'Imagination' in Indian Poetics
By T. N. Sreekantaiya
Summary
This substantial essay explores the concept of imagination (pratibhā) in classical Indian poetics. Beginning with Bharata’s Nāṭyaśāstra, it traces how later theorists such as Ānandavardhana, Abhinavagupta, Kuntaka and Viśvanātha understood the creative faculty. Pratibhā is described as the poet’s innate capacity to visualise novel relationships and evoke rasa (aesthetic flavour). The author surveys passages where poets and critics liken imagination to a lamp that illumines hidden connections, and contrasts it with mere mechanical skill. Discussions of upamāna (analogy), dhvani (suggestion) and aucitya (propriety) demonstrate that imagination operates within cultural and aesthetic conventions; it is not arbitrary but guided by rasa. The essay examines debates about whether imagination is a psychological power, divine inspiration or a cultivated habit. Texts from the Kāvyādarśa, Vakroktijīvitam and Sāhitya‑darpaṇa illustrate different typologies of imaginative figures—utprekṣā, rūpaka, atiśayokti, etc. Through close reading of exemplary verses by Kālidāsa, Bhāravi and others, the author shows how imaginative leaps transform ordinary descriptions into profound aesthetic experiences. The role of the audience’s imagination in completing the poetic effect is also addressed. By situating Indian theories of imagination within broader discussions of creativity and reception, the essay offers a comprehensive account of an essential component of Sanskrit literary criticism.
Conclusion
The essay concludes that imagination is central to Indian poetics: it enables poets to transcend literal description and evoke rasa through suggestion and analogical thinking. While seen as an innate power, imagination is refined through study of tradition and aesthetic discipline. The concept thus bridges the poet’s creative impulse and the audience’s receptive response. Recognising its role deepens our appreciation of Sanskrit literature and highlights affinities with modern theories of creativity.