A Comparative Study of Dhvani-Kavya and Various Ragas in Music, in the Production of the Sentiments
By Roopa Kulkarni
Summary
In this interdisciplinary essay, Roopa Kulkarni compares two art forms – poetry and music – to explore how they evoke rasa, the aesthetic experience of sentiment. On the literary side, she discusses the theory of dhvani (suggestion) articulated by the tenth‑century critic Ānandavardhana. According to dhvani, a poem’s meaning does not reside solely in its literal sense or even its figures of speech but in the implied mood that resonates in the reader’s heart. Kulkarni explains the three types of dhvani – vastu (suggestion of an idea), alamkāra (suggestion of a figure) and rasa (suggestion of emotion) – and illustrates them with examples from Sanskrit and Prakrit poetry. Turning to music, the article outlines how specific ragas (melodic frameworks) are traditionally associated with particular rasas. For instance, Rāga Bhairavī is said to evoke karuṇa (pathos), while Rāga Maṅgalā evokes śṛṅgāra (love). Kulkarni notes that these associations are codified in treatises like the Sangītaratnākara, yet the actual experience of rasa depends on the interplay of melody, tempo and ornamentation (gamakas). She compares the role of suggestion in dhvani‑kāvya with the evocative power of a raga, arguing that both rely on subtle cues to prompt an emotional response. The essay includes a comparative table of ragas and rasas and analyses a few compositions in which poetic lyrics and musical setting work synergistically. Kulkarni suggests that just as a skilled poet chooses words that hint at a deeper emotion, a musician chooses notes and micro‑tones that suggest a particular mood. She also notes that cultural conditioning plays a role: listeners trained in the tradition will pick up on suggestions that others may miss. The article concludes that dhvani theory provides a useful framework for understanding musical aesthetics and that Indian arts share a common concern with the evocation of rasa. The comparative approach underscores the unity of Indian aesthetic philosophy across disciplines.
Conclusion
Kulkarni’s comparative study shows that both poetry and music in the Indian tradition rely on suggestion to generate aesthetic experience. By aligning the concept of dhvani with the emotive associations of ragas, the article bridges literary criticism and musicology. It invites artists and scholars to explore how different media collaborate to evoke shared sentiments and enrich the listener’s or reader’s inner world.