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Though the concept of Dhvani had evoked wide acceptance at the hands of Alankarikas, there have been some, they are, however, far smaller in number, who have voiced their opposition to it. Rajanaka Mahimabhatta is one of them. In the first chapter of his Vyaktiviveka he devotes considerable space to the criticism of Dhvani and the enunciation of his view which regards it as redundant; the purpose of it being adequately served through the primary power of Denotation, Abhidha. Mahimabhatta is Abhidhavadin. His view may be briefly set forth as follows: There is no power in a word except Abhidha. Laksana resides in the sense and not in the word. In the expression gaur vahikah, the identification between the ox and the resident of Vahikas is known through inference, anumana. Similarly is known the situation of a hamlet on the bank of the river Ganga on account of the impossibility of its being located on the flowing current of water. This inference, anumiti, according to him, is different from the anumiti, inference, of the Naiyayikas; it is kavyanumiti. Suggestion being a secondary sense comes within the purview of the kavyanumiti. In expression where secondary sense is understood, it is not due to suggestion; it is due to kavyanumiti. Now, all these are familiar points of criticism. There is, however, one point where Mahimabhatta's criticism of the Dhvani School is characterized by freshness of approach. He tries to cut at the very root of it. It is maintained by the Alankarikas that the use of

8 Classical Sanskrit Literature the word Dhvani on their part is inspired by the similarity of its function in the Vyakaranasastra, vyanjakatvasamyat¹. In the Vyakaranasastra the relationship between Dhvani and Sphota is that of vyanjaka, manifestor, and vyangya, manifested. This relationship is similar to the one between ghata and pradipa, the jar and the lamp. Just as a lamp manifests a jar but while manifesting it manifests itself too, similarly does Dhvani manifest Sphota while manifesting itself too. In other words between Dhvani and Sphota there is the relationship of yaugapadya, simultaneity. That is the import of the ghatapradipanyaya. It is at this Mahimabhatta has launched his attack. There is no simultaneity here. There is sequence here too. Says he: ata eva (kramasya sulaksatvat) sruyamananam sabdanam dhvanivyapadesyanam antahsannivesinas ca sphotabhimatasyarthasya vyangyavyanjakabhavo na sambhavaliti vyanjakatvasamyad yah sabdarthatmani kavye dhvanivyapadesah so 'py anupapannahi² The moment the concept of yaugapadya, simultaneity, is taken out, the whole concept of Dhvani, based as it is on the similarity of function of Dhvani in Vyakarana and Alankarasastras , falls. If in the Vyakaranasastra it can be shown that there is no relationship of vyanjaka and vyangya between Dhvani and Sphota which would mean that Dhvani is not vyanjaka, the use of the word Dhvani in Alankarasastra on the similarity of its function in Vyakaranasastra, vyanjakatva-samyad, would lose its point. With the sequence, krama, existing in Dhvani and Sphota they evidently cannot stand in the relationship of vyanjaka and vyangya; they would instead have to stand in the relationship of gamaka and gamya. If we accept Dhvani as gamaka or anumapaka in Vyakaradasastra we shall have to accept it as such in Alankarasastra. In that case Dhvani will lose its \ raison de etre and would come to be identified with anumiti (dhvaner anumitav antarbhavah). Now, this is a criticism which is of far reaching significance not only for the Alankarikas but also for the Vaiyakaranas who have all along accepted the relationship of vyanjaka and vyangya between Dhvani and Sphota.

Mahimabhatta's Criticism of the Concept of Dhvani 9 With his informed criticism Mahimabhatta has created a problem for the rhetoricians and the grammarians. REFERENCES 1. budhair vaiyakaranaih pradhanabhutasphotarupavyangyavyanjakasya sabdasya dhvanir iti vyavaharah krtahi tatas tanmatanusaribhir anyair api nyagbhavitavacyavyangyavyanjanaksamasya sabdarthayugalasya. Kavyaprakasa, I. 4. 2. Vyaktiviveka, Chowkhambha Sanskrit Series, Varanasi, 1936, p. 57.