The Dheanyaloka is an epoch making treatise in the field of ancient Indian literary criticism. In his magnum opus Anandavardhana has propounded the grand literary principle, i.e. the theory of dhvani which has exerted influence upon the later stalwart rhetoricians like Mammata and Visvanatha etc. Jagannatha has clearly declared that Dhvanikara has paved the way for the Alankarika-s. Researches have been carried out by some renowned scholars on the nature and the classification of dhvani. But a complete inquiry into the origin of this theory has behind proper notice. The present work aims to throw light on the technical, historical and literary background of the genesis of this theory of dhvani.
The author, Dr. Bidyut Baran Ghosh, M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D., who holds a first class academic career throughout, was Professor (West Bengal Senior Educational Service) and H.O.D., Sanskrit, Sanskrit College, Kolkata. After his retirement in 2010, he was Emeritus Fellow (2010-2012), U.G.C., New Delhi. He served as Guest Teacher, Dept. of Sanskrit, University of Calcutta (2006-2018). He won Anandaram Barooah Prize of the same University in 2001. He composed four books and presented Papers in three sessions of A.I.O.C. and in two sessions of W.S.C. He published more than twenty research in Journals etc. He guided three M.Phil. students and three Ph.D. students. Now he serves as a Member of the B.O.S., Sanskrit, of some universities.
This substantially represents my research work carried out during my Emeritus Fellowship sponsored by the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, for the period 2010-2012. I joined to carry out the project on 17th January 2011. But alas! after a month I had to go for corneal transplantation (D.S.E.K.) in the left eye on 9th March 2011 at L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad. So I was in great difficulty as there was restriction regarding study up to May 2011. After my recovery I began to carry out my research. However, my work was complete within two years by extensive study, hard work, continuous effort and by the grace of the Goddess of Learning.
Among the major researches on the dirvani theory mention may be made of the researches carried out by (i) Dr. A. Sankaran (Some Aspects of Literary Criticism in Sanskrit or the Theories of Rasa and Dhwani, University of Madras, 1926), (ii) Dr. K. Krishnamoorthy (Dhvanyaloka and Its Critics, Ph.D. Thesis, Bombay University, 1947), (iii) Dr. Sharada Swaroop (The Role of Dhvani in Sanskrit Poetics, Ph.D. Thesis, Banaras Hindu University, 1958), (iv) Mukunda Madhav Sharma (The Dhvani Theory in Sanskrit Poetics, Varanasi, 1968), and (v) Dr. Bidyut Baran Ghosh (A Critique of Dhvanikarikas, Ph.D. Thesis, Jadavpur University, 1993).
MM. P. V. Kane, Dr. S. K. De, Dr. K. Krishnamoorthy, Dr. A. Sankaran, Dr. Sharada Swaroop and others made researches on the theory of dhvani but "no attempt has been made now or in the past to work out our project i.e. to trace the source materials in details which inspired Anandavardhana to adumbrate such a grand literary principle like dhvani in his magnum opus Dhvanyaloka." Hence this project is to explore technical, historical and literary background of the genesis of dhvani. It will also bring delight to the critics of Alankarasastra.
I feel that this book will surely be of great help to the interested students, researchers and Indologists as a whole.
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