17 Khemendra: Auchitya Vicharacharcha
Prof. Tutun Mukherjee
KSHEMENDRA – AUCHITYA VICHARACHARCHA
The Auchitya is that proper placing of things in such a manner that is perfect to arouse Rasa and to avoid certain things that are not suitable to provoke Rasa. This is only the essence of poetic / artistic expression which is called Auchitya. It is stated as jivita, the life-breath of Kavya the poetry.
Kshemendra author of four important treatises on literary criticism is known as the disciple of Abhinavagupta who wrote the commentary ‘Locana’ on Dhvanyaloka of Ananda Vardhana. They are Kavikarnabharana, Kavikarnika, Suvrithi tilaka and Auchitya vicaracharcha. Unfortunately Kavikarnika is not available .Among his works Auchitya Vichara Charcha expounds a new path in the literary criticism. Bamaha’s – Alankara theory, Dandi’s – Guna Theory, Vamana’s Riti Theory, Anandavardhana’s Dhvani theory, Kuntakas – Vakrokti theory, Kshemendra’s Auchitya theory lays a new path, a new way of thinking and elaborating the concepts that apply to all features of Kavya the poetry. Kshemendra’s Auchitya proceeds only after accepting ‘Rasa’ as the soul and whose presence makes Kavya Auchitya is its life. Though the words ‘Atma’ soul and Jivita-life are used in the meaning of essence and as interchangeable by many of literary critics, Kshemendra made a subtle difference between the Rasa-the soul and Auchitya the life and established its significance in poetry. Auchitya adds Chamatkara-delectation to the Kavya which is the life of Rasa. He is a learned scholar in classical Sanskrit literature, and his taste is very highly refined and matured.
Based on the earlier discussion on literary criticism Kshemendra formulated this new doctrine of propriety which revolutionized the method of criticism. Auchitya plays an important role when a standard or rule or custom comes into conflict and leads to classicism and correctness which are of supreme value to the poem. Just as the consciousness pervades the whole body, Auchitya too spreads all over the poetical composition. Though not considered as a great invention it was not received well either by the poets or by the critics
Opinions on Auchitya –the Propriety
Bharata in his Natya shastra observed that for a proper and full development of rasa sentiment. Guna (merit), Dosha (defect), Riti (style) or Vakrokti (oblique poetry or deviations), Savabhavokti (natural statements), Auchitya (propriety) etc. and the rules of propriety have to be observed in all the above forms. Thus there has to be a proper employment of the Vibhavas Anubhavas Vyabhicharibhavas, Satvikabhavas and Sthayibhavas in relation to the subject matter, the speakers, the sentiment and the means with which desired Rasa is evoked. This observation of Bharata was fully developed by the later scholars such as Bhamaha, Dandi, Vamana and Kuntaka, although there are slight variations in the interpretations of the ideas suggested by Bharata.
The earlier critics like Bamaha, Dandi, Udbhata, and Vamana gave importance to Alamkaras –figures of speech, Guna- merits, Riti-Style etc. in good poetry. Rasa being the primary importance to any kind of literary composition, the way to reach blissful state for evoking desired Rasa Ananadavardhana advocated Dhvani theory and Kuntaka propounded Vakrokti as life of Poetry.
Most of the rhetoricians accommodated Auchitya in their works. Bhamaha and Dandi in certain parts of their treatises considered the greatest Guna or excellence of poetry is Auchitya and it figures out to all other Gunas. The greatest Dosa or Flaw is its Anuchitya and it follows to all the Dosas. Dandi in his Kavyadarsa has not mentioned the term but his expression शशशशशशश शशशशशश शशशशशशशशशश-the speech cultivated with study and effort’ indirectly hints propriety.
Rudrata in his Kavyalankara dealing with Alankara at a length says that these figures of speech must be introduced after giving the thought on propriety-the Auchitya with reference to the main theme Vastu.
Vamana explains Riti – the style if it is not suited to evoking desired Rasa it is Riti-anuchitya the flaw is named as Aritimat. The Gaudi Style may not be suitable for Sringara
Rasa but well suits to Vira Rasa and Raudra Rasa etc. The proper placing of Guna Dosa, Alankara, Riti, should be taken care in such manner so as to suit Rasa
Anandhavardhana is the first one to introduce the term Auchitya, and dealt with it in a detailed manner. He did not define Auchitya but he says the main task of the great poet lies in propriety of all the contents and the expressions in the direction of sentiment (Dhvanyaloka.III.32) Propriety of the speaker and the spoken is the one which governs all the Gunas-quality, Riti style (Texture), Almkaras- figures of speech, all prose works, sentiment etc. (Dhvanyaloka.III 6-14) Impropriety in a literary composition n is the highest blemish. Impropriety results in the hindrance of the the process of relishing the sentiment (Rasabhanga).
(There is no other cause for a breach in sentiment except indecorum. The greatest secret about sentiment in conformity to well- known consideration of decorum.)
Kuntaka in his Vakroktijivita says “where the object of description is covered by the charming nature of speaker and the hearer –that also is Auchitya- the Propriety”
Mahimabhatta the author of Vyaktiviveka and other critics too hold the same opinion the propriety that pervades in the word, in the sense and in the entire poetical composition and if a composition in any of its parts or anywhere suffers from impropriety Auchitya then it fails to lead to the desired end.
Kshemendra dedicated one complete treatise on Auchitya – The Propriety . He defines Auchitya, establishes its relation with poetry and its varieties in 39 Karika with prose vritti and about 107 illustrations from the poems of great poets like Kalidasa, Magha, Bhavabhuti, Amaru, Anandavardhana and from his own. Kshemendra’s unique method is to explain the concept with one or more examples that comply with his rule of Auchitya and follow with one or more example verses which do not comply with his rule (Anauchitya). It looks that he deals with praise and censure equally as a critic. In more than one instance he illustrates Auchitya and Anauchitya i.e.appropriate and inappropriate from his own works.
Kshemendra’s personal life and works
Kshemendra’s personal life and his ancestors is known through his works only. Kshemendra was the son of Prakashendra and grandson of Sindhu. He belonged to the Kashmirian Brahmin family that was very rich and performed many Yajnas and their charities were on lavish scale. His father and grandfather served as ministers to King Narendra and king Jayapida (8th century).Kshemendra’s son Somendra completed his Avadanakalpalathika in 1052 AD under the king Kalsa .Hence the earliest date that can be given to Kshemendra is 1037 to 1066 AD. He was originally follower of Saivism and later followed Vaishnavism. He calls himself Vyasadasa. From the concluding verses of his works were know that he belonged to a rich scholarly family possessed immense wealth and very generous people. Kshemendra was a voluminous writer produced more than forty works. His literary activity on variety of subjects include the summaries on epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. His Brihatkathaamanjari made Gunnadhya’s Brihatkatha (which is written in paiscaci language) survive. His works on Buddhism are considered as very important for Buddhists. His Nitikavyas caturvarga sangraha, Carucharcha, Darpadalaram Sevyasevakopadesa proclaim great fame.
His contribution to poetics is also not less. His work suvruttitilaka written in three vinyasas deals with very interesting remarks on 27 Chandas – the meter. He clearly gives the direction of the employment of certain metre to be used in particular context. He clearly showed how a particular metre can evoke a particular Rasa which is desired by the poet and also how it can be spoiled also. The work contains 38 Karikas and 25 illustrations in first Vinayasa named as Vrittavacaya-choice of metres, 46 Karikas and 47 illustrations in Second Vinyasa, named as Gunadosadarshana-exposition of merits & demerits and 40 Karikas and 16 illustrations in third Vinyasa named as Vrittaviniyoga-usage of metre. He points out in what metre certain poets are been excelled like Kalidasa in Manndakranta, Bhavabhuti in Shikarini, Bharavi in Vamshasta etc. This original work exhibits the critical acumen of the author and his knowledge in the excellences and flaws in Vrittas-metres.
Another work on poetics and literary criticism of Kshemendra is Kavikantabaharanam is divided into five chapters called as Sandhis, has 55 Karikas. This work speaks ten types of Chamatkara – strikingsness. This is an excellent guide for an aspiring poet in literary pursuit. The first chapter named as Kavitva Prapti – acquisition of poetical acumen consists of 25 Karikas and 3 illustrations, the second chapter named as Prapta Gireh Shiksha kathanam – instruction to those who mastered the speech has 22 karikas and 9 examples. The third chapter consists of 3 Karikas and 10 illustrative verses in named as Chamatkara Kathanam – elucidation of striking poetical charm. The fourth chapter named as Gunadoshagati classification of merits and demerits has 2 karikas and 10 illustrations and fifth chapter deals with 3 karikas and 28 illustrative verses depicting the Characteristics of various things with a concluding verse, named as Parichayaprapti – familiarity with art and culture.
Thus Kavikantabharana discusses on variety of subjects, divides disciples into 3, poets into 5 and gives extensive guidance about Gunas, dosas, of Kavya and knowledge of Grammar, Tarka, epics etc. It must read practical hand book for aspiring poets.
The present work of concern is Auchitya vicara charcha though not a voluminous work but definitely a worthy book for study. Kshemendra schematized these views and implied hints in the writing of the early writers and fully developed his own theory of Auchitya as soul of poetry. Kshemendra though not original thinker but definitely a scholar, and teacher, his critical insight is explicitly seen in his attempt in formulating a new doctrine without deviating from the well laden path of his predecessors .He puts his views in deep thinking and never hesitated point out from great poets to himself the flaws. His theory is more crisp and clear. His theory has definiteness and common-sense .being distinct from other constituents of poetry like merits and demerits,Dhvani etc. is present in every limb of the poetry.Auchitya theory gives a practical standard by which one can estimate Rasa present in any given verse propriety alone enhances or lessen the charm of poetry especially in the field of dramaturgy Auchitya plays a vital role It guides the types of plot, heroes ,heroines,villians,selected characters and makes the drama enjoyable .Kshemendra has upheld Auchitya to the levels of an important pre-requisite of great poetic creation. He publicized his observation on Auchitya as an essential principle and that all other qualities will fail to have their impact if this principle is disregarded.
Kshemendra’s Auchitya vicara Charcha consists 38 karikas and 5 concluding verses and 107 illustrative verses. In the fourth, fifth karika he defines Auchitya as Enough with Alamkaras; of what use are the Gunas; if there is no life there? Ornaments are ornaments, excellence are excellences; but Auchitya (propriety) is the life of the Kavya –
Poetry accomplished with Rasa. He means to say Propriety permanent and enduring soul of poetry without which all the other embellishments are useless. The ornaments are ornaments only when they are placed in proper place, it is excellent only when it is not stripped out from the decorum. If it is so what is this Auchitya then? Questioning himself in the Vritti he establishes the propriety as-
If anything goes well with anything else then it is called Uchitam- proper according to the masters, Auchityam is the condition of being Uchita.
Kshemdera first puts forward that Rasa as the soul, the thing whose presence makes the ife (Jivita). Auchitya gives cam because appropriateness, implicit meaning, harmony, strikingness in evoking Rasa is the ultimate beauty of the poetry. Anandavardhana considered Almnkaras and Gunas are only the Saria (body) of the poetry, but they can make Atma (Soul) beautiful only when they are properly expressed and suggested. This was elaborated by Kshemendra saying that there should be propriety in promoting Rasa.
Kshemendra elaborated Aucitya the significant element of literary excellence. In verses 8-10 of his book (Aucityavicaracaracharcha), Kshemndra enumerates the areas, locations or sites of literary compositions where the concept of Aucitya should be present: 1. Pada (phrase), 2.Vakya (sentence), 3. Prabhandhartha (meaning in whole composition), 4.Guna ( excellences, qualities ), 5.Alamkara (poetic figures of speech 6.Rasa ( the sentiment ), 7.Karaka ( Case-ending), 8.Kriya (verb) , 9.Linga( gender or marking), 10.Vacana (number), 11)Visesana (qualification), 12.Upasarga (prefix), 13.Nipata ( particle), 14.Kala( time, tense), 15.Desa (country), 16.Kula (family), 17.Vrata (custom) 18.Tattva (truth), 19.Sattva ( inherent strength ), 20.Abhipraya (motive), 21.Svabhana (nature), 22.Sara Samgraha (essential properties, 23) Pratibha (innate ability), 24.Avastha (condition), 25.Vicara (thought), 26.Nama (name), 27.Asirvada (blessings) and other essentials of poetry. Auchitya the life pervading shines bright in the entire body of the poem.
These are understood in Prakrutyauchitya of Bharata and the absence of Flaw (Dosa) of Loka-agama-Viruddha of Bamaha and Dandi. After giving the list of places where Auchitya has to be observed, Kshemendra proceeds to show instances from the works of poets who have observed the rule of Auchitya and who have not. He points out the conceptual flaws in the later, thus deviating from the main subject and sentiment. The pratyudaharana – counter illustrations are all the cases of abuse, who have his concentrations more one the figures of speech or Gunas or Riti etc. but not on Rasa. For a great poet of genius the sense of harmony and appropriateness comes automatically by instinct, and hardly there will be any impropriety. But when the concentreation is on other parts of the poem the error creeps up and the beauty of poetry, gets lost. Hence the aspiring poet has to carefully check the usage of appropriate Alamkaras or Gunas, for that matter even gender, number, case too.
Auchityavicaracharcha
Kshemendra elaborately explained the 27 varieties of propriety quoting from many poets from Kalidasa to the poets of his time. Illustrations include from his own poetry and his teachers’ too. For instance the Auchtya -Propriety of figures of speech.
Alamkara Auchitya is that where there is proper place and function of Alankaras, He defines it is
(Malankara’s-Figures pf speech like upama-Simile, Rupaka-Metaphor etc have their meaning only where they are kept in their designated places. Just as a pearl necklace on a woman can beautify only her full bosom and otherwise cannot be a beautifying factor, thus through appropriate Alamkara alone, evoke appropriate Rasa. He gives example from Sriharsha Ratnavali.