1 t I I I I I i : ; i I I I I I I , . : I i l l 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ,. 1 1 1 1 -

r e a d e r s .

6 . I,:~ck o f c n ~ p h i l s i s o n t h e p r i r ~ c i p a l c l c r r ~ c r ~ l rllny y e t b e

a n o t l i c c vi .gr ia . T h i s car1 b e a v o i d e d i f t h e r e i s a d o m i n a n t

:: Lnay i i b t ~ n ; ~ v : t .

7 . Arid Lllcr~ t l l c r c i s t h c o b s t z l c l c 1;li:;ctl by d o u t ) t . Iri

i s o l a t i o n a s i t u a t i o n w i l l h a v e n o d e f i n i t e m e a n i n g .

T h c l - c f o r c t o i v o i ~ l d o u b t , minlct i c changes a n d t r a n r ; i e r ~ t

emotion a r e t o b e p r e s e n t e d t o g c t h c r .

Ou l o i t h c s c , l a c k o f p r o b a b i l i t y , l a c k o f p r o p e r m e a n s

o f : ~ p p r c h ~ > r i . ; i o r ~ , 1. lck o f c l i r ~ i t y , trr~d. d c f c c t i n p ~ c s c r ~ t i r ~ g

the principal and the subordinate arc vignaas caused by the

1>or I .

The other two in which t h e personality of onesel1 or

that of sorncl,ody else is involved are due to lack of

1 ~ ~ i i I Ll~c ~ ; I I L o f I e c r <)I I c~~clcr .

what t t ~ c . ~.ciidcl- seeks Lo tlcrive f1.ol11 >i ~IOCIII or, i i [)lily

is sheer enjoyment free from vignaas or obstruction.

What i ? impclrtant hcrc to observe is not that both

Al)l~ir~av:~ CU~)LCL and Richards diffcr i r ~ the nature o r thc

obslructions in appreciation they list but that both

crnphasizc the i~n~~edia~crrts likely to arise in the course of

the appreciation of a poetical work.

Although thcrc seems to be little in common 1)ctwcen the

:;oul.ces of n~isreading ci Led by Richard:; and the v igtlz~ns

listed by Abhinava Gupta, they agree on one aspect. The

reader shall not allow his personal feelings to obstruct a

proper appreciation of a litcrary work.

The aesthetic experience flows from a genuine literary

piccc to cvcry reader-. Richards is of Lhc vicw Lhat only an

ilcc~t~lplish~~l I.C;L~CI. can appreciate in n proper way. Such a

~c:~(ler : ; t ~ ; t J l I.1.e~ f~it~~:.;clf fr-ut11 : ; c ~ ~ t i ~ ~ ~ c r ~ L t ~ f i L y ,

insct~siLivity, pcrso11;~1 feelings, proclivity to n~isrc;itling,

f ' i g i r r a t i v c l al1grr:lgc arid fro111 s t o c k - r c s p o r i s c . IIc :;hou l d n o t

i I I : I i r i I I ! ' I i 1 : I :111j511:11:1:, I E I I ( I I : , k . t . ~ ,

;rw;ry by L l ~ c 1 i t c r ~ l l i n c ; i n i r ~ g . IIc l i s t s t h c s o u r - c c o f

misre ; lc l i r ig on t h e a s s u m p t i o n t h a t t h e p o e t h a s p r o d u c e t l n

g r e a t poem. lle d o e s n o t r e f e r t o t h e l i m i t a t i o n o f t h e

o c s t h c t i c w o r k i l l t h i s c o n t c x t . A b h i n a v a GupLa a l s o i s a w a r e

o f t t i c d e f e c t s i r ~ t h c t r a i n i n g o f t h c r c a d e r whic11 make n

~ r . o p c 1 . a p l 1 r c c i : i t iori tli r f i c u l L f o r h i m . I y t l ~ a t

p c r s o n a l s o r r o w u r fccling may o b s t r u c t a p r o p e r

a p p r e c i a t i o n o f t h e poem. And i n t h i s , t h e v i e w o f R i c h a r d s

o r A b l i i r l ; ~ ~ : ~ G u p l i ~ a r c c x i ~ c t l y t h e sonic.

A b h i n n v a C u p t a d e s c r i b e s t h e i n f l u e n c e o f p e r s o n a l j o y s

a n d s o r r o w a s a n o b s t r u c t i o n i n t l i c f o l l o w i n g s L ; ~ L c r n e n t :

" N i ja s u k h a d u k h a n d i v i v a s a h h a a v n " 4 9

A r c a t l c r Oeccin~cs o v e r w h e l n l e d w i t h hi:; own s c ~ r s c o f

h i ~ ~ p l ~ i c s : ; 01- sor row: : . A s o rcrncdy f o r i t , Abl~ini lv; . i G u p t a

r e c o o ~ ~ n c n d s s e l f - f o r g e t f u l n e s s t h r o u g h m u s i c i f i t b e i n a

p l a y .

I I e r c i s w h a t R i c h a r d s w r i t e s a b o u t s o m e t h i n g s i m i l a r i n

t h e same c o n t e x t :

Thc p e r s o n a l s i t u a t i o n o f t h e r e a d e r i n e v i t a b l y

( a r i d w i t h i n I i r r ~ i L e r i g h t l f l a f f e c t s h i s r c ; ~ d i r l g , a n d

I I I : I I I ~ rnorc ; I I - C 11riiw11 t o ~ o c t r y i n q u e s t o f sorric

r e f l e c t i o n o f t h c i r l a t e s t e m o t i o n a l c r i s i s t h a n

w o u l d a d m i t i t . The d a n g e r s a r e t t~aL t h e

I I I l ' ( . ~ . l ir~g:i rrlily o v e r . w I ~ e 1 1 1 1 111111 11 i :: I L I I ( .

J ) ~ C I I I arid t h a t t l i c r c a d e r iuny f o r g e t t h a t t h e

e v o c a t i o n o f somewha t s i m i l a r f e e l i n g s i s p r o b a b l y

o n l y a p a r t o f a p o e t i c e n d e a v o u r . 5 0

B u t R i c h a r d s a d d s ,

" n u t a t o u c h - s t o n e f o r r e a l i t y i s t o o v a l u a b l c a n d

f a c t i o u s o r c o r ~ v c n t i o n a l f e e l irig s o comi i~or~ , t h a t t h e s e

c h a n g e s a r e w o r ~ h - r i s k i n g . " 5 ~ Y c t i t i s a d a n g e r .

Notes

' I I I I I , New C r i l ici3!m, Ncwl.01 k ~ 0 1 . 1 1 , N C W

Directory, 1941.

and Rerrc Wellck, A Theory of Modern Criticim ,

vol.VT, 221.

ScoLt A . 3i1111es, The Making of LiLerat~rc, 2 0 3 . Illi~kc

claims for ttrc poet the power to rcvcirl, Lhi~t i s w is

given Lo him as true.

Scott A. James, 211. Blake said that his poems were

dictated to him. Shelley claimed that his pocms were breathed

irrLo hin~ by sollle invisit>lc ir~flucrlces.

Saintsburry, History of Enxlish Criticism, 3 8 5 .

T. Nhaskaran, Iiharateeva Kaavyasasthranr, 134. I J N . 4 5 .

Ramarar~ jan Mukher j i , Genius rrat ibha , 6 4 .

. 1 l 1 1 k r i 1 1 1 2 P N . 33.

Kirr~L i Cllar~dra Pandey, Vaasana, Vol . I . 28.

1l 'I.. llhsskaril~~, w t r t e c v a K;~avyasasthran~, 137.

Lord of words.

l o K a n t i Chandra Pandey, 128.

R. C. Dwivedi,

Ramoranjan Mukhcrji

l 2 Richards, Principles of Literary Criticism , 1 8 4 .

l 3 T. Hhoskarnn, Bharatee~a Kanv~asasthram, 130.

Asyaa veseeshoo rnsaveesn vaisaadya

Soundarya kaavya nirmaanu ksamatvam

l 4 1 . A Richards, Coleridge Imagination , 57.

l 5 Cultural Leiitlers, 6 .

A(!:.;[ 11t:L i L: ~ I I I I > :

l o - '1.11~ - Iour~dat ions - - - of ksttlet its, 6 5 .

l 7 p-rAqi,,les of Literary Crit icism, 184.

"In a high state of vigilance the nervous system reacts

to sLi111u1 i w i 111 tightly a d a p t e d , discriminating an ordcretl

responses"

l 8 John IJiiul K u s s o , 187.

l ' ) I . A Richnrds, p r i n c i ~ l e g d u t e r a r v Q L t i c i s r n ,

2 5 8 .

2 0 I . A . Richards, 2 5 8 .

2 1 'I'apf~svi S . Nand i , 3 9 6 .

2 2 Tapnsvi S. Nandi, 400.

2 3 Tapasvi S. Nandi, 3 9 6 , 399.

"The essential thing is that one's samvit or

c o ~ ~ s c it,tr::llc:i:: 111usL repose u~~ol~sil.uc:Led ly in i is true

nature, i.e, in Siva. This is joy itself. In this school,

tl~c 1)ossibi I i Ly 01' ihc S U I I I V ~ L k r ~ c ~ w i ~ ~ g i Lsei 1' o r ~ C ~ C I S ~ I I ~ in

itself is the source of all joy sensual, artistic or

spiriLu?11 . . " ( p . 3 9 6 ) . This experience, because it. is

free from all obstacles - nirvignavat - is rasana (tasting),

carvana (sampling), nirvriti ( b l i s s ) pratiiti (apprehension)

and paramaatatva visraanti or repose in the state of being

or known.

2 4 1.14 Richards, Coleridne Inlagination , 5 7 .

2 5 Chetan Karnani , Coleridne Odc to D e i e t i g ~ c , 30.

26 J o h n P a u l R u s s o , 1 8 3 .

"Ilc ( 1 i l 1 ) r.cTc1.s F o r c x r ~ n ~ p l c l o 11 ~ C ) C I I I I I ? ; 11

' c o l l e c t i o r l o f i ~ ~ l p u l s e s ' t r a n s f e r r e d f r o m t h e p o e t t o r e a d e r

a s ' m i l l i o n s o f f l e e t i n g s e m i - i n d e p e n d e n t i m p u l s e s " i n a

" m o m e n t a r y s t r u c t u r e o f f a b u l o u s c o l ~ ~ p l e x i t y ' a n d t o t h e b e s t

o f a e s t h e t i c c o n s c i o u s n e s s a s a n ' e q u i l i b r i u m o f o p p o s e d

inipul ses"

2 7 --. An j - n t r o d u c t i o n I n d i a n P o e t i c s . ( E d ) . V . R a g h a v a n ,

N a g e n d r a , S . N . G u p t a , T h e T h e o r v o f R a s a , 3 7

28 1.A R i c h a r d s , P r i n c i p l e s of L i t e r a c y c r i t i c i s m , 9 8 .

2 9 C : o m r ? l e m e n t a r i t i e s , 8 .

C u l L u r u l L e c ~ t l e r s - u f I r l t l i r ~ , K r i s h r ~ r i m o o r t h y on

B h a r a t a , 6 . 1 . A R i c h a r d s , P r i n c i p l e s of L i t e r a r y

C r i t i c i s m , 1 0 0 , 1 0 1 .

31 C u l t u r a l L e a d e r s of U d i n , 6 .

3 2 ' I ' : , ~ ) i ~ s v i . S . N i i , 3 8 1 . 3 3 1 . A K i c h a r d s , P r i n c i p l e s of I , i t e r & g l C r i t i c i s m , 2 7 .

3 4 Veda Bandf lu , A b h i r i a v a G u p t a n t c Rasa S i d ( l t i a n t a m ,

( T t ~ i r u v a n n i i t l ~ n p u r a n ~ : K e r i i l a Bhash l i I n s t i t u t e , 1 9 7 6 ) . The

t l i s c ~ - i ~ n i r ~ i l L i c > r l o f p o e t i c e c s t a s y t h a t i s g c r l c r i r t e d i l l t f l c

moment o f c r e a t i o n i s h a r d l y s e e n i n E a s t e r n n e s t h e t i c i n n s ,

2 2 1 .

3 5 C l l c t n n K a r n n n i . Criticism. A e s t t r c t i c i a n a n d

P s ~ y l : l l o l l ~ ~ ~ y ~ , 7 q . . .

36 T a p i ~ s v i S . N i ~ n d i , 388 .

3 7 C o m p l c r n e n t a r i t i e s , X V I I .

38 m l e m e n t n r i t i e s , X V I I I .

39 T n p n s v i S . N l i 3 4 4 .

' I : S . N I 3 5 1 . 1 . A . K i c h t ~ r t l s , SJICCII 1 i ~ L i v c

I n s l r u r n e n t s , 1 9 5 , 1 4 9 . -

I n R i c h a r d s , The l a n g u a g e o f s c i e n c e i s d i f f e r e n t f r o m

lilllgllilge o f p o c t I y .

4 1 R e u b e n D r o w e r , f l e l e n V e r i d l e r a n d J o h n f I o l l a n d e r

( E d s . ) I. A , i l i c h n r t l s , Fssiivs i n His _I tonour , (New Y o r k :

O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 7 3 ) 8 6 - 8 7 .

4 2 ( E d . ) R . C . D w i v e d i , P r i n c i p l e s o f L i t e r a r y C r i t i c i s m

i n S a n s k r i t . V . V c n k n t a c h a l a n ~ , T h e i n t e r - r e l i ~ t i o r ~ o f Lhe

i : I I k L i I : I . i i I 0 7 . 4 ° 'Tirpasvi S . N a n d i , 3 7 8 , 3 7 9 .

4 3 b R . C . Dwive t l i ( E d . ) P r i n c i p l e s of' Li ter i l r -y_ c r _ ~ i t i c i s r n

i n S a n s k r i t , 3 9 .

4 i i S . N i ~ n l l l i , ,170 .

4 5 ' I ' apasv i S . N a n d i , 3 8 7 .

4 6 i r ! ' ! ' -1 .a ry . C r i l i c ~ i ~ r n .. ! . . , 2 0 4 .

4 7 T a p u s v i S . N a n d i , 3 8 8 .

4 R ~~- I ' r i ~ c .. ~~ t i cilL cj: ilj.cj.s!l!, 1 3 .

4 9 K a n t i C h a n d r a P a n d e y , C o m p a r a t i v e A e s t h e t i c s , V o l . 1 ,

( V a r a n a s i : T h e Chowkamba S a n s k r i t S e r i e s , 1 9 5 9 1 , 1 7 9 .

1 . A R i c h a r d s , P r a c t i c a l C r i t i c i s m , 2 3 9 .

5 1 1.13 R i c h a r d s , 2 3 9 .